MAKO Invent Supports Canada’s Hottest Startups

MAKO Design + Invent is proud to be a supporter of “Venture Day,” an event that attracts over 300 investors, serial entrepreneurs and Canadian business leaders. Twenty-three of Canada’s hottest Startups are ready to pitch and compete for external funding after enduring through the intensive programs offered by The Next 36.

We are excited to be joining Canada’s most promising students who have become high-impact entrepreneurs. Venture Day will be opened by Reza Satchu the founding chair and co-founder of The Next 36. The keynote speech will be “Lessons Learned from Dreaming Big and Tackling the Big Guys,” from Anthony Lacavera, the Chairman and CEO of Globalive Holding and Wind Mobile.

Kevin Mako, James Chalmers, and myself have been invited and look forward to meeting with Canada’s hottest Startups and the next generation of Canadian Entrepreneurs.

There have already been several notable entrepreneurs and Startups that have come out from The Next 36.

• Stephen Lake, Co-founder of Thalmic Labs, has already pre-sold over 30,000 units of the MYO from 146 countries. The MYO lets you use the electrical activity in your muscles to wirelessly control your computer, phone, and other favourite digital technologies. The team has closed $14.5M of Series A funding from Spark Capital, Intel Capital, Formation 8, First Round Capital and FundersClub, along with several talented individual investors.
• Omer Dor, Founder of Mobicare, has developed a Mobile Health Platform focused on assisting and empowering families with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. The start-up was acquired by Ohio-based Masonic Aging Services.
• Konrad Listwan-Ciesielski and Emilie Cushman, Co-founders of Kira Talent, have created a video interviewing platform with over 20 major enterprises and educational customers. The company has closed over $2 million on seed funding.

The Agenda for Venture Day 2014 will feature

• 8:30 am – Opening Remarks – Reza Satchu
• 8:45 – 9:25 am – Keynote Address – Anthony Lacavera “Lessons Learned from Dreaming Big and Tackling the Big Guys”
• 9:30 – 10:50 am – 23 Pitches from The Next 36 and The Next Founders Venture Pitches
• 11:20 am – 12:35 pm – Graduation and Awards

I’ll be live tweeting tomorrow and hope you can join us tomorrow on the live stream provided by the organizers of The Next 36.

By: Jon Ku

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!