CNA Insurance’s Post

7 founders joining this year's Alt Funding School👇 We've got some incredible founders joining us this year. These 7 are just for starters—with many more amazing startups coming soon (50% of seats are sold already) Reema Vadoliya, People of Data | empowering and providing a voice to underrepresented people whose voices are often lost in data Marie Carlisle, Goldfinger | a design-led social enterprise crafting sustainable and high-quality furniture for individuals and businesses Stiliyana Minkovska, Matrix Health & Care | transforming the gynaecological health and care processes through human-centred design innovation Collette Philip, Brand by Me, | helping social justice-focused organisations embed anti-racism and equity into their brand and communications Leyla Nasib, HappyFam | helping humans be more human through empowering families with children to grow stronger and happier Maddy Alexander-Grout & Vix Munro, Mad About Money App | the Neuroinclusive Money App helping people achieve their money and well-being goals through the power of community Georgia Bondy Well Adapt | An online platform transforming the chronic illness journey by empowering chronically ill people with mentorship, community support, and practical courses to become active managers and experts in their own health and well-being Nothing brings more joy than bringing 40 founders together for seven weeks of practical, hands-on support. It's a shortcut that founders didn't know they needed. I can't wait to get started! 

As part of the GIST business incubation program, Vlad Popov is learning more about the US market, meeting partners, mentors, and investors in Atlanta, Georgia. Follow the news and useful tips on scaling to one of the largest markets in the world!

📈 ScaleUp Week 2024! - Programming Highlights 🎥 That's a wrap (for 2024). Last week we experienced an incredible journey of learning, networking, and growth. Watch the highlight reel to relive the first three days (Gala highlight reel to come!). ScaleUp Week's 2024 Program included: 🔹 24 x 1-hour sessions (recordings will be shared, so watch this space!) 🔹 65 x inspiring speakers 🔹 Over 800 registrants across the whole week! Here's a quick recap of what happened during the first 3 days: 📅 Day 1: Evidence Day (virtual): We examined the latest evidence on scaling up, debunking many of the myths with global thought leaders. 📅 Day 2: Ecosystem Day (in-person): We met as an ecosystem to discuss how the Greater Calgary region ecosystem needs to evolve to support scaling and growth stage ventures. 📅 Day 3: Practice Day (virtual): We discussed and shared the latest best practice on scaling up with those who have been there and done it. Thank you to our fantastic organizing team: Dr. Simon Raby, Tammy Rousseau, Ray DePaul, Maii Ko, Robert Fooks, Sarah Cubillan, Robin Lokhorst, Emily Robitaille, Peter Fenwick, Kassidy Gerhardi, Caitlin McCarthy, Clark Lai, Mariya Besedina, Pietro Breviglieri, Marc Arumi, Adriano Leite, Kathryn Graham, Jennifer Jensen, Brenda Beckedorf Gratitude and appreciation to our 2024 partners for their support in making this event a success: The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Mount Royal University, McLeod Law LLP, Motiv, Growth Catalyst, Calgary Economic Development, The Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund, Calgary Innovation Coalition, Alberta Innovates Impact Action Lab, ZayZoon, Copoint, The New Network, Bissett School of Business, Viewpoint Investment Partners, VistaVu Solutions, ARC Financial Corp., Business-National Bank of Canada, Miller Thomson LLP, BDC, Nexix Inc. Stay tuned for the highlight reel of the Gala, which will be released shortly. You won't want to miss it! #GrowthCompass #ScaleUpWeek #ScalingUp #Ecosystem #Growth #Innovation #Entrepreneurship

An event that has left its mark 💜   The magic of learning by doing - Slidesgo teamed up with Genyus School & Movimiento Future Minds to host the Junior Entrepreneurship and Personal Development Hackathon. More than 150 students came together to tackle real-world problems and explore Slidesgo tools. Here’s a snapshot of what happened and the lessons they learned: 🌟 Students engaged in hands-on learning, facing real challenges with creativity and teamwork. They developed essential skills like leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration. 🎨 Creativity flourished as young innovators created outside-the-box prototypes, learning the importance of materials, labor, and feasibility. 🗣️ Communication and emotional intelligence were key focuses, helping students articulate ideas clearly and manage emotions effectively. 💪 Empowerment was everywhere, with students gaining confidence and the ability to tackle future challenges head-on. This hackathon showcased the transformative power of learning by doing. We are excited to see what these future leaders will achieve next! 🤗

Loving tonight’s educational webinar from Venture For America on Launch your Startup & Biz Development Career w/ VFA featuring the multi-talented Clara Gustafson and MaryCatherine Wright telling us all about VFA’s impactful fellowship program!

Day 164/365. Recognize that the world isn't confined to simplistic black-and-white viewpoints. Embrace the richness of diverse perspectives, understanding that complexities exist in every situation. By exploring the spectrum of colors, we gain a deeper understanding of the world Reid Hoffman #MentorMe #ReidHoffmanMentorMe #ReidHoffmanBeMyGuide #ReidHoffmanInspired #Passafund #StartupJourney #StartupLife #WeMakeFinancialServiceAccessible #GoIzziLending #GMG

🗣️ We talk about the 🌟transformative power🌟 of data in 🏫classrooms🏫. Not only do we promise guaranteed success in 🎓student performance🎓, but we also emphasize the importance of data that speaks so loudly you can hear it, through our motto "Hear it Speak". Phakama Mzansi, Ixesha Lifikile! Join us in revolutionizing education by incorporating technology in the classroom. 🚀

How old were you when you first pitched a go-to-market strategy to a VC? Code2College is based on several principles - one of them being that early exposure is essential to life-changing impact. Throwback to our 2nd Annual Vision 2024 Summit when 100 girls between the ages of 14 - 17 took a leap to learn about and implement business frameworks. What's one early experience that positively impacted your trajectory and career? #girlsinSTEM #communityimpact #mentorshipmatters

With the wrap up of VentureCat, I have competed in almost every student pitch competition: Finalists (top 5%) at TigerLaunch, Tulane, CMU, DePaul, and Rice With also 20+ more that we didn’t even pass the first round These all failed if measured by financial returns. We never won that $100k+ cash prize like others do Reality is tough but fair at the same time! We did win many other things: 1. Free trips - visited some of the most beautiful cities 2. Met incredible founders - shout out to a few I highly respect: Paul Reiss from Protein Pints, Kristen Dunning from Gently Soap, Yujie Wang (王宇杰) from Vocadian — check them out! 3. Closed investments - lost the competitions but raised our pre-seed from the judges 4. Transformed our pitch - can memorize it backwards now loll It sure would’ve been sweet if we took home a big free check… But the money is not everything Experience, connections, knowledge, and humility are just as valuable! Cheers to all the class of ‘24 founders 🎉

KSTC’s work with Kentucky’s six regional Innovation Hubs in partnership with KY Innovation enables the development of innovative technologies, companies, and quality jobs in communities throughout the Commonwealth. We connect the Hubs to each other, to startup resources and programs including other KSTC initiatives, and educate them on best-in-class processes to deliver their services to their startup clients. This year we shined a light on Kentucky’s startup wins through quarterly public updates and media outreach. The Innovation Hubs include Amplify Louisville, Awesome Inc, Blue North, CREATE at WKU Innovation Campus: Central Region Ecosystem for Arts, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, GroWest KY / Sprocket Innovation and Shaping Our Appalachian Region, Inc. (SOAR) Learn more about the impact our regional Hubs have for entrepreneurs across the state in our Impact Report.