Over 350 Canadian Angel Investors will Gather at the National Angel Summit

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 6, 2015) -

Editors Note: There is a video associated with this press release.

More than 350 Angels from across Canada will gather in Niagara-on-the-Lake for the sold out National Angel Summit this week. This is the largest gathering of Canadian Angel investors this year.

"A sold out National Angel Summit really speaks to the growing trend of Angel investing across Canada," says Michelle Scarborough, Chair of the NACO Board of Directors. "This increased attention to Angel investing can only mean good things for innovative companies and the Canadian economy."

The National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) organizes this three-day Summit annually. Attendees will discuss a variety of topics that highlight the Summit's theme: Harnessing the Power of Angel Investors. One of the goals of the Summit is to connect Canadian Angels from coast to coast.

"We want to improve access to risk capital for early-stage Canadian companies. At the Summit, Angel investors are face-to-face and share experiences including their wins and losses," says Yuri Navarro, NACO's Executive Director. "Those conversations and panel discussions are imperative for this important group who truly fuel the startup economy."

October 6-8, 2015

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada

The Queen's Landing

155 Byron Street

Media passes available upon request

See the Summit schedule here

Canadian Angel Investors - Highlights*

• 30 Angel groups across Canada, representing 1,700 active Angels made 237 investments amounting to $90.5 million.
• A majority of Angels (63%) are located in Ontario, with 30% in Western and 7% in Eastern Canada.
• The average deal size was $1.2 million, an increase over 2013 and 2012 figures.
• 80% of funding falls within 2 sectors: ICT (information-communication technology) and Life Sciences (health related companies).
• 75% of the deals are syndicated, involving capital outside the Angel group and receive more investment.
• 10 positive exits (from 9 companies) of which eight were M&As and one was an IPO.
• New investments increased by 66% in 2014.
• Central Canada continues to be the hotspot for Angel investment activity with 89% of investments made in the area.

Exit of the Year Award

A new award, launched this year is NACO's Exit of the Year Award presented by the Royal Bank of Canada. It recognizes the most successful exit achieved by a Canadian startup that received financing by one of NACO's member Angel groups.

The award seeks to recognize the partnership between an individual Angel investor and a founder that most contributed to the growth and eventual exit of the said startup through a combination of investment(s), mentorship and leadership.

Angel of the Year Award

NACO's Canadian Angel of the Year Award, presented by BDC Capital, will be given to an experienced Angel investor who has made a significant contribution to the development of the Canadian Angel ecosystem in 2014.

The award seeks to identify the Angel investor who has most contributed to the growth and development of Angel investing in Canada through a combination of investment, mentorship and leadership within their local ecosystem.

Most Promising Startup of the Year Award

NACO's annual Pitch Competition celebrates dynamic early-stage companies that have demonstrated successful growth and whose outstanding achievements have made them some of Canada's most promising startups.

The winner of the 2015 Pitch Competition will be recognized as NACO's Most Promising Startup of the Year and will receive an award, presented by KPMG Enterprise.

About the National Angel Capital Organization

The National Angel Capital Organization accelerates a thriving, early-stage investing ecosystem in Canada by connecting individuals, groups, and other partners that support Angel-stage investing. NACO provides intelligence, tools and resources for its members; facilitates key connections across networks, borders and industries; and helps to inform policy affecting the Angel asset-class. For more information please visit www.nacocanada.com or follow them on Twitter @AngelCapCanada.

To view the video associated with this press release, please visit the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U93-lBq74FE#action=share