keith, would JDX be interested in this
Canada NewsWire
Canada's Leading Software, Internet Entrepreneurs Team Up To
Create and Grow Internet Startups
brightspark leads the incubator pack with distinguished experience and
savvy
TORONTO, Nov. 25 /CNW/ - In the world of the Internet, ideas need to be
cultivated quickly, but Canadian entrepreneurs face a daunting challenge. This
challenge is finding experienced mentors that the entrepreneur can turn to.
Today, Mark Skapinker, former Delrina co-founder and president, Tony Davis,
WinFax inventor, and Rick Nathan, technology deal-maker and lawyer, announced
the formation of Internet incubator brightspark(TM). brightspark is geared to
target, build, mentor, and launch the next wave of Internet success stories.
What distinguishes Toronto-based brightspark from the recent spate of
Internet incubator announcements is its proven wealth of experience,
expertise, savvy and contacts. brightspark provides a unique offering of solid
mentoring and the full range of resources to bring the ideas of Canadian
entrepreneurs to fruition. Everything - from establishing a sound business
plan, a development strategy with a support and service infrastructure, a
capable marketing team, effective legal strategy and counsel, an accounting
system, and of course, raising sufficient capital - requires experience, know-
how and time. The brightspark team brings an exceptional wealth of experience
and talent to the Canadian marketplace for starting and running successful
software companies. brightspark will apply this know-how and experience to
rapidly launch Canadian startups.
"Speed and experience are the keys to success in starting Internet
companies," said David Cox, CIO of Bell Canada and member of brightspark
Advisory Board. "Often, Canadian Internet start-ups have had little choice but
to pack and head to Silicon Valley where there is a ready and waiting
community to help bring their ideas to market. brightspark's founders have a
proven track record. They have the experience of growing start-ups into
formidable businesses, and they have the resources and capital to help
Internet companies get established quickly."
The brightspark team has launched and grown several world-class software
and Internet successes including:
- Delrina Corporation (later sold to Symantec NASDAQ:SYMC)
- Lanacom (later sold to BackWeb Technologies NASDAQ:BWEB)
- Balisoft Technologies (merged with Servicesoft and now in pre-IPO
stage)
- Delano Technologies (now in pre-IPO stage).
Operating from its 18,000 sq ft startup environment in mid-town Toronto,
brightspark has seed investment from its founders, and is now establishing an
associated venture capital fund to nurture and fuel startups. The company is
tapping into the wealth of local talent to provide its prospective start-ups
with the necessary infrastructure and human resources.
"brightspark will create an infrastructure where many ideas and corporate
visions can thrive," said Mark Skapinker, brightspark co-founder. "We're
infusing companies with the right experience without stifling their vision,
core competency or enthusiasm."
"In today's market, speed and execution is everything," said Tony Davis,
brightspark co-founder. "We've learned the formula for success, having started
and run several companies before. We can now share our experience to help
Canadian Internet start-ups get the financial backing and resources they
desperately need."
"brightspark is quite different from every other Canadian incubator
because we are here to mentor startup-companies, not to learn as we go along,"
said Rick Nathan, brightspark co-founder. "We are applying a proven model, and
enriching it with a great advisory board and very strong strategic
relationships." brightspark has already struck strategic relationships with
Mosaic Venture Partners, Griffiths McBurney & Partners, Ernst & Young, and
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, and is actively involved with its first
projects.
About brightspark's Founders
Having established several successful companies before, Mark Skapinker,
Tony Davis and Rick Nathan bring a proven track record and expertise to
Internet start-ups. Skapinker is a veteran and pioneer in the PC industry, and
was instrumental in establishing the personal computer software development
industry in Canada. He has been involved in Canadian software development and
establishing software companies since the early '80s. In 1988, he co-founded
and was president of Delrina Corporation, the makers of WinFax, one of the
most popular Windows programs of all time. Skapinker was president of Delrina
until Symantec Corp. acquired it in 1995. In 1997, Skapinker founded Balisoft
Technology Inc. and in February 1999 merged the company with Servicesoft
Corporation to form Servicesoft Technologies Inc, the first major vendor
offering comprehensive Internet Customer service solutions. Skapinker remains
Chairman of Servicesoft.
Tony Davis has more than 18 years of software engineering and product
design experience. At Delrina, he was the inventor and architect of WinFax. As
the VP of Communication Software Strategy at Delrina, Davis created the WinFax
PRO communication system and associated OEM (LITE) products, and architected
the WinFax network product and service line. His pioneering concept of PC Fax
communications using low cost PC fax cards established WinFax as the worldwide
leader in fax communication software. After leaving Delrina, Davis founded and
served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Lanacom Inc., a Toronto-
based Internet software development company, which was later acquired by
BackWeb Technologies. Most recently, Davis was the co-founder and CTO of
Delano Technology Corporation in Toronto, which develops Internet e-mail
applications, and employs more than 130 people.
Richard Nathan was a partner and co-chair of the Technology Business
Group at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, one of Canada's leading law firms,
where he practiced for 10 years, focusing on clients within the technology
industry. As lead counsel to small and large software companies, venture
capital funds as well as Internet and new media businesses, Nathan was
involved in major transactions, such as financings, mergers, acquisitions and
strategic alliances. Nathan also advised some of Canada's leading investment
dealers, financial institutions and securities regulators regarding the use of
the Internet in the capital markets. In 1996 and 1997, he advised the Canadian
securities regulatory authorities on the development of the SEDAR electronic
document filing system used by all Canadian public companies and mutual funds,
including with respect to the creation of an Internet based public
dissemination system.
About brightspark
Technology incubator brightspark distinguishes itself from the pack of
venture and startup catalyst firms with its incomparable industry experience
and savvy. Founded in November, 1999, Toronto-based brightspark boasts an
accomplished trio of seasoned veterans at the helm: former Delrina president
Mark Skapinker, WinFax inventor Tony Davis and technology deal-maker and
lawyer Richard Nathan. brightspark employs a strong technology view, with
emphasis on mentoring and a robust network of contacts and resources, to boost
Canadian start-ups striving to get innovative products and services to the
Internet market in an accelerated Internet time frame. brightspark provides
everything from development and technology consulting and services, marketing
and creative assistance, competitive research, legal, accounting and business
development support and services to the requisite office space, administrative
support and network infrastructure expected in a productive incubator
environment. For more information, contact brightspark at (416) 488-1999,
bspark.com or info@bspark.com.
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For further information: Rick McLaughlin, Director of
Marketing/Communications, pr@bspark.com, (416) 488-1999 ext. 226
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