A place-based edition of Spring Activator’s Investor Challenge—building a culture of early-stage angel investing and purpose-driven entrepreneurship in the Kootenay Region.
The Kootenay Investment Challenge is a 10-week online program in the fall of 2022 facilitated by Spring Activator that brings together investment-ready tech entrepreneurs and investors looking to impact the local community.
Did you miss the Pitch Finale? You can watch it now!
Share this page
Program Overview
Participants of the entrepreneur cohort will learn the fundamentals of seeking investor funding, build out their data room and develop an investor-ready pitch.
Meanwhile, the investor cohort will learn how to assess a startup’s investment worthiness, conduct proper due diligence and learn the foundations of angel investing. The Challenge will conclude with the investor cohort selecting one Kootenay region entrepreneur to receive an angel investment.
This collaborative initiative between Spring Activator and the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST) is funded in partnership with the British Columbia Rural Dividend Fund.
Challenge Details
The Kootenay Investment Challenge provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn about funding fundamentals and how to build a data room through the initial Investment Readiness Training (IRT).
Upon completion of the IRT portion of the program, all entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to compete in the first pitch event, where the investor cohort will choose the top 3-4 businesses that will move on to compete in the final pitch event 5 weeks later.
During the 5 weeks prior to the final pitch event, the entrepreneur and investor cohorts will intersect to learn/work collaboratively through the due diligence portion of the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Investor Cohort - Kootenay Investment Challenge
Session Topics
Investing 101 & Preparing for Pitch Night
Initial Pitch Night
Investment Evaluation Kick-Off
Due Diligence and Regional Investing Trends
Financial Due Diligence
Negotiation & Valuation
Due Diligence Team Presentations
Demo Day: Pitch Finale
Post-Investment & Closing
What You Will Learn
The Foundations of Early-Stage Investing
Financial Due Diligence
Understanding Returns
How to Select Investment Opportunities
Deal Mechanics
Tangible Outcomes
All participating investors will complete the program by having made an angel investment in a Kootenay region tech startup.
Participant Selection Criteria
A seasoned investor curious to learn more about impact investing
An experienced entrepreneur interested in investing
A corporate or new career individual, purpose-driven
Local professionals looking to stay up to date on innovation and learn about investing
Program Cost
A one-time program fee of $1,275 + GST that covers
All the administration, legal support, and course fee associated with the program and investment vehicle
First-year membership to the Spring Investing Collective ($500 value)
Early-bird: program fee of $975 + GST (if you register before August 19)
Paid upon registration to the program
Investor alumni can join any future Spring Investor Challenge free of charge (no program fee, only the investment commitment)
Investor Investment Commitment
An investment commitment of:
$10,000 for accredited investors
$2,500 for non-accredited investors
Example: An accredited investor would pay a $975 early bird fee and then make a pre-committed investment of $10,000. The total cash participation of that investor will be $10,975
Entrepreneur Cohort - Investment Readiness Training
Session Topics
Fundraising Fundamentals, Due Diligence, and Data Rooms
Sales Strategies
Marketing Fundamentals
Honing Your Pitch
Financial Forecasts
Legal (Terms and Captables)
What You Will Learn
Understanding funding fundamentals & how to pitch effectively
How to prepare a solid due diligence (data room) package
How to efficiently share your sales and growth strategy
Preparing for legal terms, deal terms, and valuation
Tangible Outcomes
All businesses will complete the Investment Readiness Training portion of the Challenge with:
An understanding of what a data room is and what information is required
A pitch deck and pitch
Up to two hours of one-on-one coaching related to due diligence and pitching
Participation in a pitch event
Participant Selection Criteria
Local Impact: place-based economic development
Stage: pre-seed to seed stage with indicators of traction
Team: strong team commitment and diversity
Potential for Scale: looking to raise between $100K – $1M on average
Location: your tech venture is based anywhere in the Kootenays or, if you are outside of the Kootenay region, demonstrated ties within the region
Program Cost
The Kootenay Investment Challenge and Investment Readiness Training programs are free to participating entrepreneurs. We only ask that businesses that join are committed to attending sessions, come prepared, and engage with other participant
Stage: pre-seed to seed stage with indicators of traction
Team: strong team commitment and diversity
Potential for Scale: looking to raise between $100K – $1M on average
Location: your tech venture is based anywhere in the Kootenays or, if you are outside of the Kootenay region, demonstrated ties within the region
At the initial pitch event, the investor cohort will select their top 3-4 entrepreneurs to continue in the Challenge and participate in the final pitch five weeks later.
Program Cost
The Kootenay Investment Challenge and Investment Readiness Training programs are free to participating entrepreneurs. We only ask that businesses that join are committed to attending sessions, come prepared, and engage with other participant
In 2022 the Kootenay Youth Entrepreneurship (KYE) program was proposed as a collaborative, multifaceted program that aimed at introducing entrepreneurial skills to youth aged 16-30 across the Kootenay Development Region.
Join our college-focused workshops in Nelson and Cranbrook (ages 16-30). Discover entrepreneurship and attend skill-building seminars tailored to industry sectors.
For grades 10-12, this hands-on experience teaches you to operate a real business enterprise. Discover the risks and rewards of ownership, build community relationships, and develop vital skills in financial record-keeping.