What's Happening in the Park 🌳
June will be a tough act to follow! 🎬
June was nothing short of a theatrical triumph with Demo Day stealing the show! The curtains rose on a month filled with preparations and enticing presentations from the Cohort 17 founders of our Accelerator program.
This year, we doubled the excitement with two Demo Days: one featuring the stars from Western Canada and another showcasing the talents from the East. Each event was a grand stage where our entrepreneurs delivered their best pitches, captivating the audience and earning standing ovations.
Keep reading to catch the highlights and behind-the-scenes moments from this unforgettable production!
Act One: Demo Day West
On Wednesday, June 19, the talented Western founders of Cohort 17 took centre stage in Calgary to celebrate their graduation. These rising stars presented their brands to an audience of industry leaders, including top retail buyers, distributors, and brokers, in an enchanting display of entrepreneurship.
A round of applause for the standout performances at Demo Day West:
🎤 Tuesday Brewing Co.
🎤 Not Too Sweet
🎤 KFS Rx Meals
🎤 Friceys
If you missed the production, get to know the brands on our blog.
Act Two: Demo Day East
On Wednesday, June 26, the Eastern founders of Cohort 17 took their final bow, with a grand showcase of their brands in Toronto. In the audience were top industry leaders and VIP invitees.
Bravo to the members of Demo Day East:
🎤 North Hound Life
🎤 SETA Organic
🎤 Squirrel’s Granola
🎤 Riley’s Kitchen
🎤 Not Too Sweet
Get to know the Cohort 17 group through their introduction videos on our Instagram.
Founders’ Session with Arlene Dickinson
Prior to the excitement of Demo Day, Cohort 17 had an exceptional opportunity to connect with our founder, Arlene Dickinson. Each brand proudly shared their stories and products, with Arlene personally sampling each one.
In this exclusive session, founders also engaged with our sponsors, including Sobeys and IRAP, receiving invaluable advice on growing their consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses.
The discussions spanned a range of topics, from innovative expansion strategies and consumer education on unique products to identifying key focus areas for growth.
If you’re a CPG entrepreneur hungry for opportunities like this, explore our Accelerator program!
Dress Rehearsal: The Day Before
With each Demo Day falling on a Wednesday, the Western and Eastern brands gathered the day before for an action-packed dress rehearsal. This was their chance to dive into educational sessions, network in person, and perfect their pitches before an audience of their peers.
On Tuesday, June 18, the Western founders had an enriching day, learning about debt financing from Ryan Sawka of FCC Food and Beverage and gaining insights on brokers from Mandi Zolkowski of Blume Natural Sales and Marketing .
We are grateful to Ryan and Mandi for taking the time to present to our founders!
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Later that day, three distinguished alumni from our Accelerator program took the stage to share their inspiring journeys in growing CPG businesses. The spotlight shone on Jamie Parker of Canadian Heritage Roasting Company , Logan Derksen of Simply Cocktails and Graham Matheos of One For The Road Brewing.
Thank you for joining us!
On Tuesday, June 25th, our Eastern founders immersed themselves in a day of education. The morning kicked off with a debt financing session led by Sean Murphy from our partner, BMO . Next, Kyle Marsham from Marsham Natural Products Broker took the stage to shed light on how to work with brokers.
Thanks to Sean and Kyle for the enlightening presentations!
Later that afternoon, a dynamic panel featured two of our esteemed Accelerator alumni: Terry M. from McAllister Brands and Graydon Moffat from Graydon Skincare . They shared their experiences in entrepreneurship in a captivating conversation moderated by our mentor Michelle Neilson .
Thank you for your contributions!
Don’t miss out on the live-action next Demo Day!
Andrew Maida was our Park Person of the Month for June! As an alumni of Cohort 7 from our Accelerator program, Andrew has taken the breakfast industry by storm with his brand, Flourish Pancakes, a $100M empire!
Andrew's entrepreneurial journey started at the young age of 19, managing over 24 online stores with varying success. In 2018, he launched Flourish Pancakes, a better-for-you pancake mix that quickly became his 25th venture and is now recognized as the fastest-growing food company in Canada by The Globe and Mail . Flourish Pancakes is leading the breakfast category across North America with its innovative approach.
Beyond his business achievements, Andrew has remained a dedicated supporter of our program, actively contributing to the growth and success of fellow entrepreneurs.
Congratulations, Andrew! Your relentless passion and dedication inspire us all. Keep flipping those pancakes!
Here for the summer! 😎
We're excited to welcome Hamed Sultani to Venturepark Labs Calgary office for the summer, where he'll be instrumental in resourcing our upcoming projects.
Hamed brings a unique blend of academic pursuit, real-world experience, and a strong focus on sustainability. Currently enrolled in the Business Analytics program at the University of Calgary, he leverages his growing expertise to assist entrepreneurs and innovators.
As a Resource Assistant, he plays a key role in supporting clients through product development, manufacturing, and business growth, with a particular interest in integrating sustainable practices. His passion lies at the intersection of business, data, and environmental responsibility, and he's eager to share his knowledge and insights on building a successful and sustainable future.
Welcome aboard, Hamed!
On June 22, 2024, our Accelerator alumni Jamie Parker of Canadian Heritage Roasting Company competed in the Red Bull Soapbox Race. The race challenges fearless competitors to build the ‘wackiest’ rides imaginable and race them down Queen Elizabeth Park Road in Edmonton, AB. Check out CHRC’s build and race-day action on their Instagram.
Streamline Success: Master Your Sales with a Broker
For growing packaged goods companies, forging initial ties with retail chains can pose challenges, prompting many to enlist sales brokers for streamlined communication. Sales brokers boast established connections with retailers, product distributors, and industry insiders.
Beyond facilitating connections, sales brokers provide invaluable expertise in consumer packaged goods and offer robust support for business growth. For early-stage brand owners, choosing the right broker can be daunting amidst a sea of options tailored to different stages and brand needs.
Discover how sales brokers can pave the way for retail success and business growth with our FREE Park Guides.
Venturepark Labs founder, Arlene Dickinson , on Trailblaze’s podcast
Arlene shares her inspiring journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs and investors. Her innovative thinking and resilience propelled her to build a thriving business growth ecosystem.
Senior Relationship Manager, Corporate & Commercial Finance
4moThanks for having me, it was a pleasure! Congratulations and best of luck those in cohort 17!
Founder & CEO at Blume Natural Sales & Marketing
4moThank you for having me, it was a fun couple of days. Congrats to all the amazing brands in cohort 17!
🟢 Founder & CEO || Fractional CFOs & Interim CFOs || Capital Raising || Scaling Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, AgTech, FoodTech, BioTech, CPG||
4moLots happening with Deno Days at Venturepark Labs 🚀🚀🚀🚀.and congrats to entreprenuers