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Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign
TORONTO, February 16, 2012/PRNewswire/ --
- Stimulating Canada's Technology Sector
Alpha Group and Backbone magazine are pleased to announce the launch of the Alpha
Exchange Innovation Campaign. This Campaign is the combination of a national contest aimed
at identifying inspired Canadian technology ideas and entrepreneurs and following the
winners in their journey to bringing ideas to the marketplace over a period of a year.
This Campaign is a unique opportunity to learn about what it takes to build a technology
company and to understand the eco-system within which technology companies can thrive.
"The technology sector in Canada needs attention," states Jos Schmitt, CEO of Alpha
Group. "We don't lack innovation or entrepreneurs, we don't lack investors, but we do lack
an efficient eco-system and securities exchange that will allow great technology
entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into successful companies that will in turn fuel our
economy. Promising entrepreneurs go to the U.S., get acquired at an early stage or list
too early in Canada. The result is a Canadian economy without a developed technology
sector that is so critical to its future. The Alpha Exchange wants to change this, not
only by proposing a new approach to listings and liquidity truly focused on the success of
the issuers, but also by helping to build the eco-system that is critical to these
companies in the initial and early stages of their life-cycle. This is why we decided to
launch, with Backbone, the Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign."
"The Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign is consistent with Backbone's mandate of
inspiring innovation and helping companies learn from other businesses," says Steve
Dietrich, Publisher of Backbone magazine. "After the contest, it becomes a live case
study. It not only allows for a great profile for the winner but will provide excellent
stories for our readers. It is also an opportunity for Backbone and our sponsors to
further Canada's overall competitiveness on the world stage."
Call for Entries
Qualified entrants are early-stage companies with revenue of no more than CDN$2
million annually. Successful entrants will have a ready-to-sell product or service and a
complete business plan and market analysis. Any business or technology sector is relevant.
The Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign includes the following:
- CDN$95,000 in prizes (part seed capital, part products and services)
- A live pitch event, judged by leading technology and business leaders
- A full year of follow-up editorial exposure (successes, challenges, advice) in
print and online
- The top 200 applicants will be featured guests at the World Congress on
Information Technology (WCIT), being held from Oct. 22 to 24, 2012 in Montreal.
The competition application form is online at http://www.backbonemag.com/startmeup
Timing of the Campaign:
- Contest Applications Until March 31, 2012
- Judging April 2 to 21, 2012
- Awards Event May 16, 2012
- Follow-Up Winner Stories - Online and Print May 2012 to April 2013
About Alpha Group - Alpha Group is an organization set up by nine leading Canadian
financial institutions in 2007 to reinvigorate trading in Canadian markets at a time it
was characterized by a lack of liquidity, efficiency, innovation and state-of-the art
technology. After having achieved substantial results in the Canadian trading space with
its Alternative Trading System (Alpha ATS), a marketplace competing for the trading
business with other organizations such as the incumbent exchange, Alpha Group decided to
bring similar change and benefits in the Canadian listing space. This led to the formation
of the Alpha Exchange, the new generation Canadian exchange built on the principles of
trust and entrepreneurship. In mid December 2011, Alpha Exchange received regulatory
approval from the Ontario Securities Commission, with an effective launch date planned
within the next couple of months. Alpha Exchange will not only foster quality listings and
liquidity, but also re-energize innovation and entrepreneurship in Canada across the
industry sectors that have been neglected over the past several years. One of these
sectors is technology.
For further information regarding Alpha Group, visit http://www.alpha-group.ca.
About Backbone - Backbone magazine is a broad-based business magazine focused on
technology. Distribution is 100,000 copies to The Globe and Mail subscribers, 1,000 to Air
Canada Lounges, 3,000 to 4,000 copies to approximately 10 tech/business trade shows per
month and 150 innovation-related events per year. Backbone targets educated, influential
and affluent decision makers, early adopters and forward-thinking executives who strive to
keep up to date with important technology trends for business and personal use.
For further information:
Jennifer Ottywill
Marketing, Alpha Group
+1(647)-259-0421
jennifer.ottywill@alpha-group.ca
Steve Dietrich
Publisher, Backbone magazine
+1(604)-986-5352
sdietrich@backbonemag.com
Source: Alpha Group
Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign
TORONTO, February 16, 2012/PRNewswire/ --
- Stimulating Canada's Technology Sector
Alpha Group and Backbone magazine are pleased to announce the launch of the Alpha
Exchange Innovation Campaign. This Campaign is the combination of a national contest aimed
at identifying inspired Canadian technology ideas and entrepreneurs and following the
winners in their journey to bringing ideas to the marketplace over a period of a year.
This Campaign is a unique opportunity to learn about what it takes to build a technology
company and to understand the eco-system within which technology companies can thrive.
"The technology sector in Canada needs attention," states Jos Schmitt, CEO of Alpha
Group. "We don't lack innovation or entrepreneurs, we don't lack investors, but we do lack
an efficient eco-system and securities exchange that will allow great technology
entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into successful companies that will in turn fuel our
economy. Promising entrepreneurs go to the U.S., get acquired at an early stage or list
too early in Canada. The result is a Canadian economy without a developed technology
sector that is so critical to its future. The Alpha Exchange wants to change this, not
only by proposing a new approach to listings and liquidity truly focused on the success of
the issuers, but also by helping to build the eco-system that is critical to these
companies in the initial and early stages of their life-cycle. This is why we decided to
launch, with Backbone, the Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign."
"The Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign is consistent with Backbone's mandate of
inspiring innovation and helping companies learn from other businesses," says Steve
Dietrich, Publisher of Backbone magazine. "After the contest, it becomes a live case
study. It not only allows for a great profile for the winner but will provide excellent
stories for our readers. It is also an opportunity for Backbone and our sponsors to
further Canada's overall competitiveness on the world stage."
Call for Entries
Qualified entrants are early-stage companies with revenue of no more than CDN$2
million annually. Successful entrants will have a ready-to-sell product or service and a
complete business plan and market analysis. Any business or technology sector is relevant.
The Alpha Exchange Innovation Campaign includes the following:
- CDN$95,000 in prizes (part seed capital, part products and services)
- A live pitch event, judged by leading technology and business leaders
- A full year of follow-up editorial exposure (successes, challenges, advice) in
print and online
- The top 200 applicants will be featured guests at the World Congress on
Information Technology (WCIT), being held from Oct. 22 to 24, 2012 in Montreal.
The competition application form is online at http://www.backbonemag.com/startmeup
Timing of the Campaign:
- Contest Applications Until March 31, 2012
- Judging April 2 to 21, 2012
- Awards Event May 16, 2012
- Follow-Up Winner Stories - Online and Print May 2012 to April 2013
About Alpha Group - Alpha Group is an organization set up by nine leading Canadian
financial institutions in 2007 to reinvigorate trading in Canadian markets at a time it
was characterized by a lack of liquidity, efficiency, innovation and state-of-the art
technology. After having achieved substantial results in the Canadian trading space with
its Alternative Trading System (Alpha ATS), a marketplace competing for the trading
business with other organizations such as the incumbent exchange, Alpha Group decided to
bring similar change and benefits in the Canadian listing space. This led to the formation
of the Alpha Exchange, the new generation Canadian exchange built on the principles of
trust and entrepreneurship. In mid December 2011, Alpha Exchange received regulatory
approval from the Ontario Securities Commission, with an effective launch date planned
within the next couple of months. Alpha Exchange will not only foster quality listings and
liquidity, but also re-energize innovation and entrepreneurship in Canada across the
industry sectors that have been neglected over the past several years. One of these
sectors is technology.
For further information regarding Alpha Group, visit http://www.alpha-group.ca.
About Backbone - Backbone magazine is a broad-based business magazine focused on
technology. Distribution is 100,000 copies to The Globe and Mail subscribers, 1,000 to Air
Canada Lounges, 3,000 to 4,000 copies to approximately 10 tech/business trade shows per
month and 150 innovation-related events per year. Backbone targets educated, influential
and affluent decision makers, early adopters and forward-thinking executives who strive to
keep up to date with important technology trends for business and personal use.
For further information:
Jennifer Ottywill
Marketing, Alpha Group
+1(647)-259-0421
jennifer.ottywill@alpha-group.ca
Steve Dietrich
Publisher, Backbone magazine
+1(604)-986-5352
sdietrich@backbonemag.com
Source: Alpha Group