New Media BC’s overarching vision is:

To make BC the most recognized and admired center of digital media excellence in the world.

We know that Digital Media is thriving here and that our companies deserve the attention of the world. To make this happen and to be sustainable, we (Industry Associations) need to partner with Grassroots Organizations, Educational Institutions, the Government, Entrepreneurs and Industry and we ALL need to work together, step up, and support each other!

The Fusion Forum was created 3 years ago to provide a venture/investment forum specifically focused on Digital Media. And, based on our research, it is the only one of its kind. Fusion has always been a great opportunity to showcase and promote BC’s Digital Media Excellence. This year, New Media BC was challenged to expand the event and to bring in even more world-class investors and industry experts. Specifically, we were asked to recruit investors who had actively invested in early stage, digital media companies (which I would argue we have successfully delivered) and to provide an investment forum for any out-of-town speakers to connect with our local investment community to discuss the advantages in investing in Digital Media companies.

This has not been just a New Media BC effort! As I mentioned above, it has been a true team effort and we have received financial support from:

• Telefilm
• BC Innovation Council
• Vancouver Economic Development Commission
• Wavefront
• University of British Columbia Continuing Studies

And in-kind donations/reduced fees from:

• Business in Vancouver
• mod7
• The Social Agency
• BC Ministry of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development
• Techvibes
• Plug and Play Tech Center (California)

In addition, we have received support from a slew of local industry experts who are volunteering their time to teach at the Bootcamp and to sit on panels.

New Media BC is a non-profit organization and we understand these are difficult times for everyone. We would LOVE to do this event for free! However, we do need to cover our costs for Fusion, which include:

• a day for the Entrepreneur Bootcamp and Training
• an afternoon for the Dress Rehearsal and Presentation Coaching (for Presenting Companies)
• a day of Pitching Investors and Industry Experts
• a half day for Presenting Companies to have One-on-One Sessions with Investors/Industry Experts
• a half day of Investment Roundtables to facilitate knowledge transfer and new connections between our out-of-town speakers and our local investment community

Yes, we are asking Entrepreneurs AND Investors to pay to attend the events. This is largely because we have not received enough sponsorship to make it free for everyone.

So, where does that leave us? We have the attention of the world coming to see the Digital Media scene here in Vancouver. If $450, is too much to pay and/or you do not see the value, then Entrepreneurs have a few options:

• You can choose not to attend.
• You can let New Media BC know who’s missing from our sponsor list above and we’ll be more than happy to knock on their door!
• You can suggest other fundraising options that New Media BC perhaps has not explored.

As I said above, we would LOVE to provide a free forum for everyone to learn, showcase, market, and perhaps even find funding for their ventures. We simply need your help (and entrepreneurial ideas)!

I look forward to the heated debate that I know will follow!

Cheers,

Rochelle Grayson
Acting President & Board Member
New Media BC

P.S. Before I forget, I did want to comment on Jason Calacanis’ latest initiative encouraging Angel groups to not charge entrepreneurs for pitching. I do agree that charging outrageous fees is unfair. However, Fusion is not a monthly Angel Group meeting; it is an annual 4-day event and we are hosting speakers from abroad to participate. Unfortunately, there are significant costs to pull something like this together and as a non-profit, New Media BC simply needs to find ways to cover these costs.

Butterfield, a firm supporter of Vancouver’s Digital Media industry, was part of the original team that grew Flickr from a tiny Vancouver based operation to a worldwide phenomenon. He and his co-founder Caterina Fake sold Flickr to Yahoo reportedly for more than $30 million, barely a year after launching it in February2004. The original plan had been to create an online game that never quite took off. Flickr remains one of the most noted digital media success stories from this region.

Butterfield will open Fusion ’09, the only Venture Forum devoted to Digital Media in Western Canada, by sharing his success story with some 150-200 attendees, mostly Canadian founders with early to growth stage ventures. Twenty of Canada’s hottest digital media companies will present their latest ventures to top tier investors from North America, including heavyweights Google Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners and SoftTech VC. Deadline to register for Fusion’s Bootcamp and Conference has been extended to Oct 27, 2009 at www.thefusionforum.com.

The five Silicon Valley heavyweights will attend Fusion ‘09, the only Western Canadian venture forum dedicated to digital media, on November 12-13 at Robson Square. They will join the “by invitation only” investors from local firms including Steve Hnatiuk of Yaletown Venture Partners, Paul Lee of Vanedge Capital and Tanner Philp of Lions Capital, and 20 local early stage and growth stage entrepreneurs who will present their latest digital media ventures under the games, mobile, Web 2.0/social media and new platforms/applications categories at Fusion ‘09. The event includes a 2 day Entrepreneur Boot Camp(November 5 & 10), Pitch Conference(Nov 12), one-on-one meetings with local entrepreneurs and a private round table investor session(Nov 13). Online registrations from September 15 – October 20 at www.thefusionforum.com For Investor profiles visit the Investor profiles page. CHECK BACK FOR LATEST NEWS!