.

New unbiased blog about Canada’s SRED tax credit program

There are no good sources of intelligent information about Canada’s SRED tax credit program. Besides Revenue Canada’s own Web site on the topic, most information is biased (in favour of consultants), inaccurate, poorly-written and not that useful for business owners and managers.

SREDFacts (www.sredfacts.com)is a new blog that delves into all aspects of SRED, from determining eligibility to claiming expenses to living through an audit. It’s a useful blog for startups, technology companies and anyone else interested in learning more about this tricky program.

Flow is seeking to hire and experienced SRED Writer

Flow is looking to hire an experienced SRED Writer in Montreal, Ottawa or Toronto to work with us on a contractual basis, possibly leading to a permanent position. Your role would be to help us take raw data and information to help us create R&D technical documentation for SRED claims as well as other government grants and subsidies that Flow prepares for our clients.

Responsibilities include:

• Translating raw data into key concepts to create content for technical documentation

• Writing technical documents for SRED claims

• Writing and filling in government forms for grants and subsidies.

Skills and experiences required:

• Previous experience with SRED

• Exceptional English writing skills

• Capable to write creative and well structured documents

• Previous experience in software development

• Deep understanding of web based & internet technologies

• Ability to work independently

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Meticulous attention to detail

Please send your CV to pbailey@flowventures.com

Please note that only qualified candidates will be contacted

Job Opening at Flow for a Bookkeeper/Administrator

Build your lean startup with Year One Labs

Announcing Year One Labs: www.yearonelabs.com

There’s never been a better time to be an entrepreneur. Building a product is cheap and fast thanks to Open Source frameworks and the Cloud. Getting to market is easier than ever with app stores and affiliate programs. Super Angels and VCs are stepping on each other’s toes getting into early stage deals! Early exits are on the rise offering lower risk (but life changing) ‘outs’ for entrepreneurs.

But what I’m most excited about is that we’re beginning to have a set of best practices, thanks to the Lean Startup. Yes you need to have passion and vision (equally true whether you’re an Evil Genius or an entrepreneur). What’s been missing is a way for entrepreneurs to know what questions to ask and how to interpret the answers, especially when they don’t conform to the original vision. This is a lot tougher than it sounds.

That’s why we created Year One Labs with Ben Yoskovitz, Alistair Croll and Ian Rae. We want to help you realize your (huge) vision of the future by focusing on achieving the important things in your first year. Things like finding out who your customers are and building a product that solves a problem they care about. You’re not building a business (yet). You’re searching for a repeatable and scalable business model. We’ll do whatever it takes to get you there including getting you in front of the right customers, helping you build your product, and being brutally honest when your metrics don’t agree with your vision.

So what are we looking for?

1. Passion - You love solving big huge problems (not just creating big huge companies, or Evil Empires)
2. Ability - You have incredible knowledge and skills, and you can just get sh*t done
3. Focus - Nothing distracts you from your goal, certainly not failure

The best way to ‘pitch’ Y1L  is to sit down with us face to face and talk about the problem you’re going to solve. Ideally without Powerpoint. Oh, and you should read Four Steps to the Epiphany and everything in Eric Ries’ blog.

Meet Our New Intern: Jeff Talajic!

When we announced our call for interns, I was astounded at the response. The quality of the candidates who applied were really strong but out of this pack, we chose one Jeff Talajic to be the newest member of our team. Jeff is going to be interning with Flow Ventures for the summer, so why don’t I let him introduce himself and what he’ll be doing for us, in his own words:

Jumping on this internship opportunity at Flow Ventures was a no brainer for me. I’m an MBA student with startup aspirations, so I’ve decided to take a break from the classroom for the summer and get my hands dirty in the startup world. I’ve requested to help out with all of the unsexy, seldom-blogged about things that are required to run a company — the payroll, bookkeeping, tax remittances, government documentation, SR&ED credits, and even the filing! If I’m going to found my own startup after graduation, I need to know how to manage the nuts and bolts that I don’t learn about in school and I certainly don’t read about in the blogosphere.

This internship also requires me to get out into the community and meet as many interesting startup people as I can, so feel free to introduce yourself if you see me out. My first stop will be at Mondev, the open-source conference taking place in Montreal, May 24-28. The full schedule is here, and if you see me at any of the events be sure to say hi.

Finally, I look forward to bring some fresh ideas, operational muscle, and strategic thought to Flow and help out any way I can. It’s going to be an awesome summer!

So, as you can see, Jeff’s really as keen as can be. He’s already been invaluable putting his weight behind Startup Drinks CA and saving my hide by diagnosing my PC with a network card problem! As they say, the best job security is making yourself indispensable.

Summer Internship Opportunities at Flow Ventures

Robin’s Ultimate SXSW Survival Guide

South By South West Interactive was, in a word, epic, especially as a n00b and a non-road warrior. This is what I learned in (almost) chronological order:

• Choose your seatmate well for the flight into Austin – This way, you’re at SXSW even before you land. Mine was Scott Heiferman, CEO of Meetup.com who is an all-round nice guy. Bonus: see if you can get your plane turned around 30 minutes into the flight due to cabin pressure issues to ensure maximum face time and fear of dying.
• Get some rest – have the airline lose your luggage. You can fritter away your first day pottering around your hotel room in your travel clothes and not unpack your things.
• Party “plans” - treat them with the same disrespect as you do your business plans. Roll with the posse you find.
• Shatter your iphone – it makes for a great icebreaker, pun intended (“what the hell happened?”, “how does that thing still work?”, “HOLY CRAP! I HEARD ABOUT THAT PHONE”) Photo credit: Evan Blaustein
  
• 
• Run into Sean Power randomly and frequently – highly recommended.
• Use a car service – Just because you call a cab doesn’t mean it has neccessarily been dispatched (512-573-2486)
• Have DJs rock your world – namely Flosstradamus (Chicago), Wants Versus Needs (Minneapolis) and Table Manners Crew (Austin represent!)
• Drink early, Drink often - It takes effort to avoid drinking at SXSW so why fight it? Stumbleupon party and Cheezburger party were both excellent. Driskill has great beef jerky (thanks Aidan!) and lots of legit people to meet - just follow the smell of riff raff.
• Gatorade - the true breakfast of champions
  
• Talk about something other than tech – entertain people with videos of your dog Boomer! (thanks John!)
• Panels – ignore the title, research the speakers (thanks Stevey!) and/or go to things you know NOTHING about and expand your mind (thanks David!). If you’re on a panel, encourage people to participate by offering them free beer (thanks Grace!)
• Warm up your vocal chords if you’re going to a panel with Tara Hunt. She will probably make you sing and dance. You’ll appreciate the energy boost it gives you.
• Bring a Sharpie – you never know when you might need one.
• 
• Extend your stay – have your homeward bound flight canceled due to technical issues and stay in Austin an extra day. Don’t forget to cancel your next day’s meetings! Bonus: try to be stranded with David Dufresne (what a mensch!) and hit the music festival. Super Bonus: make sure it coincides with St. Patrick’s Day and watch the chaos reign!
  
• 
• Duct tape – bring it or buy it at 7/11. Your choice.

But enough about me though. How was your week?

Startup Drinks Around Canada - Wed, Jan 27, 2010

Hi Everyone!

We’re back on track with Startup Drinks with a whole slew of events happening across Canada.  Startup Drinks Waterloo were the first ones out the gate this year kicking us off on January 5.  You can see the recap here.

Next week there are drinks happening in cities all over the country, check it out:

VANCOUVER

When: 5pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: Downstairs, Alibi Room (157 Alexander Street @ Main) (map)

Your hosts: Brian LeRoux (Nitobi), Boris Mann (Bootup Entrepreneurial Society)

EDMONTON

When: 5pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: TBA

Your hosts: Cam Linke, Startup Edmonton

CALGARY

When: 6pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: Bottlescrew Bill’s Old English Pub in the back private room (140 - 10 Avenue S.W.) (map),

Your hosts: Kory Arsenault, eSchedule

Sign Up Here!

TORONTO

When: 7:30pm, 27 January, 2010 (*special post-DemoCamp time*!)

Where: Imperial Pub in the Library Room (54 Dundas St. E)  (map)

Your hosts: Brian Watson and Robin Gittens (CEO Fusion), David Crow (Microsoft), Mark Evans (ME Consulting)

Sign Up Here!

OTTAWA

When: 6:00pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: Patty Boland’s (101 Clarence St) (map)

Your host: Cory Darby, Kelly Rusk (Startup Ottawa), Steve O’Halloran (Assetlabs)

Sign Up Here!

MONTREAL

When: 5:30pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: Brutopia (1219 Rue Crescent) (map)

Your host: Robin Ahn (Flow Ventures)

Sign Up Here!

ST. JOHN

When: 6pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: Big Tide Brewing Company (30 Princess St) (map)

Your host: Jeff Roach (Propel Accelerator)

Sign Up Here!

FREDRICTON

When: 6pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: Garrison District Ale House (426 Queen Street) (map)

Your host: Jeff Roach (Propel Accelerator)

Sign Up Here!

ST. JOHN

When: 6pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: Big Tide Brewing Company (30 Princess St) (map)

Your host: Jeff Roach (Propel Accelerator)

MONCTON

When: 6pm, 27 January, 2010

Where: Vie Tapas & Lounge (196 Robinson St, at the back of Robinson Court) (map)

Your host: Jeff Roach (Propel Accelerator)

Sign Up Here!

HALIFAX

When: Time TBA, 27 January, 2010

Where: TBA

Your host: Jeff White (Kula Partners)

*** updated with 3 cities in New Brunswick! ***

Haiti Tweetup Wrap-Up: $10,000 for Haiti!

(tons more photos here, all photos courtesy of Julian Haber)

A huge thank you to everyone who was involved with Haiti Tweetup! Here’s what we accomplished in one week:

• 120 people attended the event
• 35 businesses donated prizes
• 20 lucky/skilled people won prize lots
• media coverage on CBC, CJAD, the Montreal Mirror and elsewhere online
• $5093 raised in total ($2800 from the auction, $1668 at the door, $625 online)

Since the Canadian government is matching donations, this translates into $10,186 which is going directly to Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders Canada.

Whether you attended the event or lent your support in other ways, we should all be proud of what we were able to achieve. I didn’t doubt for a second that the Montreal community would rise to the occasion.

A special thank-you goes to Robin Ahn who put in a huge effort to get all of the logistics sorted out including finding the venue. She is now our resident Silent Auction superhero. Believe me, organizing one is a superpower.

Thanks to the following people who volunteered or helped find sponsors: Christina Baudin, Lateef Martin, Massimo Farina, Sarah Lolley, Julian Haber, Christine LaFontaine, Peter Bailey,and DJ Andy Williams

And a huge shout-out to individuals and businesses to contributed prizes:

• Cruz Limousine
• Scandinave Les Bains
• DNA 11
• Pure Love
• Liz Claiborne
• Brazen Design
• Epicierie Fleur
• Gina Roitman
• Le Groupe Spectacles Gillett (GEG)
• Julian Haber
• Kevin Ledo
• Good Life Apparel
• Automatic Vaudeville Studios
• Spa Zazen
• Studio Sweatshop
• Solares
• Geoff Lapp Trio
• Sasha Kleinplatz
• DeAnne Smith
• McAuslan Brewery
• CBC Radio
• Marc Andre Cyr
• Mainline Theatre
• Moksha Yoga
• McCaughey Consumer Products
• Lorraine Craig
• Blackeye Design
• Ogilvy Renault
• 3Even
• ASM Performing Arts
• Geordie Productions
• Ristorante Capriccio

We’re working on new fundraising projects that will focus on the long-term rebuilding effort in Haiti so stay tuned. If you want to help out, please drop me a line and stay in touch.

Raymond

Haiti Tweetup - What’s Next?

Thanks to everyone for their enthusiastic support of our Haiti Tweetup fundraising drive! We need your help on the final drive for participants on Tuesday, 19 January at Casa Del Popolo (4873 blvd St-Laurent) between 5:30pm and 8:30pm. 

Get tickets here: 

http://haititweetup.eventbrite.com/

Check out the Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=272804474001&ref=ts

Reasons to come:

1. Haiti needs help on the ground and they need it yesterday.  This is an international issue (that needs no more explanation from me) AND it’s also a local one.  Thousands of Haitian Canadians are worried sick and losing sleep over their friends and relatives; they deserve to know that we’re with them and we support them. 
2. DJ Andy Williams will provide the sound and fury for your rump shaking pleasure. 
3. Prizes! Prizes! Prizes! Raffles and silent auctions will be going on for a list of wicked prizes that won’t stop growing! 
4. Did I mention something about an earthquake ravaged country just-a-few-short-hours-by-plane away? Yes, that one. 

How to help: 

1. Send an email.  Copy and paste all of the above in a new message, send it to your entourage then sit back and take the credit. Plagiarism for a good cause doesn’t count. 
2. Get on the phone - call your friends to come out and meet you for a drink on Tuesday at Casa del Popolo! They’re good people and itching for a way to give - the $10 donation-at-the-door might just be the trick.
3. Get Social on Facebook and Twitter - shout it loud and proud that you’re coming with the #haititweetup hashtag.  Let everybody know that Haiti has your support and ask them to join you. 
4. Work your contacts - Do you have friends in high places? Know people well placed in the media who just need to know about this initiative? Point them to this blog! 
5. Add a Haiti Tweetup Widget to your web page - it’s beautiful and functional. Code here: [<div style=”width: 250px;”><iframe name=”countdown” id=”mgframe” src=”http://www.eventbrite.com/countdown-widget?eid=536979119″ width=”250″ height=”420″ marginheight=”0″ marginwidth=”0″ scrolling=”no”  frameborder=”0″ ></iframe><a href=”http://www.eventbrite.com/r/ecount”><img src=”http://www.eventbrite.com/s.gif” alt=”Events” border=”0″/></a></div>]