FOR ENTREPRENEURS

What is the criteria to pitch for one of CIN's Pitch & Mix events?

Entrepreneurs are invited to apply to pitch at a CIN Pitch & Mix event if they meet the following criteria:

1. Early-stage private company (Series A or earlier)
2. Seeking capital and/or advisers/mentors/board members
3. Dedicated to progress and excellence
4. Enjoys collaborating and building lasting, mutually beneficial relationships

How do I find an angel investor?

Generally speaking, there are many ways to meet angel investors, some tips we can give:

1. Do Your Research – You’ll want to identify angel investors who are experts in your area of business, one way to do this is to research who has previously invested in startups that are similar to your own.
   
2. Leverage Your Existing Network – Kindly ask your professional network for an introduction to potential angel investors if they have a connection. The tech ecosystem in Victoria is very friendly and welcoming, so a warm intro can go a long way.
   
3. Attend Networking Events – Proactively get your business idea out there and make real life connections with potential investors. They could be speaking at an event, or attending pitch sessions, etc. Introduce yourself and your company with the goal to secure a follow-up meeting at a later date.

What resources are available for startups here in Victoria?

Apart from applying to pitch at one of our Pitch & Mix events to get networked with local angel investors and advisors, there are a variety of resources for entrepreneurs looking to leverage experienced and knowledgable professionals to help grow their startups. VIATEC’s Accelerate Tectoria – With the simple mission to increase the number of successful technology companies that start and grow in the Greater Victoria area, Accelerate Tectoria offers a variety of structured venture development service designed to guide, coach and grow ambitious early-stage technology entrepreneurs. Alacrity Foundation – Alacrity Canada facilitates success and economic growth in the Western Canadian technology sector by providing support and entrepreneurial mentorship to promising entrepreneurs, in addition to finding and connecting these individuals with the venture capital funding needed to develop thriving local tech companies. Women's Equity Lab – Right here in Victoria is the first all women angel investment group in Canada. WEL invests in all opportunities with early traction and in line valuations and good growth, but with a weighting towards women founders.

Is Capital Investment Network an angel fund?

No, we are an angel group. Our network of accredited investors makes active investments in startup companies in Greater Victoria and abroad, all with varying interests and expertise. We connect promising entrepreneurs with angel investors at our Pitch & Mix events which can lead to individual investments, but we do not invest through Capital Investment Network directly.

When am I ready to approach angel investors for capital?

In the spectrum of raising capital for your company, angel investors invest at the earliest stages of startups, so it is never too early to be networking and start having conversations. Many angels have their own criteria or preference, some willing to invest in an amazing idea still only in your head, some who wait to see progress or traction in product development, customer acquisition, or even revenue.

How do I apply to pitch at CIN's events?

We no longer have a formal application process available from our website, as we only host pitch events each quarter. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on upcoming events and watch for our call-outs to startups to apply for events. We will give all of the necessary information at those specific times we are looking. Many of our pitch companies are also found through community networking events hosted by VIATEC, Alacrity, or through individual members of Capital Investment Network. Networking is a great way to get involved with CIN.

Acronyms

API – Application Programming Interface AR – Accounts Receivable ARR – Annual Recurring Revenue ARR – Annual Run Rate ASP – Application Service Provider AUM – Assets Under Management B2B – Business to Business B2C – Business to Consumer BDC – Business Development Company BOD – Board of Directors BR – Bounce Rate BS – Balance Sheet CAC – Customer Acquisition Cost CAGR – Compound Annual Growth Rate CAPEX – Capital Expenditures CLTV – Customer Lifetime Value CMS – Content Management System COB – Close of Business COGS – Cost of Goods Sold CPA – Cost per Acquisition CPC – Cost per Click CPC – Cost per Conversion CPL – Cost per Lead CPU – Central Processing Unit CPU – Cost per Unit CR – Conversion Rate CR – Credit CRM – Customer Relationship Management CT – Cap Table CTA – Call to Action CTR – Click-through Rate DD – Due Diligence DNS – Domain Name Server DR – Debit EBITDA – Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization EPS – Earnings per Share ESOP – Employee Stock Option Plan EV – Enterprise Value FIFO – First In First Out FFF – Friends & Family Round FY – Fiscal Year GA – Google Analytics GMV – Gross Merchandise Value GP – General Partner HR – Human Relations HTML – Hyper-text Markup Language IM – Instant Messaging IPO – Initial Public Offering IRR – Internal Rate of Return IP Address – Internet Protocol Address ISP – Internet Service Provider KISS – Keep it Simple Stupid KPI – Key Performance Indicator LLC – Limited Liability Company LP – Limited Partner LTM – Last Twelve Months LTV – Lifetime Value MF – Management Fee MoM – Month over Month MRR – Monthly Recurring Revenue MSP – Multi-sided Platform NACO – National Angel Capital Association NAV – Net Asset Value NDA – Non Disclosure Agreement NPV – Net Present Value OS – Operating System PaaS – Platform as a Service P&L – Profit and Loss Statement PIK – Payments in Kind PIPE – Private Investment for Public Equity PIV – Pooled Investment Vehicle PM – Project Manager PMF – Product Market Fit POC – Proof of Concept PPC – Pay per Click PR – Public Relations QA – Quality Assurance QoQ – Quarter over Quarter R&D – Research and Development RAM – Random Access Memory ROA – Return on Assets ROE – Return on Equity ROFR – Right of First Refusal ROI – Return on Investment SaaS – Software as a Service SAFE – Simple Agreement for Future Equity SEC – Securities and Exchange Commission SEO – Search Engine Optimization SEM – Search Engine Marketing SHA – Shareholders Agreement SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Analysis TS – Term Sheet UI – User Interface ULPA – Uniform Limited Partnership Act VC – Venture Capital / Venture Capitalist VPN – Virtual Private Network WOM – Word of Mouth WoW – Week over Week YoY – Year over Year YTD – Year to date