Annual Okanagan investment program now accepting startups from across Canada

Angel Summit grows reach

Photo: Accelerate Okanagan

Julie and Mike deBoer won last year’s Okanagan Angel Summit with their company, Mastrius.

The Okanagan Angel Summit will be casting its widest net yet this spring.

For the first time in its eight year history, the investment competition is open to companies across Canada. The eight-week event, which is run by Kelowna-based Accelerate Okanagan, will end with one startup company winning an investment of up to $150,000 from a group of Okanagan angel investors.

Applications from both startups and investors are being accepted now.

“This is the first time that the Okanagan Angel Summit will be open to companies across Canada to apply,” Accelerate Okanagan programs director Thuy Carter said in a press release. “The intention is to put the Okanagan on the map as an investment destination for startups looking to raise early-stage investment from Okanagan-based investors.”

This year’s Okanagan Angel Summit will run from April 7 to June 4, when a live finale will be held for the finalists and the investors will then determine how to distribute their fund.

During the eight-week process, investors will gain practical experience in due diligence, pitch assessment and collaborative investing, while participating companies will benefit from training, real-time feedback and meaningful investor connections that extend well beyond the event.

The early-bird deadline is March 1, and companies that take advantage will receive a one-on-one application review with an investor. Feedback from this review can be used to strengthen applications before the general application deadline of March 29.

Last year’s winner was Calgary’s Mastrius, which is a membership-based platform transforming how artists grow by connecting them with master-level mentors and a global creative community. The company took home $180,000.

More information and application forms can be found on the Okanagan Angel Summit website here.