The Impact Challenge aims to remove the barrier between entrepreneurs and investors. Investors will undergo a 10 week program that dives deep into the process of investing in early stage purpose driven companies, led by globally recognized leaders in impact and investing.
The program spans all aspects of investing so you become empowered to invest in businesses that align to both your values and your target return. Renowned speakers & Spring will help you navigate pitfalls, mitigate risk, develop your impact investment thesis, and make your first impact investment.
At the end of the two months, the group will use your learnings through the intense training program to negotiate and close a combined $100,000 investment in the company the group selects.
The Impact Challenge will leave you with a network of local and global impact investors, key players in the Vancouver startup ecosystem, and emerging companies in impact.
What You'll Learn
Defining Your Impact Investing Thesis
Deal Mechanics
How to Select Investment Opportunities
Understanding Returns
Location: All sessions in Vancouver hosted by partners in the ecosystem
Timing: evenings (often Wednesdays) over a meal
Date: March 20th-May 22nd
Expect approximate 1-2 hours per week time commitment on top of that depending on the week and topic.
*Topics may switch order depending on speaker availability.
Please note, it is OK to miss up to 2 of the sessions, but we do encourage you to be there as much as possible.
| Topic | Timing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Program Orientation for New Investors | TBD – Mid March – 2 hours | |
| Kick-off Pitch Event | Wednesday, March 20th, 6-9pm | • Welcome & Mingle • 20 Pre-screened startups will pitch to the 20 investor cohort • 5 Finalists will be selected to move forward for the remainder of the Impact Challenge |
| Session 1 | Wednesday, March 27th OR Thursday, March 28th, 5-8pm | • Building Good Business, Stories from successful entrepreneurs • Speaker – Edvard Engesæth, Founder of Nurx* |
| Session 2 | Wednesday, April 3rd 5-8pm | • Sales & Growth |
| Session 3 | Wednesday, April 10th, 5-8pm | • What is Impact and how to measure it? • Speaker – Zoe Schlag, Managing Partner of TechStars Impact* |
| Session 4 | Wednesday, April 17th, 5-8pm | • Due Diligence; valuation, cap tables, legalities, mitigating risk |
| Session 5 | Wednesday, April 24th, 5-8pm | • Funding Venture Scale & Alternative Returns |
| Session 6 | Wednesday, May 1st, 5-8pm | • M&A, Exits, Non-exits • Speaker TBC – Edvard Engesæth, Founder of Nurx |
| Session 7 | Wednesday, May 8th, 5-8pm | • Due Diligence Deep Dive; Evaluation of the 5 companies |
| Session 8 | Wednesday, May 15th, 5-8pm | • Negotiation & Close |
| Finale | Wednesday, May 22nd, 6-9pm | • Final Pitches & Winner is selected to win $100,000 investment |
Speakers
Keith Ippel, Co-founder & CEO @ Spring
Mari Mathews, Funding Facilitator @ Spring
Geoff Dittrich, Managing Partner @ Ink LLP
Mike Winterfield, CEO, Founder & Fund Manager @ Active Impact Investments
Zoe Schlag, Managing Director @ Techstars Impact
Edvard Engesæth, Co-founder @ Nurx
Are you an entrepreneur seeking early stage investment?
Apply to pitch your startup at the Impact Challenge here.
