The 2018 Global Innovation Conference in Beijing hosted representatives and industry leaders in innovation from throughout Europe, North America and Asia. Pycap's CEO Stuart Browne presented opportunities for collaboration with the Venture Capital and Tech Sectors of China and Canada for mutual economic expansion. 

As an example of the potential of Canada's innovation, Stuart showcased a Pycap portfolio company that is involved in bringing artificial intelligence to the agricultural industry - an opportunity with enormous potential within the Chinese market and beyond as it has the capacity to dramatically improve crop yields and decrease farming costs while having a positive impact on the environment.

Pycap met with a major Chinese Tech Park Incubator to establish collaboration guidelines on facilitating Canadian tech companies to expand their market share into China. The program would allow Canadian entrepreneurs to relocate to Beijing for 12 months and receive guidance, mentorship, and introductions to key industry players within their sector. 

Pycap CEO Stuart Browne joined Chinese delegates at one of Slovenia's leading robotics labs to explore collaboration opportunities for investment deal flow.

​Slovenia, represents a bridge between the Western Balkans and Europe. At the same time the young nation could be described as a success story in regard to the development of robotics. The robot density for Slovenian manufacturing is 90 robots per 10,000 persons employed – the European average is 82 industrial robots per 10,000 employees. The average global density is 66. The most robotized sector by far is the automotive industry with 636 robots per 10,000 workers. Slovenia plays an important part in the development of European robotics with its ability to assume the leading role in setting up a network of “innovation hubs”. All the major players in robotics like Fanuc, Yaskawa, ABB or Kuka are active on the Slovenian market, despite its relatively small size.

The Honourable Tadej Splapnik, head of the Slovenian Prime Minister's Cabinet met with Stuart Browne, CEO of of Toronto-based VC Firm Pycap Venture Partners to continue discussions on how Slovenia and Canada can collaborate within its tech sectors to improve economic growth. 

As the tech sector is seen as having the fastest growth potential, supporting market expansion into both countries can be a way to increase employment and GDP for both regions, as was concluded by Browne within the meeting. 

Pycap is currently working with partner incubators and funds and other industry partners within Central & Eastern Europe to help startups within both regions.

Pycap's CEO Stuart Browne joined investors from China at a Startup Pitch Event where 12 entrepreneurs presented their technologies. Sectors included artificial intelligence for drone use in land surveys, blockchain applications for smart contracts and language translation, and robotics for physical therapy.

With over 800 attendees, the PODIM conference is one of the biggest startup tech investor events in Central & Easter Europe. 

Pycap's CEO Stuart Browne was invited to attend for the second year in a row to respresent Canada's VC Industry as well as meet with VC Fund Managers and Entrepreneurs to further initiatives for cross-border collaboration.

Stuart was impressed with the talent at the event including companies focused on blockchain, agriculture, artificial intelligence and internet of things technologies.

On April 26 UofT-Pycap concluded its first Venture Finance Course. Students received intensive training 3 hours per week for 12 weeks straight on all things related to raising capital for an early-stage company. This included performing valuations, designing capital raising campaigns for VCs, Angel Groups, Crowdfunding Platforms, Government funding, and Initial Coin Offerings, as well as creating a term sheet and learning tactics to negotiate conditions for an investment. The second last class included Zulf Karim, director of Growth Equity at the Business Development Bank of Canada. He shared  numerous exciting stories from his work as a VC, negotiating deals in China, investing in an ESports company, acting as a Director for the TSX Private Markets and much more. 

After the final exam concluded, some of the students joined Pycap CEO Stuart Browne and Pycap Operations Manager Amelia Dookhee for drinks a the local pub.

"2018 is already the biggest year ever for #ICOs, with $6.3bn raised (& it's only April!)" is how Wojtek Gidzinski (director of cryptocurrency trading platform Coinsquare Wealth) started his lecture for Pycap's 'Financing an Early-stage Company' Course at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. 

Students were thrilled to have Wojtek's very informative and timely speech about how blockchain technology works, how early-stage companies can use Initial Coin Offerings to raise capital, as well as the related risks and opportunities associated with ICOs.

The Pycap-UofT Course aims to arm entrepreneurs with 'everything they need to know' to raise capital for an early-stage company. The course includes how to create a financial roadmap to determine when and how much capital to raise, how to perform a valuation of a startup, how to structure term sheets and associated legal documents, and how to create a capital raising strategy to get financed from VCs, Angels, Crowdfunding, Government and Cryptocurrencies.

Students can register here 
or, contact info@pycap.ca for more information.