Rural Investor Education Series

Learn how to invest directly into early stage, rural Alberta-based companies you really believe in.

The province’s Regional Innovation Networks began 12 years ago as part of the 2008 Alberta Innovates Action Plan for Bringing Technology to Market and started with a presence in the urban centres of Calgary and Edmonton. Since then, they have expanded into rural areas creating a province-wide network (including Medicine Hat/Brooks, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Lloydminster, Grande Prairie and Fort McMurray) ready to assist Alberta technology and knowledge-based companies with coaching, networking and access to capital.


  The goal of each Regional Innovation Network is to create a community-based network of programs and services to accelerate the growth of technology and knowledge-based businesses. It is a goal of this education series to bring together like-minded individuals who want to invest and grow innovative ideas in their community or across rural Alberta.

This course is free for eligible people based in Alberta.

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The goal of the Rural Investor Education Series

Do you want to invest in innovative businesses in your community - but you’re not quite sure how? The goal of this education series, provided through the Alberta Innovation Network partnering with ClassRebel, is to introduce you to angel investing and to get you so well-versed and comfortable with the language and mechanics of angel investing, that you can confidently approach any early stage founder whose company you really believe in, and secure yourself an investment that could change your life and your community, no matter how small your cheque.

Who this course is for

  • Alberta-based investors making their first few startup investments in the province

  • Alberta-based freelancers looking to consult for equity

What you'll learn

  • After the Rural Investor Education Series, you’ll be able to:

    ○ Develop an industry-specific investment thesis
    ○ Understand how Convertible Notes and SAFEs work
    ○ Understand how the Priced Round works (Convertible Preferred Shares)
    ○ Understand how equity in a Company's option plan works
    ○ Persuade a founder to let you invest in their early-stage company

Course Outline

  • The Rural Investor Education Series is an 8-hour course, broken down into four 2-hour segments:

  • Session 1: The Basics

    • Foundational Concepts: Private vs Public Co, Accredited Investors, Angel vs VC
    • Angel Mindset: Benefits and Risks in Early Stage Investing
    • Deal Sequencing: Basic patterns in early series of fundraising
    • Key Players in the Venture Ecosystem: Family, Friends, Angels, VC’s, Crowdfunding, Lenders

  • Session 2: Investment Thesis, Deal Sourcing & Due Diligence

    • Investment Thesis Development: Macro & Micro Theses
    • Deal Sourcing: 6 Sources
    • Due Diligence: Investor Decks, 5-Year Forecasts, Data Room
    • Key Investment Resources

  • Session 3: Seed Stage Deals

    • Terms of the Convertible Note
    • Terms of the SAFE
    • Pro Forma Cap Table: Your tool to predict your equity outcome
    • The 7 Drivers of Your Financial Outcome

  • Session 4: Series A Stage Deals, Negotiating Equity As A Consultant & The Exit

    • Terms of the Priced Round (Convertible Preferred Shares)
    • Economics vs Control in a Priced Round
    • How Options Work & How to Negotiate Equity as a Consultant
    • Monitoring Your Investment & The Exit

Class schedule

Attend LIVE via Zoom or buy the freshest on-demand course!
4-day class (2hr sessions) @7-9pm MT
February 12-15, 2024

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