Opportunity
The McConnell Foundation envisions a Canada in which the economy and social systems advance the wellbeing of all people, and in which the natural environment is stewarded for future generations. We use both our granting and investment strategies to achieve this goal.
However, even the combined capital of all public and philanthropic institutions would be nowhere near large enough to solve Canada’s most intractable social, economic and environmental problems.
The Solutions Finance Accelerator
The McConnell Solutions Finance Accelerator aims to accelerate the growth of a vibrant and innovative social finance marketplace with efficient and effective investment capital flowing to creating positive social and environmental impact at scale.
The focus of the Accelerator is on intermediaries that are working on getting their innovative models off the ground, and that are currently in the feasibility or take off stages of investment readiness.
In this spirit, we’ve selected nine organizations that are innovating what it means to be an intermediary. These participants stay true to historical attributes that investors are counting on. They pool large sums of funds and deploy them to smaller organizations, but they are also de-risking the social finance sector in a new way: by truly understanding their numerous stakeholders along with their needs and priorities.
These organizations are disrupting the traditional means of structuring their business models, be it by leveraging technologies or applying new financial mechanisms. Their work creates new pathways and great value in the ecosystem.
The Accelerator consists of four types of support designed to assist participants in achieving their goals:
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Participants receive a mix of financial support, including concessionary capital, to assist them in moving past the conceptual phase towards implementation and attracting investment.
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Developing and scaling innovative financial products that address the fundamental social and environmental challenges of our time can feel slow and isolating. To address these challenges, we match participants with experienced institutional mentors who will accompany them throughout the course of the program.
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Participants also have access to a pool of experts across various fields — such as legal, marketing and accounting — who can meet their specific technical needs.
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Over the course of 18 months, we will host several gatherings where participants deepen their relationships with each other and their mentors. We’re also dedicated to facilitating communications and learning between participants, so that they can brainstorm relevant ideas and touch base regularly.
2020 Accelerator Participants
Get to know the nine innovative organizations selected to participate in the Accelerator. Applications are now closed for the 2020 cohort of participants, please see the selected applicants below.
Saint John Community Loan Fund - Launch Social
The fund makes capital available for businesses that are aligned with UN SDGs; and sustainable real estate projects that add to the stock of affordable housing or office space for community organizations. The intent is to ensure that all social innovations that have a revenue model can access capital to launch in New Brunswick.
- Sector Community well being
- Region New Brunswick
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Fixed Income & Equity
- Target AUM $10,000,000
Fair Finance Fund
The Fair Finance Fund provides loans and mentorship services and covers the entire food supply chain: from production to waste re-direction. The fund prioritizes on marginalized communities and facilitates loans to regionally owned food and farm enterprises that focus on regional markets. Funding is a mix of non-repayable capital, and community bonds purchased by individuals or institutions.
- Sector Local sustainable food
- Region Ontario
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Fixed Income
- Target AUM $20,000,000
New Market Funds - Indigenous Partnership Fund
New Market Funds addresses the demand side of the Aboriginal Finance Institutions’ model. Specifically, those with capital demands in excess of $2 million over the next 3 years. This will fill the gap between $250,000 loan limit set by the government and community’s capital needs. New Market Funds offers an innovative structure for the pooling of funds including three options (a) unfunded guarantee; (b) direct investment; and (c) funded guarantee.
- Sector Indigenous enterprises
- Region National
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Fixed Income & Equity
- Target AUM $25,000,000
Shorefast - Community Finance Fund
Shorefast’s Community Finance Fund provides a blueprint for community intermediaries. The fund supports building cultural and economic resilience with a focus on developing a model for sustainable finance. As a clearing house for knowledge, skills and money, the fund’s purpose is to address a disconnect between macro capital and micro implementation.
- Sector Community well being
- Region Fogo Island with National Focus
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Fixed Income
- Target AUM $10,000,000
Chantier de l'Économie sociale - Community Bonds Fund
The Chantier de l’Économie sociale works on the development of community bonds capacity in Quebec by innovating on the existing Canadian model and providing equity investment into the projects that have already raised community bonds.
- Sector Community well being
- Region Quebec
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Fixed Income & Equity
- Target AUM $30,000,000
Scale Enterprises - THRIVE
Scale enterprises focuses on early stage financing, asset acquisition (businesses and real estate) and account receivable financing from social procurement. They build strong partnerships and diverse financial mechanisms.
- Sector Impact Businesses
- Region British Columbia
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Equity
- Target AUM $10,000,000
Efficiency Capital - Efficiency Investment Innovation
Efficiency Capital invests in energy efficiency projects. It has already succeeded with the Energy Savings Performance Agreement (ESPA) in multi-residential sector – third party performance-based equity investment. Their model places risk on the investor and not with building owner. They are now working on adapting their existing model to commercial and industrial sector.
- Sector Green energy retrofits
- Region Ontario
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Equity
- Target AUM $25,000,000
Yukonstruct Society - Northern Impact Investment Fund
Yukonstruct Society’s Northern Impact Investment fund addresses growing demand for investment from Indigenous entrepreneurs and tech companies – both in the cities and smaller communities. It invests in quasi-debt for smaller businesses; and pure equity in larger opportunities. The fund builds partnerships with universities and existing social finance intermediaries to develop entrepreneurial capacity.
- Sector Impact businesses & Indigenous enterprises
- Region Yukon
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Equity
- Target AUM $10,000,000
Rhiza Capital - Positive Impact Initiative
Positive Impact Initiative fills the equity gap between impact businesses and investors. It provides capital markets with positive impact capital pools. It equally builds capacity with other funds across Canada that are at the earlier stages of investment readiness.
The initiative’s focus of innovation is as follows: (a) shifting from accredited investors to general public; (b) focusing on 261 credit unions and shifting their balance sheet into impact; (c) innovating new financial instruments on the supply side of capital.
- Sector Impact Businesses
- Region British Columbia
- Investment Vehicle Fund
- Asset Class Equity
- Target AUM $25,000,000
Mentors
Mentors for the Solutions Finance Accelerator are the leading experts in their fields. They will accompany participants throughout the Accelerator program, providing them with valuable insights based on their institutional knowledge.
Jason
Taylor
- Occupation Head,Government Sustainable Finance, Scotiabank
- Expertise Fixed Income Derivatives & Sustainable Finance
Jason Taylor leads the Government Sustainable Finance team at Scotiabank, working with public sector clients domestically and abroad. With 13 years of derivatives experience, he collaborates with various teams developing strategic sustainable finance and ESG solutions. Jason holds a bachelor’s degree from Dalhousie University, and an MBA focused on sustainability from McGill-HEC Montreal. His thesis provided 36 recommendations to facilitate the flow of capital towards the Paris Agreement & 2030 Agenda. Nominated to the Poets and Quants top 100 list, he holds the CFA and CAIA designations. He is a volunteer advisor to a non-profit on the integration of social finance, ESG, and microfinance. He is also a mentor at the University of Montreal’s Parcours Leadership program for student-athletes.
Daniel
Retzlaff,
CFA
- Occupation Special Assistant to the Group Head and Chief Risk Officer, TD Bank
- Expertise Risk management, corporate and commercial lending
Daniel Retzlaff has worked with TD Bank Group in various roles and responsibilities across multiple segments, including retail banking, wealth management, commercial banking, and risk department. Daniel currently holds the position of Special Assistant to the Group Head and Chief Risk Officer of TD Bank Group, providing strategic support and specialized research. Previously, he formed an integral part of TD Securities credit risk management team where Daniel provided effective challenge to credit recommendations and assessed TD Securities credit related strategies, policies and procedures. Daniel Retzlaff holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta and an MBA from Queen’s University. Daniel holds a Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.
Christian
Novak
- Occupation Managing Partner, FMA - Frontier Markets Advisors
- Expertise Investment structuring, risk/investment management, investment banking
Christian Novak is Managing Partner of FMA – Frontier Markets Advisors and a Professor of Practice at McGill University – Institute for the Study of International Development, where his practice is focused on development financing and private impact investing. He is also Co-Chair of the Sustainability Committee of CAFIID – Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development. His previous experience includes senior emerging markets and global responsibilities in commercial/investment banks and in a leading regional development financial institution, in the areas of risk management, debt capital markets and investment management. With extensive expertise in innovative financing, past transactions involved were awarded by Ashoka (“Most Creative Ideas of the Year”) and the Financial Times (“Sustainability Deal of the Year”).
Andy
Chisholm
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Occupation
Board Member, Royal Bank of Canada
Member, Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance - Expertise Investment Banking
Andy Chisholm spent most of his career at Goldman Sachs & Co, in New York. Mr. Chisholm served as head and co-head of the Global Financial Institutions Group, in London and New York, and globally as senior strategy officer of the firm. He also served as co-chair of the Firmwide Commitments Committee, primarily overseeing the firm’s equity underwriting activities.
Mr. Chisholm holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University. He serves as the chair of the advisory board of the Ivey Business School; a board member of Evergreen Brick Works, in Toronto; and he sits on the advisory board of ArcTern Ventures, an early-stage clean-technology venture-capital firm.
Rosalie
Vendette
- Occupation Independant Consultant, Sustainable Finance Expert
- Expertise Sustainable investment, responsible investment
Rosalie Vendette is a sustainable finance expert with more than 15 years of experience. Rosalie has developed a breath of knowledge from the various positions she held and initiatives she managed within the responsible investment community. From 2009 to 2019, she was the leading responsible investment figure at Caisse Desjardins and coordinated the implementation of the Group’s decisions when it comes to environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria within Caisse Desjardins’ guidelines, business practices and disclosures. Rosalie holds a bachelor degree in business administration from HEC-Montreal and a master in applied ethics at Sherbrooke’s University. She has successfully completed the Sustainable Investment Professional Certification (SIPC) offered by the John Molson School of Business at Concordia’s University and the second level of Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting credential, a SASB certification.
Marc-André
Binette
- Occupation Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Fondaction
- Expertise Impact related to fund of funds, real estate, natural capital
Marc-André Binette is Deputy Chief Investment Officer at Fondaction, an investment fund dedicated to sustainable development that invests in companies and funds generating social, environmental, territorial and financial impacts. In this role, he manages the team responsible for investments related to real estate projects, funds of funds and structuring investments. Before joining Fondaction, he was Senior Investment Director for a large Canadian institutional fund from 2006 to 2012 where he was responsible for investments, asset management and strategic partnerships. Previously, he worked in development and acquisition for a private company related to real estate and infrastructure. He holds a law degree (LL.B) and a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from the University of Sherbrooke.
Vincent
Felteau
- Occupation Senior Director, Optimisation and business intelligence, Ivanhoe Cambridge
- Expertise Finance, Real Estate, Sustainability, Climate change
Vincent Felteau is Senior Director, Optimization and Business Intelligence at Ivanhoe Cambridge. Reporting to the Chief Financial and Business Performance Officer, Vincent leads a diverse group of professionals developing new data analytics frameworks to facilitate decision making through descriptive analytics, prescriptive analytics and predictive analytics.
Prior to this role, Vincent was Senior Director, Investments, Strategy and Portfolio Management for Growth Markets at Ivanhoe Cambridge. As the leader of the Montreal team for growth markets, Vincent coordinated the investment process of the business unit and worked in close collaboration with Ivanhoe Cambridge’s regional teams based in Hong Kong, India, Mexico and Brazil.
Heather
Conradi
- Occupation Director of Impact Investing, Vancity Credit Union
- Expertise Impact investing, venture capital, debt financing, valuations, compliance.
Heather Conradi oversees Impact Investing at Vancity Credit Union where she is responsible for new impact investing initiatives and Vancity Capital, Vancity’s growth capital group. Heather has over 20 years of experience sourcing, structuring and managing complex financings across a wide variety of industry sectors. She has worked with start-up technology and life science companies, social enterprises and environmentally-focused firms, and funds across these sectors, both through the provision of capital and as a Board Director. Heather holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University, an MBA from the University of British Columbia and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Louise
Schneider-Moretto
- Occupation Director and Investment Specialist for Sustainable Investments, DWS
- Expertise Impact investing, banking, international development
Louise Schneider-Moretto has over 25 years of experience in banking, international development, and impact investing in over 20 countries, promoting financial inclusion, gender equality and clean energy in developing and emerging markets. She is an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International Public Affairs. Louise was a Managing Director of Investments at Grassroots Capital Management, an impact investment firm specialized in global microfinance, small-medium enterprise, affordable housing and sustainable agriculture investments. She was also a Senior Director of the Capital Markets Group at Women’s World Banking, a global microfinance network. Louise has a Masters in International Economics and Latin American Studies from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Vermont.
Trish
Nixon
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Occupation
Director, Capital and Investments, Vancity Community Investment Bank
CEO, CoPower Inc. - Expertise Impact investing, green bonds
Trish leads the team responsible for product and funding strategies for VCIB and its subsidiary, CoPower Inc. She has spent her career working to accelerate impact investing in Canada. As an early member of CoPower’s executive team, Trish was instrumental in the development of the firm’s clean energy investment products, in building a client base of over 800 mission-aligned investors, and in facilitating the acquisition by VCIB. In prior roles at MaRS Discovery District, she provided advisory services to impact investors and intermediaries and founded an impact accelerator and venture fund. Trish is the 2016 Recipient of the Edward Newton Award for Social Innovation and co-recipient of the 2017 Clean50 Award for Environmental Entrepreneurship. She holds a Masters of International Relations from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
Alison
Nankivell
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Occupation
Vice President, Fund Investments,
BDC Capital - Expertise Fund formation, Fundraising, LPA terms
Alison Nankivell is Vice President, Fund Investments and Global Scaling. Based in Toronto, she leads BDC Capital’s team of indirect investments – Canada’s largest venture fund investor, with investments in close to 80 funds and over $1 billion in assets under management. She is also responsible for BDC Capital’s cross-border venture strategy, helping connect large corporates and investors in Asia with high potential Canadian companies and vice-versa. Prior to her current position, Alison was Vice President, Global Scaling based in Hong Kong, from where she was supporting BDC Capital’s highest potential investee companies to grow their business and investment partners in the Asia region. Alison has also served as Vice President, Funds and Co-Investments and also as Vice President, Venture Capital Action Plan (VCAP), role in which she was responsible for BDC Capital’s efforts as the key execution agent for the Government of Canada’s Venture Capital Action Plan.
Service Providers
Innovative businesses need innovative support. We offer Accelerator participants access to a pool of expert service providers who have the technical know-how and proven track record to take intermediaries to the next level. With this initiative, we hope to enhance the number and quality of service providers in the social finance marketplace.
These service providers offer expertise in the following areas: legal, accounting, impact measurement, investment models, investment platforms, operations and marketing.
Legal
Blakes
As one of Canada’s top business law firms, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes) provides exceptional legal services to leading businesses in Canada in both civil law and common law. Our lawyers have an in-depth understanding of the business and regulatory issues affecting sustainable finance and impact finance, and closely monitor trends and best practices.
Key strengths:
- Hands-on experience advising a broad spectrum of impact funds, from start-ups to larger funds operating across several industries.
- Specific expertise in all aspects of a fund lifecycle including investment structuring, fund formation and management; corporate governance, early stage financing; regulatory; IP, technology and privacy; legal and tax structuring; and exit strategies.
Value proposition: Blakes provides a full range of legal services, from fund formation to catalysing exponential growth, and offers competitive fees when working with a group of funds across industries, including through in-person and online presentations.
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Contact
Fabien Lanteri‑Massa, Partner
fabien.lanterimassa@blakes.com
blakes.com
Iler Campbell
Iler Campbell has over 40 years of successful track record and core focus on legal services to co-operatives, non-profits and charities.
Key strengths:
- extensive experience in corporate and commercial law, financing and transactions, real estate and leasing law
- excellent reputation within co-operative movement, including being an original advisor to Canadian Alternative Investment Co-operative
- history of transactions in renewable energy sector, including being a founding director of TREC Renewable Energy Co-operative and developing legal structures around innovative financial instruments including SolarShare bonds
- transformative work with real estate developers to incorporate shared-appreciation mortgages into their projects
Value proposition: Iler Campbell offers dedicated legal advice from key partners, including Brian Iler, who was presented with the 2016 AMS/John Hodgson Award of Excellence in Charity and Not-For-Profit Law.
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Contact
Brian Iler, Partner
ilercampbell.com
Accounting
Crowe MacKay LLP
Crowe MacKay LLP is a mid-sized accounting firm with extensive experience in providing a full range of Indigenous accounting, tax and consulting services.
Key strengths:
- provides services across Canada with 400 dedicated team members
- services include accounting, auditing, tax with focus on non-profits, charities, individual entrepreneurs, Indigenous Trusts, and specific services for Indigenous communities
- built trusted relationships with Indigenous partners for over 50 years
- access to global expertise through a network of 200 independent accounting and advisory services firms in over 130 countries.
Value proposition: Crowe MacKay offers to guide Intermediaries through their growth from identifying needs at the source to building capacity to establishing a governance model to preparing reporting models. The firm collaborates with intermediaries on building their in house capacity, including integrating reconciliation practices and connecting to a network of mentors.
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Contact
Vickie Whitehead, Director, Indigenous Services
crowe.com/ca/crowemackay
Impact Measurement
Oxia Initiative
Oxia Initiative designs methodologies and tools for impact measurement in synergy with investors, investees and governments.
Key strengths:
- Carbon Accounting software – online solution developed in collaboration with Quebec private equity funds, which allows to track both carbon footprint and carbon impact;
- Collaborative tool for strategy and marketing, increased access to funding and continuous improvement of impact performance.
Value proposition:
- Our tools gain distinction from the use of international standards (ISO 14064 and GHG protocol) designed with the methodology of sectoral approach that allows traceability and comparability of your impact. We are able to create a systemic change by leveraging on technology for process automation to reduce time, cost and human error.
- With the use of AI for developing Carbon transition index and the Climate risk exposure index, Oxia brings out the opportunity to track over time the level of carbon vulnerability and opportunities of the existing portfolio or in pre-investment analysis, enabling them to engage dialogue with investees.
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Contact
Emmanuelle Tavernier, Founder and CEO
e.tavernier@oxia-initiative.com
oxia-initiative.com
SiMPACT Strategy Group
SiMPACT is a recognized leader in Social Return On Investment (SROI) analysis, training and research in Canada and internationally.
Key strengths:
- Experienced developer of impact measurement and valuation frameworks for investment portfolios, as well as for individual enterprises and investments.
- Deep knowledge of using impact and value to inform strategy, allocate resources and inform reporting.
- A client-centered, capacity-building approach embedded in all SROI framework development.
- Linked to the emerging Social Value Canada Network, leading the development of common standards in Canada and participating in global discussions and research.
Value proposition: SiMPACT’s works with each intermediary to clearly demonstrate the value of investing for impact, effectively stating returns on social, environmental and financial outcomes.
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Contact
Stephanie Robertson, Founder and CIO
stephanie@simpactsg.com
simpactsg.com
Investment models
FMA - Frontier Markets Advisors
FMA – Frontier Markets Advisors provides investment structuring and other related advisory services in the space of impact investing/development financing.
Key strengths:
- Principal’s 28 years of proven track record in impact investing/development financing and investment banking, both in Canada and globally.
- Co-founded an impact investment team at Morgan Stanley; former Chief Risk Officer of a leading regional development finance institution; during his investment banking career, Christian Novak structured US $15 billion in transactions and managed up to US $60 billion of risks.
- Leadership in the microfinance space.
Value proposition: FMA will review and advise on investment strategy, designing and consulting on investment models and structuring investment vehicles, including guidance on all associated legal work.
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Contact
Contact: Christian Novak, Managing Partner
cnovak@fmadvisors.ca
fmadvisors.ca
Elements Financial
Elements Financial is an established consultant in investment models in Quebec. The principal’s experience in institutional equity provides a rare perspective on building up funds from ground up.
Key strengths:
- Deep knowledge of innovative financial instruments and blended finance approaches
- Fully bilingual and well versed in Quebec institutional investors ecosystem
Value proposition:
Elements Financial works with start up funds and structures scalable impact fund investment models as well as decision-making process. This firm will undertake individualized approach to developing impact and financial measurement systems and reporting tools as well as marketing and fundraising strategies.
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Contact
Alain-Olivier Desbois, Founder & CEO
alain@espace-inc.org
elements.org
Raven Indigenous Capital Partners
Raven Indigenous Capital Partners demonstrates a proven track record in the design, formation and management of funds; they also have proprietary expertise in designing community-driven outcomes contracts as an innovative social finance tool.
Key strengths:
- Understanding of legal aspects of fund formation, structuring and terms;
- Experienced advice in team composition and foundational skills;
- Consulting for fundraising and investor relations; governance and advisors; deal flow, investment process, investment structuring, and responsible exits;
- Portfolio management;
- Indigenous enterprise and community knowledge;
- Indigenous impact measurement frameworks;
- Community-driven outcomes contracts / pay for performance instruments.
Value proposition:
Raven Indigenous Capital Partners works with fund managers in all phases of market research, fund design, fundraising, portfolio management, and exits. In addition, Raven Indigenous Capital Partners facilitates the design of Social Outcomes Contracts and engagement with Indigenous enterprise, communities, and investors.
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Contact
Jeff Cyr - managing partner
jeffcyr@ravencapitalpartners.ca
Stephen Nairne - Chief Investment Officer
stephennairne@ravencapitalpartners.ca
ravencapitalpartners.ca
Investment Platform
SVX
SVX is a nonprofit financial services firm that operates a platform for impact ventures, funds, organizations, and investors. SVX works across sectors that deliver meaningful impact: cleantech, health, education, food, and social inclusion, helping investors find and make impact investments and issuers raise impact capital. They work with issuers from place-based impact investing funds to community power co-operatives producing renewable energy. SVX also works with all investors, from foundations and family offices to everyday investors, to help them identify opportunities and to support their decision-making efforts so they can match their money with meaning.
Key strengths:
- Registered Financial Services Firm Infrastructure: SVX Canada is an Exempt Market Dealer (EMD) offering online and offline support for capital raising leveraging the infrastructure of a professional firm.
- Capital Raising: SVX builds capital raising capacity for issuers, from designing products and offerings to refining pitch and offering documentation to securing meetings with investors.
- Impact Focused: SVX works exclusively with ventures and investors focused on social and/or environmental impact, delivering tailored programming to support their unique needs.
- Technology: SVX leverages technology to directly support capital raising, making it easier and more efficient.
- Investor Community and Channels: SVX stewards and serve a community of qualified accredited and retail investors interested in investing for impact, and we have channel partners to enhance distribution.
- Team: SVX has an experienced team and partners across North America focused on impact, capital raising, technology, regulations, and investor relations that can help organizations, ventures and funds start or scale their impact.
Value proposition: SVX makes it easier for organizations to design impact offerings and raise impact capital. SVX offers a single access point to impact investing for ventures, organizations, funds, and investors.
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Contact
Adam Spence, Founder and Director
svx.ca
Operations
Mako Fintech
Modern platform for fund managers and bond issuers to achieve backoffice Zen.
Key strengths:
- founders with extensive experience in structuring and administering successful private investment vehicles
- past history of developing some of Canada’s most widely-used online investment platforms
Value proposition: Mako Fintech simplifies investor engagement: KYC forms, subscriptions, interactive reporting; automates administration: capital calls, distribution, payment processing; and streamlines compliance including AML lookups, audit trails, e-signatures.
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Contact
Raphael Bouskila, President
mcconnell@makofintech.com
makofintech.com
Marketing
RallyRally
Design agency focused on branding and graphic design for impact organizations across Canada and globally.
Key strengths:
- experience in clear communication strategies on issues around SDGs, including climate action, clean energy, affordable housing, community wellbeing, sustainable food systems and impact investing
- past clients include Evergreen, Climate Ventures (CSI), International Institute for Sustainable Development, and Good Investing
Value proposition: RallyRally provides support through the development of branding, websites, social media campaigns and other marketing tools, including the creation of investor packages. The firm is open to work with both startups and mature intermediaries.
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Contact
Jay Wall, RGD, Principal & Creative Director
rallyrally.design
MediaStyle
BCorp communication agency focused on collaborative strategy, involving key stakeholders in Canadian impact space.
Key strengths:
- a decade of experience in strategic development and corporate positioning
- facilitation of inclusive workshops to develop innovative insight and brand design
- media relations
- event planning and management
Value proposition: MediaStyle works as a partner dedicated strategist for the full length of the relationship and have experience with Community Foundations of Canada (Social Finance Fund), the Assembly of First Nations and The Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
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Contact
Caitlin Kealey, CEO
caitlin@mediastyle.ca
mediastyle.ca
Animikii
Animikiii is a fully Indigenous-owned, Bcorp and CCAB certified digital agency that works with Indigenous-focused organizations from all industries and uses the power of Indigenous technology to drive social innovation.
Key strengths:
- solutions for web-based software & online presence based on 14 years of proven track record
- experience in delivering effective technology plan from the ground up
- Canada wide approach
- comprehensive communication strategy and graphic design, guided by Indigenous knowledge and values
Value proposition: Animikii works in four main areas – website design, custom software, design & branding, and digital communications – but for them, they’ve always focused on who they’re working with, rather than what they’re working on. They are a team of experts in different areas all working towards the same goal: social innovation through Indigenous technology.
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Contact
Jeff Ward, Founder and CEO
info@animikii.com
animikii.com
