FreshBook’s mission is to deliver fast and simple invoicing and time tracking services that help you manage your business.

With 3.5 Million new users since launching in 2004, FreshBooks is undoubtedly the Canadian pioneer in SaaS solutions for small businesses.

FreshBooks Co-Founder Mike McDerment is coming to Vancouver to host a workshop titled How to build a web app business and it’s a great opportunity to learn from from the best.  During the workshop McDerment will outline:

• Building – your web app, your company, your team
• Marketing – with and without dollars
• Product management – so you know what’s right to build
• Metrics – to track your progress
• Financing – the who, what, when, where, why and how 5Ws of fund raising

How to build a web app business is on December 6th – tickets are $100 and space is limited, so sign up now.

The C100′s 48 Hours in the Valley returns in December and it is time to apply.

The C100 flagship mentorship program is put on in conjunction with the Canadian Consulate of San Francisco and Palo Alto. Twice a year they invite 20 of Canada’s most promising startups to the Silicon Valley for two days of mentorship, workshops, investor meetings, strategic partner visits and networking.

The next 48 Hours in the Valley will take place Decemeber 5-7th. This edition will feature two separate streams: one IT specific stream and a CleanTech specific stream. Apply now if you’re interested.

The Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX) has partnered with the Government of Canada, through its Canadian Trade Commissioner Service office in San Francisco-Silicon Valley, to provide a great opportunity for Canadian companies working in Information and Communication Technology and Digital Media.

As part of the Government of Canada’s Technology Accelerator Initiative, the opportunity provides companies the ability to work rent-free for three months in a fully serviced development space at the Plug and Play Tech Center (PnP) in Sunnyvale or at RocketSpace in San Francisco.

All technology-based businesses across Canada who submit their profiles to the CIX Top 20 Competition will be considered. Entrants will be entered into the selection process for the Canadian Technology Accelerator Initiative and for the chance to showcase at the Canadian Innovation Exchange, taking place December 1st at MaRs Discovery District in Toronto.

Companies are invited to fill out their company profile online before October 14th for consideration.

The 10 Finalists in Accelerate Okanagan’s Jump:Start Challenge have been announced following the first round which took place in Kelowna last Thursday.

The challenge started with 27 entrants being invited to present their pitches at an open forum. 10 companies were then selected by an expert panel of judges to move on to the next round of the challenge, where they will receive nine weeks of intense training, coaching, and mentorship to improve their investor presentations.

Among the ten finalists are four former New Ventures competitors.

Hustream Technologies and Rapid Water Testing were in the Top 20 in last year’s BCIC-New Ventures Competition:Regional and Digniti Home Hospital (2010) and ElectroMotion Energy (2011) were competitors that made it through to Round 2 in their respective years.

In November, the 10 finalists will be narrowed down further to the final 5 companies, which will each have the opportunity to present before members of the investment community in Vancouver and Kelowna.

Prizes for the top three companies will include free enrolment for one year in Accelerate Okanagan’s Venture Acceleration Program, which helps high potential technology companies accelerate their growth and maximize their opportunity. The overall winner will also receive one year’s free office space at Accelerate Okanagan’s Kelowna or Penticton innovation centres.

In 2009 legendary angel investor Mike Volker was awarded the inaugural BC Angel Investor of the Year award. Last year the award went to the active angel investor Paul Geyer.

Now it’s time to crown the BC Angel Investor of the Year for 2011.

The Angel Forum’s Bob Chaworth-Musters has posted the criteria for the 2011 BC Angel Investor of the year award:

• An individual who has invested at least $100,000 of their own money in one or more companies (not their own) in last 12 months.
• Is recognized by his/her peers as a experienced business mentor to entrepreneurs.
• Is recognized by entrepreneurs as measurably adding value to companies
• Promotes his/her activity so as to bring new investors to the market
• Who has agreed to be nominated, is a resident of BC and attend the 30th Angel Forum
• Contributed to the knowledge base or profile of angel investing in BC
• Cannot be a previous winner

If you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or advisor, nominations are now open and can be submitted online. The BC Angel Investor of the Year will be honoured at the 30th Angel Forum in Vancouver on October 17th.

BCIC-New Ventures is excited to announce that we’re a partner of the Startup Canada Campaign.

Startup Canada is an entrepreneur-led, grassroots initiative to celebrate, inspire and accelerate enterprise in Canada through:

1. Bringing together and leveraging the capacities of the Canadian enterprise support community;
2. Catalyzing a national mainstream media campaign to increase awareness of the impact of entrepreneurs and those who support them; and,
3. Providing Canadians with an online resource to easily identify and connect with enterprise support, resources, opportunities and offerings to start and grow their ventures.

Now eight weeks into partnership-building phase, the StartUp Canada Campaign has grown to over 100 partners across Canada.

BCIC’s Cleantech Commercialization & Business Planning Workshop is an intensive, hands-on exercise which compels the entrepreneur to think critically about the true value, commercialization potential and positioning of their product idea.

Designed for new or early stage BC-based technology entrepreneurs/companies with an idea for, or in the process of building, a clean technology or clean energy company.

The workshop is taught by Mark Dance, former CFO and COO of Creo, one of BC’s most successful technology companies. Participants go through three comprehensive one-day workshops, examining critical business planning issues and key elements of product management such as: sustainable differentiation, revenue forecasts, pricing, competitive landscape, positioning and market strategy.

Upon completion of the last workshop and final project, participants are given three 1 hour one-on-one company specific mentorship sessions with Mark, valuable opportunities to further discuss, develop and gain feedback on their idea and business plan.

The workshop takes place on Friday, October 21st, October 28th, and November 4th from 9:00am to 5:00pm followed by 3 mentor sessions on Friday, November 18th, December 2nd, and December 16th. The workshop costs $269 per company (valued at $3,000) and includes 2 attendees and all materials. A third attendee may join for an additional cost of $125. The workshops maximum attendance is 8 companies.

The application deadline is Friday, September 16th. To apply or for more information, please download the application form or email Nadine Diner at BCIC. Submitted applications will be reviewed and the chosen applicants will be notified after the deadline.

For those outside of Vancouver, five $1000 travel bursaries will be awarded to select participants.

As part of TECTERRA’s mandate to support growth and opportunity for geomatics in Canada, they’re sponsoring geomatics companies/professionals to attend Wave2011 and Banff Venture Forum. Calgary’s TECTERRA is proud to be a sponsor of both events.

Each opportunity requires that you complete a very brief application form. You may apply to participate in one or both activities. Both applications are due by August 31st.

If your company is selected to participate in Wave2011 the package valued at $3,110 will include an exhibit booth, two registrations, an exhibitor presentation during the conference, and 3 nights at the Chateau Lake Louise. Apply for sponsorship to Wave2011 here.

If your company is selected to attend the Banff Venture Forum the package valued at $1,695 will include one full conference pass to the BVF and one night stay at the Banff Springs Hotel. Apply for sponsorship to the Banff Venture Forum here.

Accelerate Okanagan’s Jump:Start Challenge is an “investor-ready” pitch competition launched to support technology companies and entrepreneurs seeking to raise investment to finance their growth.

All entrants to the Jump:Start Challenge will be invited to present their pitches at an open forum, and will then have an opportunity to participate in two Pitch Workshop training sessions, at which they will be taught the “rules of pitching.”

The top 10 entrants will receive eight weeks of expert training, coaching and mentorship to improve their “pitches” and increase their chances of raising capital.mFive finalists will then present their business ideas to pre-selected members of the investment community, in Vancouver and the Okanagan. The overall winner will receive $10,000 worth of prizes; while the second and third-placed companies will receive prizes valued at $2,500 each.

Prizes for the top three companies will include free enrollment for one year in Accelerate Okanagan’s Venture Acceleration Program, which helps high potential technology companies accelerate their growth and maximize their opportunity. The winner of the Jump:Start Challenge will also receive one year’s free office space at Accelerate Okanagan’s Kelowna or Penticton innovation centres.

To enter, submit a short description of your business opportunity (one page) by August 31st.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) supports clean-technology projects without taking an equity stake, without requiring ownership of intellectual property or any repayment of funds.

SDTC’s aim is to increase each project’s chances of success to market and to help Canadian entrepreneurs carry out their innovation efforts within Canada. To that end, SDTC supports only those technologies that have demonstrated their potential to meet market demand and help achieve Canada’s environmental goals for reducing the effects of climate change and improving air, soil and water quality. By taking these steps, SDTC effectively de-risks clean technologies and prepares them for downstream financing.

SDTC’s SD Tech Fund is accepting Statements of Interest from August 31st to October 19th. In order to to provide prospective applicants with information regarding the application process and evaluation criteria, the SDTC Applications team will be hosting Statement of Interest (SOI) workshops across Canada.

The Vancouver workshop will take place on Friday August 19th from 9:00am – 11:00am at the SFU Segal School of Business (500 Granville Street; Room 1200-1500).

If you are interested in attending this free seminar, register online as seating is limited.