WLU’s Startup Fund gives senior Business students a chance to evaluate and potentially invest in budding businesses. This hands-on opportunity to invest real money in real companies as an angel investor is invaluable for those with sharp, discerning, entrepreneurial minds.
From due diligence to reports, recommendations and, ultimately, funding if agreed upon, each week sees students working through all the steps of investing. It’s a rare opportunity to explore the world of startup finance with seasoned angel investors under the guidance of experienced investors.
Students who are accepted into this stimulating course cite it as a highlight of their BBA or MBA experience.
Experience
The Laurier Startup Fund gives students the real-word experience of conducting due diligence and making investment recommendations on early stage companies.
Strategy
Laurier trains student teams to conduct thorough due diligence to identify early stage companies that have the potential to increase substantially in value.
Community
Deals are pre-screened by the Golden Triangle Angel Network (GTAN) and the MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF). Students work with experienced angel investors who approve final decisions.
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Investee Companies
Statflo (2015): $50,000 common share purchase
Statflo offers a subscription based CRM tool for wireless dealers and carriers. Its software analyzes unstructured carrier data and translates it into understandable and actionable insights. Its software also allows dealer commissions to be effectively reconciled between POS systems and carrier files to ensure that revenue ends up where it needs to go. Statflo’s software significantly improves sales productivity of the dealers.
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Aterlo (2015): $50,000 convertible debenture and 0.5% equity interest
Aterlo offers hardware to significantly improve the quality of streaming Netflix videos to customers with poor peak time internet download speeds. In the US along, thirty million households who have broadband access are unable to stream video at HD quality.
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SeamlessMD (2015): $50,000 common share purchase
SeamlessMD provides a cloud-based platform for hospitals to guide and monitor patients through surgery. Available on smartphones, tablets and computers, the SeamlessMD platform provides patients with evidence-based education, timely reminders, video education, progress tracking tools and feedback for self-management. The platform also provides healthcare providers and administrators with real-time analytics to monitor patients remotely, derive insights about the patient experience and measure organizational performance. Backed by investors including BDC Venture Capital and FundersClub, SeamlessMD was named a Forbes 30 Under 30 in Healthcare in 2014.
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RENOMii (2015): $100,000 common share purchase
RENOMii offers two products. The first is the easy-to-use RENOMii web app that is specifically designed to manage renovation change orders for busy contractors on the go. This app addresses common problems with communication between contractors and home owners. The second (Mii Casa) is condo feature selection software for condo developers to up-sell buyers, greatly improving on the currently used processes.
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Nicoya Lifesciences (2015): $100,000 convertible debenture and 1% equity interest
Nicoya offers a next generation surface plasmon resonance solution that is easy-to-use, cost effective and low maintenance.
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Nix Sensor Limited (2015): $100,000 convertible debenture and 1% equity interest
The Nix Pro Color Sensor is a handheld colorimeter that interfaces with your smartphone via Bluetooth Low Energy. It provides industry-leading color accuracy without the complexity of spectrophotometers or the hassle of fan decks.
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Proteocyte Diagnostics (2014): $75,000 common share purchase
Proteocyte Diagnostics Inc. is a Canadian molecular diagnostics company that develops and commercializes a novel diagnostics technology, Straticyte™ that offers objective and accurate early diagnosis of pre-cancers and cancers. The company’s first product distinguishes between those precancerous oral lesions at high risk of becoming cancerous and those that pose low risk. Early diagnosis of high risk lesions permits more effective and less traumatizing treatments. By identifying and treating oral cancer before it happens, clinicians can save lives, healthcare costs are reduced and quality of life of patients is improved. Identifying more accurately low risk pre-cancerous lesions avoids unnecessary surgeries and allows clinicians to monitor patients regularly for peace of mind.
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Tacit Innovations (2014): $100,000 promissory convertible note
Tacit Innovations is on a quest to revolutionize how consumers discover, browse, order and pay for their meals at any restaurant. All from the comfort of their smartphones. Tacit Innovations is a fast growing technology company that is quickly being recognized for its vision of transforming the way restaurants engage and service their customers. Tacit’s core leadership team is supported by a large team of experienced developers.
Their team is focused on developing solutions that use technology effectively to enable innovative, progressive, relevant and above all easy-to-use customer experiences for restaurateurs and restaurant-goers. Their goal is to help restaurants realize revenue potential by taking advantage of technology trends.
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