Key Takeaways
- • Canadian venture capital, pension and Crown agency representatives will meet 17 primarily French institutional investors at a breakfast event at the Canadian embassy in Paris on Friday, according to The Globe and Mail.
- • The Paris breakfast is co-hosted by the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA) and Canada's ambassador to France, Nathalie Drouin.
- • French invitees include Crédit Agricole, Wendel Group, Société Générale Assurances, Ardian and the European Investment Fund.
- • Canadian presenters include Teralys Capital, Inovia Capital, True North Fund, Sagard, CPP Investments, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, BDC and EDC.
- • The initiative follows Prime Minister Mark Carney's September Canada Investment Summit and builds on Canada's C$1.75-billion boost to domestic venture capital.
Summary
Canadian venture capitalists, pension funds and Crown agencies are scheduled to meet French institutional investors in Paris on Friday to pitch investment in Canada, according to The Globe and Mail. The breakfast meeting is co-hosted by the CVCA and Canada's ambassador to France, Nathalie Drouin, and is expected to draw representatives of 17 primarily French investors, including Crédit Agricole, Wendel Group, Société Générale Assurances, Ardian and the European Investment Fund.
The event is designed to build on momentum from Prime Minister Mark Carney's mid-September Canada Investment Summit and a separate CVCA conference, both of which courted foreign capital. CVCA chief executive Benjamin Bergen said the Paris meeting is "exactly what we're doing as a next step" in putting that ambition into practice. Mr. Bergen said the plans stemmed from collaboration with Canada's Trade Commissioner Service, which has increased its focus on capital formation since Mr. Carney took office last year.
Canadian participants include leaders from Teralys Capital, Inovia Capital, True North Fund and Sagard, the Power Corp. of Canada affiliate alternative asset manager led by Paul Desmarais III. Officials from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada are also slated to attend. The format includes opening remarks by Ms. Drouin, an overview of the Canadian private capital landscape by Mr. Bergen, investor presentations, and matchmaking.
The Carney summit focused mainly on large-scale physical infrastructure, while the CVCA conference addressed smaller-scale opportunities that dominate Canadian deal flow. Speakers at the CVCA event cited Canada's stable political, economic and regulatory environment, deep talent pool and clean, low-cost electricity. Canada also recently launched a process to provide C$1.75 billion to the domestic venture sector through a program that matches private capital raised by fund managers. Teralys's Jacques Bernier said the event would let him "meet more qualified people in less time" and that government involvement signals seriousness about European relationships. Similar gatherings are planned worldwide over the next year, starting with a meeting in Abu Dhabi next month.
The event is designed to build on momentum from Prime Minister Mark Carney's mid-September Canada Investment Summit and a separate CVCA conference, both of which courted foreign capital. CVCA chief executive Benjamin Bergen said the Paris meeting is "exactly what we're doing as a next step" in putting that ambition into practice. Mr. Bergen said the plans stemmed from collaboration with Canada's Trade Commissioner Service, which has increased its focus on capital formation since Mr. Carney took office last year.
Canadian participants include leaders from Teralys Capital, Inovia Capital, True North Fund and Sagard, the Power Corp. of Canada affiliate alternative asset manager led by Paul Desmarais III. Officials from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada are also slated to attend. The format includes opening remarks by Ms. Drouin, an overview of the Canadian private capital landscape by Mr. Bergen, investor presentations, and matchmaking.
The Carney summit focused mainly on large-scale physical infrastructure, while the CVCA conference addressed smaller-scale opportunities that dominate Canadian deal flow. Speakers at the CVCA event cited Canada's stable political, economic and regulatory environment, deep talent pool and clean, low-cost electricity. Canada also recently launched a process to provide C$1.75 billion to the domestic venture sector through a program that matches private capital raised by fund managers. Teralys's Jacques Bernier said the event would let him "meet more qualified people in less time" and that government involvement signals seriousness about European relationships. Similar gatherings are planned worldwide over the next year, starting with a meeting in Abu Dhabi next month.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.