Call for Applications for the First Volta Investment Day

Volta, in collaboration with Creative Destruction Lab Atlantic (CDL-Atlantic), is set to host its first VC Fundraising event, Volta Investment Day, on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at Volta's new space at the Armoyan Centre in downtown Halifax. This exclusive event will assemble a select group of high-potential seed and Series A stage startups from Atlantic Canada, offering them a unique opportunity to pitch their ventures to a select audience of venture capital firms and investors from outside Atlantic Canada.    

The following day, CDL-Atlantic will host its first day of the Prime cohort, an objectives-based mentorship program for pre-seed science and technology ventures primarily from Atlantic Canada.  This provides an opportunity for venture capital firms and investors to see the best startups in Atlantic Canada - pre-seed ventures at CDL-Atlantic and seed and Series A ventures at Volta Investment Days – in a curated and efficient forum over two days.  

Volta Investment Day aims to facilitate crucial connections that could pave the way for significant investments in Atlantic Canada’s up-and-coming startups. Participating teams will have the chance to deliver 5-7 minute pitches, followed by one-on-one sessions with investors immediately after their presentations. 

‍Selection Criteria:

Startups interested in securing a spot at Volta Investment Day must meet the following criteria:

‍Location: Must be based in Atlantic Canada.

1. Interest in Raising VC Capital: Should be actively seeking venture capital funding, typically at the seed or Series A stage.
2. MVP/Product in Market: Must have a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or a product in the market.
3. Early Adopter Users/Paying Customers: Ideally, should have early adopter users or even some paying customers.
4. Market Traction: Demonstrate market traction and the potential for growth.
5. Business Model Validation: Demonstrate progress with validating their business model and revenue streams, refining their pricing strategies and exploring various monetization options.
6. Fundraising History: Provide details of any past fundraising efforts, dilutive and/or non-dilutive.
7. Financial Projections: Provide financial projections, outlining how they plan to use the investment and how they expect the business to grow over the next few years.
8. Brand Building: Has started to establish brand identity, positioning, online presence, and messaging that resonates with their target market and key stakeholders.
9. Pitch Deck and Pitch Video: Have a well-prepared pitch deck and a pitch video ready.

The selection process is highly competitive and open to both Volta residents, CDL-Atlantic graduates and startups within the broader Atlantic Canada startup ecosystem.

‍Application Process:

To apply, startups meeting the criteria are encouraged to fill out and submit the application form available on the Volta website. Following the submission, selected applicants will be contacted with further instructions. The application deadline is Friday, October 27, 2023 at 11:59pm ADT. 

"Volta Investment Day is an event focused on bringing founders and investors together. We want investors from inside and outside our region to see what these amazing startups are building." said Volta's CEO, Matt Cooper. "It's especially fitting that our first investment event in the new community-focused space is a collaboration with our partner Creative Destruction Lab, reinforcing our shared mission to support founders building massively valuable companies.”

“CDL-Atlantic is excited to partner with Volta on its first Volta Investment Day”, says Jeff Larsen, Associate Vice-President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Dalhousie University and Site Lead for CDL-Atlantic.  “The Volta Investment Day provides an important investment opportunity for CDL-Atlantic alumni companies as they move to seed and Series A funding rounds to support their growth.”

For more information about the event and the application process, please visit Volta's website.