This presentation gives an overview of the steps involved in acquiring funding for a cleantech company, including sources of funding, typical early financing transaction challenges, as well as existing government programs.

1. Commercializing Cleantech
Your Blueprint for Acquiring Funding to Manufacture Your
Product
The Canadian Institute’s Forum on Commercializing Cleantech
Presented by: Alex Kilgour
Phone: +1 613 783 9679
Email: alex.kilgour@fmc‐law.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexkilgour
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2. Funding Your Cleantech Company From
Idea to Manufacturing – Three Phases
• Private Company/Startup – investors are friends, family, angel
investors, government funding, venture capital
• Expansion Capital – investors are strategic investors, mezzanine
financing, subordinated debt
• Public Company – investors are the public, institutions, mutual
funds, pension funds through initial public offerings and other
financings on a stock exchange
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3. Sources of Funding
• The Funding Gap (© 2012 SDTC)
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4. Early Stage Funding Sources
• Friends and family
• Angel investors
• Government funding sources
• Venture capital
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5. Angel Investment
• Why – significant experience and expertise/validation
• When – product development and early commercialization
• How – loan/convertible loan/preferred shares
• Who – high net worth individuals who are often also successful
entrepreneurs
• e.g. National Angel Capital Organization (York Angels, Maple
Leaf Angels, Golden Triangle Angelnet)
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6. Government Funding
• Why – bridge funding to early revenues, acquisition or VC
• When – IP and product development, early commercialization
• How – repayable or non‐repayable grant/loan/convertible loan
(secured or unsecured)
• Who – federal and provincial government programs
• e.g. SDTC – (Sustainable Development Technology Canada),
MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund, Ontario’s Innovation
Demonstration Fund and Strategic Jobs and Investment Fund
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7. Venture Capital
• Why – significant development, marketing or capital costs
• When – product development, customer engagement and
operational expansion
• How – preferred shares with certain bells and whistles
• Who – professional investment funds with significant capital
and high growth expectations
• e.g. Emerald Technology Ventures, XPV Capital, GrowthWorks,
DBL Cleantech Capital, Ventures West
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8. Groundwork to Getting Funded
• Incorporate and organize
• Select knowledgeable advisors
• Business plan
• Intellectual property strategy
• Network, network, network
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9. Typical Early Financing Transaction
Challenges
• Too many investors
• Poor incorporation and organization
• Inexperienced advisors
• IP ownership
• Non‐competition obligations
• Use of investor funds
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10. Common Transaction Terms
• Due diligence (previous financings, former founders)
• Board of directors (board composition, independent directors)
• Employment agreements (non‐compete and termination
provisions)
• IP assignment and ownership (unencumbered IP)
• Shareholders’ agreement (transfer restrictions and drag along)
• Founder share vesting (repurchase rights)
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11. Government Programs
• SDTC Tech Fund – research and commercialization projects ‐
non‐repayable contribution
• SDTC NextGen Biofuels Fund – commercial scale demo projects
‐ repayable from free cash flow over 10 year period after
project completion
• Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund (IDF) – grant program
– 50% of eligible costs, from $100K to $4M – funding for pilot
demo projects
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12. Government Programs
• MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF) – up to $500K in a hybrid
equity/loan
• Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) – Centre for Commercialization of
Research and other commercialization programs – up to $250K
• Strategic Jobs and Investment Fund (SJIF) – grant and loan program – at
least $10M in eligible costs or 50 new “high value” jobs
• Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) – grant program for businesses
with at least 10 employees, 15% of eligible costs, minimum project cost =
$500K
• FedDev Ontario – Investing in Business Innovation – up to one‐third of
eligible project costs, up to $1M in repayable contributions for
commercialization activities
• Ontario Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) – co‐investor with qualified VCs
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13. Other Government Assistance
Ontario Network of Excellence
The Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE) is a
collaborative network of organizations across Ontario,
designed to help you commercialize your ideas.
Whether your are an innovator, a technology‐based
business, entrepreneur, or researcher, ONE will
connect you with services and programs to help you
innovate and gain a competitive advantage.
www.oneinnovation.ca
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14. Regional Innovation Centres
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15. The preceding presentation contains examples of the kinds
of issues companies dealing with cleantech
commercialization could face. If you are faced with one of
these issues, please retain professional assistance as each
situation is unique.

16. Thank you
Alex Kilgour
alex.kilgour@fmc-law.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexkilgour
+1 613 783 9679