Entrepreneurship Finance Conference

Richmond Hill hosted the 2025 Entrepreneurship Finance Conference on Thursday, October 23. The annual Entrepreneurship Finance Conference is a flagship event produced by the Richmond Hill Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC). Taking place each fall, presented in partnership with the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, this free half-day virtual conference provides entrepreneurs of all backgrounds an opportunity to improve their knowledge and relationship with capital and financial resources through highly interactive sessions, conversations and professional advice.

Participants got to benefit from:

Expert-led sessions on intellectual property strategy, non-dilutive financing, and blended funding models
Insights into community microfinance and inclusive funding opportunities
Practical guidance on debt financing and preparing your business for investment
A compelling panel discussion on what investors are looking for in 2025
Opportunities to connect with peers, funders, and support organizations during networking breaks and the Virtual Expo
Real-world inspiration from entrepreneurial success stories

To view the on-demand recording click the link below:

2025 Entrepreneurship Finance Conference

Agenda

Entrepreneurship Finance Conference 2025 Agenda
Time	Event
8:30 – 8:45 a.m.	Virtual Networking
8:45 – 9 a.m.	Welcoming Remarks Mayor David West, City of Richmond Hill Darlene Joslin, City Manager, City of Richmond Hill Franca Pomponio, Regional Business Officer, FedDev Ontario Victor Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Goverment of Ontario
9 – 9:30 a.m.	Address by Keynote Speaker Ehsan Mokhtari, CTO and Co-Founder, ChargeLab
9:30 – 9:45 a.m.	Presentation by Elizabeth Collinson - Intellectual Property Advisor, Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada / Government of Canada Topic: Protect to Prosper: Leveraging IP Strategy for Startup Growth and Investment Elizabeth will share how startups can identify, protect, and manage intellectual property to boost business value and attract investors. Learn how trademarks, patents, and trade secrets support growth, commercialization, and funding readiness, and gain practical tools to align IP strategy with your business goals.
9.45 – 10 a.m.	Presentation by Michelle Cathers – Senior Manager, Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII) Topic: Innovation, Meet Opportunity – SOFII This session is ideal for innovative SMEs and referral partners exploring non-dilutive financing options. SOFII provides flexible loans of $150,000 to $500,000 to help Southern Ontario businesses scale—without giving up equity or requiring personal guarantees.
10 – 10.15 a.m.	Question and Answer Session for Ehsan Mokhtari, Elizabeth Collinson and Michelle Cathers
10:15 – 10.30 a.m.	Break and Speed Networking
10:30 – 10:50 a.m.	Presentation by Jean Barrett – Manager, Community Microfinance Program, Alterna Savings Topic: Making a Difference in our Communities Discover how Ontario's first full-service, member-owned cooperative financial institution is creating pathways to economic independence while fostering vibrant, inclusive communities. Alterna Savings will showcase their Community Microfinance Program and discuss how it has been used as a powerful force for positive change.
10:50 a.m. 11:05 a.m.	Presentation by Diem Le – Regional Advisor, ventureLAB and Fund Lead – Bloom Impact Capital Topic: Blended Financing - Unlocking Capital Through Strategic Funding Mixes Diem will explore how blended financing—combining grants, equity, loans, and catalytic capital—can help startups scale efficiently. Learn how founders can align funding sources with growth stages, de-risk innovation, and attract follow-on investment.
11:05 – 11:25 a.m.	Presentation by Fazley Shabab Chowdhury – Vice President, Credit Advisory, RBCx Topic: Navigating the Canadian Debt Financing Landscape: Key Considerations for SMEs An exploration of the critical factors venture backed SMEs should consider when seeking debt financing in Canada, including eligibility criteria, interest rates, and repayment terms.
11:25 – 11:40 a.m.	Question and Answer Session for Jean Barrett, Diem Le and Fazely Shabab Chowdury
11:40 a.m. - 12 p.m.	Break and Speed Networking
12 - 12:15 p.m.	Success Stories and Lessons Learned Hear from successful entrepreneurs as they share their stories and entrepreneurial journey. Seek inspiration, motivation, and learn the powerful ideas they have leveraged throughout their entrepreneurial tenure Josie Buccini – CEO, Lavender and Water Mario Xu – Managing Director, StoryBee Inc.
12:15 – 12:20 p.m.	Question and Answer Session for Josie Buccini and Mario Xu
12:20 – 12:50 p.m.	Panel Discussion: Decoding Founder Readiness: What Investors Really Look for in 2025 This panel dives into what truly signals founder readiness to today’s investors. Learn how expectations around pitch clarity, team strength, financial preparedness, and traction have evolved. Gain insights from venture capitalists and angel investors on what gets their attention—and what founders can do to stand out in 2025 and beyond Moderator: Brenda Osler – Senior Economic Development Officer, City of Richmond Hill Panelists: Ana Misra - Co-Founder of York Angel Investors Inc., Co-Chair of Angel One Network and Member of the Advisory Board at HardTech Investors Network Dejana Dua - Venture Partner, Anexa Capital and Advisor, ventureLAB Gaurav Bansal - CEO, AMG Venture Partners and Advisor, ventureLAB
12:50 – 12:55 p.m.	Question and Answer Session for Panelists
12:55 – 1 p.m.	Closing Remarks, Introduction to Virtual Expo and Open Networking
1 - 1:30 p.m.	Event Partner Booths

Speakers

Entrepreneurship Finance Conference 2025 Speakers
Speaker Bios
Ehsan Mokhtari – CTO and Co-Founder of ChargeLab Ehsan is the CTO and Co-Founder of ChargeLab, where he leads the development of cutting-edge EV infrastructure across Canada. With his leadership, ChargeLab has raised over $30 million in venture funding and built a team of more than 60 professionals, including a 35-person engineering division. Together, they’ve created scalable software that connects thousands of EV chargers, driving the future of clean transportation. In 2024, Ehsan waw selected as one of the top Canadian executives by the Globe and Mail. Before ChargeLab, Ehsan co-founded Sentrant Security, where he directed both engineering and business strategy. He co-created a cloud-based fraud detection systems and co-authored two U.S. patents. After Sentrant’s successful acquisition by Nielsen, Ehsan joined as Principal Engineer, integrating Sentrant’s technology into Nielsen’s global operations. With deep expertise in software architecture, startup growth, and clean tech innovation, Ehsan brings an insightful perspective to engineering leadership.
Elizabeth Collinson - Intellectual Property Advisor, Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada Elizabeth Collinson has worked with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) for more than 20 years in a variety of roles, including trademark examiner and business development officer. She has a passion for helping entrepreneurs understand the importance and value of intellectual property and believes strongly in providing service excellence to clients. Elizabeth is also an inactive Trademark Agent, listed on the Canadian Patent Agent and Trademark Agent (CPATA) register.
Michelle Cathers – Senior Manager, Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII) SOFII’s success is driven by a lean but highly skilled team with deep industry knowledge. Michelle Cathers, Senior Manager, Programs at CFEO, is widely regarded for her hands-on approach and strategic lens. Michelle has spent 8 years as the program manager for SOFII at CFEO. Prior to this, she spent 11 years with Community Futures Peterborough in the roles of program coordinator, loans administrator, and finally loans manager. “I’m constantly inspired by the creativity, resilience, and drive of the entrepreneurs we have the privilege of working with through our program. Getting to know them, learning their stories, and being part of their journey is truly one of the most rewarding parts of my work. It brings me so much joy to watch them grow, overcome challenges, and achieve their goals.” — Michelle Cathers, Senior Manager – Programs
Jean Barrett – Manager, Community Microfinance Program, Alterna Savings Jean Barrett brings over 25+ years of banking experience in the Retail and Commercial sectors. As the Manager of Alterna Savings’ award-winning Community Microfinance Program, she oversees eight community microloan portfolios and manages 250+ small business borrowers in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa Region annually. Certified in financial literacy, Jean advises individuals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses, and she frequently speaks on business planning, credit, budgeting, and financing. She also supports ACCESS Community Capital Loan Fund and the Ottawa Community Loan Fund teams.

Diem Le – Regional Advisor, ventureLAB and Fund Lead – Bloom Impact Capital Diem is a Regional Advisor at ventureLAB and Fund Lead at Bloom Impact Capital, where she champions the next generation of agriculture and nature-focused startups. She began her career in the highly regulated pharmaceutical sector, building expertise in compliance and market entry, before pivoting into e-commerce and tech after earning her Ivey MBA. Since then, she has worked as a startup consultant, VC analyst, and became an angel investor. Bridging corporate rigor with entrepreneurial insight, Diem provides founders not only with capital, but strategic guidance to navigating complex challenges.
Fazley Shabab Chowdhury – Vice President, Credit Advisory, RBCx Shabab Chowdhury has a background in finance, venture capital and entrepreneurship. Currently, he is a Vice President, Credit Advisory at RBC’s tech and innovation banking practice, RBCx, where he provides credit solutions to venture capital backed companies in Canada. Previously, he has helped startups from pre-seed to Series A raise venture capital and grants while working with the Accelerator Centre as a Senior Associate, Investment Advisory. Prior to that he spent time working with startups at the Toronto Business Development Centre. He also had a spell in lower middle market private equity at Alnes Capital while he was completing an MBA degree from the University of New Brunswick.
Josie Buccini – CEO, Lavender and Water Josie Buccini is the founder of Lavender and Water, a bath and body brand rooted in natural ingredients and self-care. With over 20 years in the cosmetics industry, Josie has worked with celebrities and developed products featured in high-profile events like the 65th Grammy Awards.
Mario Xu – Managing Director, StoryBee Inc Mario Xu is the founder of StoryBee, a global educational platform that simplifies complex knowledge through beautifully illustrated picture books. With over thousands of human-created titles and millions of pages read worldwide, StoryBee bridges the gap between advanced concepts and young learners, making education accessible and engaging for all. Mario is passionate about democratizing learning, fostering creativity, and empowering the next generation through storytelling and innovation.
Ana Misra - Co-Founder of York Angel Investors Inc., Co-Chair of Angel One Network and Member of the Advisory Board at HardTech Investors Network Ana Misra is a seasoned Angel Investor and accomplished executive, recognized for driving value in both entrepreneurial and corporate settings. Known for her results oriented approach, strategic acumen, and strong relationship building skills, Ana has excelled as a CFO, senior leader, and board member. Her expertise spans management, finance, business operations, strategic planning, and governance. Ana currently serves as Co Chair of Angel One Network, is the Founder of York Angel Investors Inc., and previously served as Treasurer of Brampton Angels. She is also a founding member and Advisory Board member of the HardTech Investor Network (HIN) at ventureLAB and a key advisor to the Capital Investment Program, where she mentors entrepreneurs on investor presentations, data room management, due diligence, financial modeling, and term sheet negotiations.
Dejana Dua - Venture Partner, Anexa Capital and Advisor, venture Dejana Dua is an early-stage investor, strategic advisor, and ecosystem builder with 25+ years of experience guiding technology ventures from concept to commercialization. As Managing Partner at Anexa Capital, she backs founders tackling global challenges in AI/ML, cybersecurity, life sciences, clean tech, quantum, and enterprise infrastructure. At ventureLAB, Dejana serves as Head of the Hardtech Investor Network, building national and global investment pathways for Canada’s most ambitious hardtech companies. She also leads the Investment Readiness Program, which has helped entrepreneurs unlock over $100M in combined equity and non-dilutive funding. Her expertise spans technical and market diligence, go-to-market strategy, and guiding founders through traction, product validation, and capital formation. Dejana's portfolio companies have won global innovation awards, secured landmark contracts, and attracted world-class investors including Khosla Ventures, M12, and Insight Partners. Dejana serves on the Board of Advisors at the George Washington University School of Business and mentors with Techstars, The Firehood, Ignite GTM, and Connectpreneur, advocating for women in tech and advancing global innovation.
Gaurav Bansal - CEO, AMG Venture Partners and Advisor, ventureLAB Gaurav is a tech investor and startup advisor with a portfolio of over 35+ investments across 10 countries and experience in US$2Bn+ worth of IPOs, M&A, and private equity deals. As a Fractional Business Partner to CEOs, he specializes in investment readiness, AI/ML strategy, and global expansion. Gaurav serves as an Expert in Residence and Mentor across government-backed startup programs in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, and is a member of 550+ global angel syndicates. Gaurav has held key roles at multiple venture capital funds and investment banks, bringing deep sector expertise in MedTech, Robotics, Fintech, and Sustainability.