Kirk Falconer
Yapla, a Montréal-based payment and management software platform for non-profit organizations (NPOs), has raised an undisclosed investment from La Fabrique by CA, the startup studio of French bank Credit Agricole. Founded in 2013, Yapla provides NPOs with solutions to facilitate day-to-day operations, such as organizing events, selling tickets online, managing members and receiving donations online. […]
Voyager Capital, a Seattle, Washington-based venture capital firm, has raised US$100 million for its fifth fund. The fund, which will make first-round investments in B2B startups in cloud infrastructure, software-as-a-service and other verticals, plans to focus in part on opportunities in Western Canada. The fund's investors include BC Tech Fund, managed by Kensington Capital Partners, according to a report by Business in Vancouver.
MaRS Catalyst Fund, a Toronto-based early-stage impact fund created in collaboration with MaRS Discovery District, has rebranded as Amplify Capital and launched a new fund. The fund has a target size of $30 million and is seeking an initial close by early 2020. MaRS Catalyst Fund was launched in 2016 with the backing of Virgin Unite, as well as other investors, including Chawkers Foundation, Fondaction, J. W. McConnell Family Foundation and Lino et Mirella Saputo Foundation. It made nine investments in Ontario and Québec.
Relogix, an Ottawa-based workspace analytics platform and Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensor technology company, has closed its Series A financing, raising $4 million. The investors included BDC Capital’s Industrial, Clean and Energy Technology Venture Fund, Mistral Venture Partners and GroundBreak Ventures. Founded in 2010 by CEO Andrew Millar, Relogix provides its solutions to corporate real estate organizations.
7shifts, a Saskatoon-based provider of restaurant employee scheduling solutions, has secured $7.9 million (US$6 million) in financing. Napier Park Financial Partners, which led the company's $13.4 million Series A round earlier this year, also led the supplementary round. It was joined by existing investor Relay Ventures and new investor Conexus Credit Union. 7shifts will use the new funds raised to expand its North American restaurant footprint.
Canadian impact venture capital firm Renewal Funds has closed its latest fund, Renewal4, at $145 million. The fund was backed by more than 140 investors, including BDC Capital, The Co-operators and the clean technology stream of Ottawa's Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative (VCCI). Based in Vancouver, Renewal Funds invests in environmental technology and sustainable consumer products across North America. The fundraising brings the firm's total assets under management to $240 million.
Georgian Partners is targeting nearly $1 billion (US$750 million) for its fifth growth equity fund, according to an SEC filing. The filing confirms a June report by the Globe and Mail. Toronto-based Georgian has a North America investment strategy focused on applied analytics, as well as applied artificial intelligence, conversational business, and security in software design. The firm closed Georgian Partners Growth Fund IV last year at its $715 million (US$550 million) hard cap.
Patchell Brook Equity Analytics, a Miramichi, New Brunswick-based provider of valuation analysis technology, has secured $360,000 in financing. New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) invested $150,000 in the round. The balance was accounted for by Miramichi Technology Fund, Technology Venture Corp and several angel investors. Founded in 2013 by CEO Brian Donovan, Patchell Brook has developed software, called StockCalc, and other tools that help customers determine the equity valuation of publicly-traded businesses and investment funds. The company will use the round's proceeds for additional product development and growth initiatives.
She helped launch Facebook's Workplace in 2016 and for nearly three years served as a global director.
Sherbrooke, Québec-based education technology provider Classcraft has raised C$10 million in a Series A financing. The round was led by Investissement Québec, an investment arm of the Québec government. It was joined by Whitecap Venture Partners, Brightspark Ventures and MaRS Catalyst Fund, all of which backed Classcraft’s C$2.8 million financing in 2017. Launched in 2013 by CEO Shawn Young, President Devin Young and CFO Lauren Young, Classcraft uses technology, games and storytelling to enhance student motivation in the K-12 education sector.