Have I written about Canadian finance before? 'Er ... you know, I don't think you have, boss. I do believe this is the first time.' Okay. Well, dear reader(s), from a PR email ...
Following the success of the Venture Capital Action Plan (VCAP: launched in 2013), the Canadian Government has today formally announced the "call for proposal" inviting applicants to apply for investments from the Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative (VCCI) available through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
Yeah, that's yesterday.
VCAP and VCCI are globally unique. There's nothing quite like either of them anywhere else, and at least Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Sweden and Singapore, are following progress in the programs, with an eye toward maybe doing something similar of their own in the future. And now, with the gender balance element in VCCI, this is even more of a global first.
Nice one.
Okay, okay. There's a lot of this, and I'm not going through it all. 'Why not?' It's Christmas, Voice. 'But your readers -' My readers can Google it ... if they're so fascinated by the story. It's Christmas, man. Don't be a Scrooge.
I'll just finish with a quote from the Honourable Navdeep -
"VCCI is one of the essential pillars of our Innovation and Skills Plan. The goal of VCCI is to support the growth and scaling-up of our best start-ups to turn them into global champions. This program will support Canadian firms in creating the jobs of today and tomorrow. I am also very proud of the fact that this new initiative is putting forward concrete steps to promote diversity and gender equality in the innovation ecosystem. An open society that values a diversity of ideas and perspectives is good for business."
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
ENDS. So - 'What about the Honourable Bardish, boss? Come on!' Christ!
"Having access to venture capital can make all the difference in helping Canadian small businesses take their ideas to market. In recent years, Canada's venture capital market has come a long way. More and more, innovative start-ups and small businesses now are able to find Canadian investors to support their ideas. Yet our government understands that more needs to be done, especially for under-represented groups like women, Indigenous or immigrant entrepreneurs. Through our new Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative, we are taking important steps to enhance support for these groups - both in terms of the fund management and in the actual investments made. By focusing on strengthening diversity, we are building a more robust Canadian venture capital industry that embraces principles of fairness and gender equality and helps entrepreneurs create the good middle-class jobs of tomorrow."
- The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism
And that's really it now. ENDS.
...
Okay. Anything else? Well ... music? My music? Okay, pop fan(s), this is ... my last ever music update. 'Yeah, right.' No, it is! Because it's Christmas, and I'm making a fresh start next year. 'Oh.' Yeah. / Anyway, I've been working out the track listing for my album, all twelve songs, roughly forty-eight minutes. I know these things can change, but - 'Twelve songs?! You ain't finished that new one yet, Mikey.' Er, excuse me, Voice, I've got the title for it. I'll soon have the lyric done. 'Oh.' Yeah. The problem I have, though, is choosing four songs for the demo. I'll probably be going with the most substantial ones, but that means leaving off three new three-minute pop songs which could get me a deal just by themselves. 'Wow! So all these songs together then, on one album?!' Well, it's going to be apocalyptic, son. In a nice way, of course. 'Oh, good.' To paraphrase Carlito Brigante, people will have to give up their religious beliefs.
Laters.
Following the success of the Venture Capital Action Plan (VCAP: launched in 2013), the Canadian Government has today formally announced the "call for proposal" inviting applicants to apply for investments from the Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative (VCCI) available through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
Yeah, that's yesterday.
VCAP and VCCI are globally unique. There's nothing quite like either of them anywhere else, and at least Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Sweden and Singapore, are following progress in the programs, with an eye toward maybe doing something similar of their own in the future. And now, with the gender balance element in VCCI, this is even more of a global first.
Nice one.
Okay, okay. There's a lot of this, and I'm not going through it all. 'Why not?' It's Christmas, Voice. 'But your readers -' My readers can Google it ... if they're so fascinated by the story. It's Christmas, man. Don't be a Scrooge.
I'll just finish with a quote from the Honourable Navdeep -
"VCCI is one of the essential pillars of our Innovation and Skills Plan. The goal of VCCI is to support the growth and scaling-up of our best start-ups to turn them into global champions. This program will support Canadian firms in creating the jobs of today and tomorrow. I am also very proud of the fact that this new initiative is putting forward concrete steps to promote diversity and gender equality in the innovation ecosystem. An open society that values a diversity of ideas and perspectives is good for business."
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
ENDS. So - 'What about the Honourable Bardish, boss? Come on!' Christ!
"Having access to venture capital can make all the difference in helping Canadian small businesses take their ideas to market. In recent years, Canada's venture capital market has come a long way. More and more, innovative start-ups and small businesses now are able to find Canadian investors to support their ideas. Yet our government understands that more needs to be done, especially for under-represented groups like women, Indigenous or immigrant entrepreneurs. Through our new Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative, we are taking important steps to enhance support for these groups - both in terms of the fund management and in the actual investments made. By focusing on strengthening diversity, we are building a more robust Canadian venture capital industry that embraces principles of fairness and gender equality and helps entrepreneurs create the good middle-class jobs of tomorrow."
- The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism
And that's really it now. ENDS.
...
Okay. Anything else? Well ... music? My music? Okay, pop fan(s), this is ... my last ever music update. 'Yeah, right.' No, it is! Because it's Christmas, and I'm making a fresh start next year. 'Oh.' Yeah. / Anyway, I've been working out the track listing for my album, all twelve songs, roughly forty-eight minutes. I know these things can change, but - 'Twelve songs?! You ain't finished that new one yet, Mikey.' Er, excuse me, Voice, I've got the title for it. I'll soon have the lyric done. 'Oh.' Yeah. The problem I have, though, is choosing four songs for the demo. I'll probably be going with the most substantial ones, but that means leaving off three new three-minute pop songs which could get me a deal just by themselves. 'Wow! So all these songs together then, on one album?!' Well, it's going to be apocalyptic, son. In a nice way, of course. 'Oh, good.' To paraphrase Carlito Brigante, people will have to give up their religious beliefs.
Laters.
