2009 News Releases
FUSION 09’s “BEST IN SHOW” AWARD – A TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO AND PLACEMENT AT PLUG AND PLAY IN CALIFORNIA
Vancouver, Canada Wednesday, September 28, 2009
New Media BC is pleased to announce that Fusion ‘09’s “BEST IN SHOW” winner will receive a ticket to San Francisco as well as a three month placement at the prestigious Plug and Play Tech Centre accelerator in Sunnyvale, California, USA. Saeed Amidi, CEO of the Centre, regarded as a premier accelerator for startup entrepreneurs in technology and digital media, Plug and Play Center confirmed last week that the Centre will donate a 3-month “accelerator package” to the top presenting company at Vancouver’s 3rd Fusion Venture Forum for Digital Media, come November 12 at Robson Square, Vancouver, BC.
“New Media BC is proud to be collaborating with Telefilm Canada and Plug and Play to present the only financing forum for digital media in Western Canada”, remarked Fusion ‘09’s Director, Christine Lim-Labossière. “The caliber of talent we see each year at Fusion continues to impress us, and I am confident we’ll find a deserving winner for this excellent prize”. The Plug and Play Tech Centre currently houses over 200 start ups and has collectively raised some US $750 million to date. Companies selected for this program are each assigned a relationship manager who will help them access the available resources, obtain introductions to contacts and to help them line up pitches to potential investors.
During the 3 months, rent is deferred and there are no charges for access to a multitude of resources including networking events, access to strategic and corporate partners (eg. Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, Intel, Best Buy, Qualcomm, etc.), access to service partners (eg. Legal, Accounting, HR, Intellectual Property, etc.), mentorship and coaching (through Plug and Play management, Executives-in-Residence and other advisors) and regular pitching opportunities with angel investors and VCs.
Placement is limited for presenting companies at Fusion ‘09, so entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply early at http://thefusionforum.com/registration/. Early Bird registration rates end Oct 5th, 2009.For more information, contact fusion@newmediabc.com
Twenty Digital Media entrepreneurs to present before Google at
Vancouver’s 3rd Fusion Venture Forum
Vancouver, Canada Wednesday, September 16, 2009 – Canada’s brightest digital media entrepreneurs will pitch their latest ventures before top tier Silicon Valley investors including Google Inc, at the 3rd annual Fusion Venture Forum for Digital Media on November 12th and 13th at the newly renovated UBC Robson Square Theatre in downtown Vancouver, Canada.
The event, hosted by New Media BC, will feature heavy weights Bill Maris of Google Ventures, Tom Duterme of Google Inc, Tim Chang of Norwest Ventures and Jeff Clavier of SoftTech VC. Jeff was voted by Business Week in 2008 as one of “The 25 Most Influential People on the Web” and is regarded as one of the most active seed stage investors in Web 2.0 startups. Google are sending their newly christened Google Ventures to identify the next generation of founders and their innovations from British Columbia, recognized today as one of the most dynamic hubs for digital media in North America.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth in Vancouver and the region with a proliferation of young entrepreneurs, many who have spun off from larger companies and spread their wings to develop their own ideas,” Fusion ‘09’s Director Christine Lim-Labossière comments. “Fusion is the only annual Venture Forum in the West devoted to digital media and it hopes to provide these founders, who are being pedigreed through the growing number of local digital media academic programs and technology incubators, with the opportunity to connect with world class investors who are keen in both content and technology.”
Twenty of Canada’s hottest digital media companies will pitch their concepts before venture capitalists and angel investors on November 12, followed by one-on-one investor meetings and a closed door investor round table session on November 13. The pre-screened companies will present in 4 categories; games, mobile, Web 2.0 & social media and online platforms & applications, with the intention of establishing connections with the “by invitation only” investors witht he intention of securing investment required to grow their businesses.
Designed to bring Canada’s best digital media ventures to the attention of local and international investors, The Fusion Venture Forum provides valuable insights into key issues in the industry and aims to become a premium networking opportunity for digital media investors from North America and beyond.
For more information and registration go to www.thefusionforum.com or contact fusion@newmediabc.com
Media contact Cinci Csere at cinci@newmediabc.com
Media Archives
- February 28, 2008 -
Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum Successfully Showcases Canada’s Top Digital Media Entrepreneurs – “Best in Show” Winners Announced
Technology Investors and New Digital Media Companies Came Together February 20th and 21st to Highlight the Future of Digital Media
Vancouver, British Columbia – February 26, 2008 – New Media BC announced today its second annual Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum, an investment and financing event dedicated to digital media ventures, was successful in bringing together a select group of Canada’s leading digital media entrepreneurs with some of the world’s top technology investors. The 2 day event, which took place February 20th & 21st, featured presentations from entrepreneurs about what’s in the future for the digital media sector as a way to connect them with key investors in the field. Digital media pioneer Adeo Ressi, just profiled in Wired Magazine, delivered the keynote address to enthusiastic guests.
Awards were given to several of the companies who presented, based on their innovative presentations, with the “Best in Show” award going to Ken Bautista of Hot Rocket. Ian Andrew Bell of Something Simpler was runner up for Best in Show, with a tie for 3rd place going to Paul Gertz of Zeros to Heroes and Antonick and Steve Bocska of Cambrian House’s new game company featuring Gwabs Desktop Fighter Game. Winner Bautista was presented with a trip to Seattle and San Francisco for meetings with groups of notable venture capital firms. Firms interested in being a part of this or future events can find additional information at www.thefusionforum.com.
The Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum is the only financing event in the west dedicated to new digital media ventures. Fusion is designed to highlight the hottest digital media companies, provide valuable insights into key issues in the industry, and provide a premium networking opportunity as well as a chance to learn from world-class investment professionals involved in the sector. Along with presentations from Canada’s rising stars in the digital media sector, event highlights included keynotes, a panel presentation, industry case study, and networking mixers. The forum took take place at the Vancouver International Film Centre, and was supported by Telefilm Canada and the National Research Council Canada.
- January 28, 2008 -
DIGITAL MEDIA PIONEER ADEO RESSI TO GIVE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT NEW MEDIA BC’S 2ND ANNUAL FUSION DIGITAL MEDIA VENTURE FORUM FEBRUARY 20th & 21st, 2008
Technology Investors and Western Canada’s Top Digital Media Entrepreneurs to Come Together
Vancouver, British Columbia –January 28, 2008 – New Media BC announced today that digital media pioneer Adeo Ressi will give the keynote address at the upcoming second annual Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum, an investment and financing event dedicated to digital media ventures, showcasing the hottest Canadian digital media firms and rising stars. The event will spotlight early and growth stage companies that are original content and intellectual property ventures. These ventures include video game production, online communities and social networks, and digital entertainment properties such as animation, film, music, mobile content and eLearning (serious games/training and simulation).
The forum will be presented February 20th and 21st, and is now open for registration for Canadian and U.S. based technology investors, as well as accepting applications from Canadian based digital media companies for possible presentation. Information can be found at www.thefusionforum.com.
Adeo Ressi, who was profiled in the December issue of Wired Magazine, is The Founding Member of TheFunded.com, an online resource for CEO’s to research, rate, and review venture funds worldwide. He serves on the Board of the X PRIZE Foundation, a non-profit chartered to inspire human achievements through competition, joining a recognized group of Trustees that includes Larry Paige, Craig Ventor, Elon Musk, and Dean Kamen, among others. Mr. Ressi was an early pioneer in the growth of the World Wide Web, an advocate for the burgeoning private space exploration industry, and a champion of casual games and related entertainment. Mr. Ressi’s affable and honest business style has helped him to build and grow companies from inception to market leadership.
Prior to launching TheFunded.com, Mr. Ressi founded Game Trust, Inc., the leading community and ecommerce software platform for online casual game play, which was sold to RealNetworks, Inc. last year. He also founded Total New York, Inc., one of the first advertiser-supported web media and entertainment properties, which was later purchased by AOL and became AOL Digital Cities. Prior to these ventures, he founded and helmed methodfive, inc., a strategic web development firm focused on the media and entertainment industry. methodfive developed strategies and systems for global media companies, including The New York Times, The BBC, NewsCorp, The Economist, Scripps, and Fox Networks. Other successful ventures Mr. Ressi has been instrumental in include Xceed, Inc., Sophos Partneres, and EBusiness.com.
The Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum is the only financing event in the west dedicated to new digital media ventures. Fusion is designed to highlight the hottest digital media companies, provide valuable insights into key issues in the industry, provide a premium networking opportunity and a chance to learn from world-class investment professionals involved in the sector. Along with presentations from Canada’s rising stars in the digital media sector, event highlights will include keynotes, a panel presentation, industry case study, and networking mixers. The forum will take place at the Vancouver International Film Centre, and is supported by Telefilm Canada and the National Research Council Canada.
Key players with rising digital media companies in Canada can also register for the Entrepreneur Boot Camp on February 7th at Vancouver’s Wosk Centre for Dialogue.
- December 18, 2007 -
NEW MEDIA BC TO BRING TOGETHER TECHNOLOGY INVESTORS AND WESTERN CANADA’S TOP DIGITAL MEDIA ENTREPRENEURS AT THE 2ND ANNUAL FUSION DIGITAL MEDIA VENTURE FORUM FEBRUARY 20th & 21st, 2008
Registration for Investors and Applications to Present for Digital Media Companies Now Open at www.thefusionforum.com
New Media BC announced today it will produce and present the second annual Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum, an investment and financing event dedicated to digital media ventures, showcasing the hottest Canadian digital media firms and rising stars. The event will spotlight early and growth stage companies that are original content and intellectual property ventures. These ventures include video game production, online communities and social networks, and digital entertainment properties such as animation, film, music, mobile content and eLearning (serious games/training and simulation). The forum will be presented February 20th and 21st, and is now open for registration for Canadian and U.S. based technology investors, as well as accepting applications from Canadian based digital media companies for possible presentation. Information can be found at www.thefusionforum.com.
The Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum is the only financing event in the west dedicated to new digital media ventures. Fusion is designed to highlight the hottest digital media companies, provide valuable insights into key issues in the industry, provide a premium networking opportunity and a chance to learn from world-class investment professionals involved in the sector. Along with presentations from Canada’s rising stars in the digital media sector, event highlights will include keynotes, a panel presentation, industry case study, and networking mixers. The forum will take place at the Vancouver International Film Centre, and is supported by Telefilm Canada and the National Research Council Canada.
Key players with rising digital media companies in Canada can also register for the Entrepreneur Boot Camp on February 7th at Vancouver’s Wosk Centre for Dialogue. The Boot Camp will allow digital media entrepreneurs to draw from the collective experience of the Boot Camp facilitators to help lay a strong foundation for growth and turn a well polished strategy into a compelling opportunity for potential investors.
PRESS REGISTRATION
Thank you for your interest in registering as press for the Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum.
Please note that to qualify as press, you must be working editorial press covering the digital media industry, business or financial sectors to apply for press registration, and your attendance at Fusion is for the purpose of reporting on forum sessions, speakers and events for established media outlets.
New Media BC reserves the right to limit the number of editors / writers representing a single outlet.
Please make sure that you are ready to supply the following information in your application:
1. Examples of two published website or magazine pieces on the game
industry in the last year – with links to URLs or copies of the articles.
2. If your outlet is a website, blog or podcast, please supply information
on the amounts of monthly website visitors or podcast listeners.
Click Here to Download the Press Registration Form