Critical Success Factors for your  Early Stage Company

28 May 2002, 6:30 pm (refreshments) for 7:00 pm

Location: PricewaterhouseCoopers - 99 Bank Street, Suite 800 

Topics: The session is designed for technical entrepreneurs associated with running early stage technology companies.  It will help identify the Critical Success Factors affecting your organization today, and help you prepare you to those that lie ahead. As a professional you should take advantage of rounding out your knowledge.  Samples of the topics to be discussed will include:

Accessing Capital:

            Sources of capital (and how to approach each of them)   How much money to raise and when (and how much equity to give up in return), Financial investors vs. strategic investors

Building Solid Financial Statements

            Canada vs. US GAAP,   Revenue recognition,     Implications of stock option plans

Cash Flow Management

            Maximizing your SR&ED Tax Credits,      Tax minimization planning,

            Implications of various ownership structures

PricewaterhouseCoopers is the world’s largest professional services firm with over 150,000 people in 150 countries. The professionals of the Ottawa office help high tech clients - from start-ups to public companies - solve complex business problems and measurably enhance their ability to build value, manage risk and improve performance. 

Presenters:

Carol McDonald is a Partner in the ABAS (Assurance and Business Advisory Services) group in Ottawa and is also ABAS leader for the technology practice in Canada.  Carol has been involved in a variety of audit and financial consulting engagements and specializes in private and public financing, IPO’s, valuations, due diligence, maximizing shareholder value, and mergers and acquisitions.  Carol graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Queen's University and is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Business Valuator, and Chartered Public Accountant.
Cliff Taylor is a senior tax manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Tax practice in Ottawa and specializes in providing services to technology enterprises.  Cliff advises on a broad range of corporate and personal tax planning and compliance issues, including R&D tax credits.  Cliff also has extensive experience in interfacing with CCRA regarding various personal and corporate tax issues on behalf of clients.  Cliff received his B.A. from the University of Waterloo and is a Chartered Accountant.

David Laird is a VP in the Financial Advisory Services group of PricewaterhouseCoopers Ottawa.  David practices in the areas of corporate finance and investment banking, business regeneration/restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and technology licensing.  Prior to joining the firm, David was a financial and operations executive for public and private companies in the aerospace and technology industries. David graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Honours) from Carleton University and is a Chartered Accountant.  

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(Modified: 27 feb 2004)