Here’s my next installment in Silicon Halton’s conversation series. I’m interviewing people within the SH community and beyond. The topics and reasons for each interview will vary but the common goal is to help our members and the community to grow.
For us growth is a core part of what keeps the heart of the Silicon Halton community beating. We want you to grow through learning, grow your networks, grow professionally, grow your company and do everything possible to help the hi-tech industry grow in Halton region.
Our Partnership with McRock Capital
Silicon Halton and Mi6 Agency are the exclusive media partners for the 2018 McRock IIoT Symposium.
This annual event is very unique and a must attend event for entrepreneurs in the IoT space. The network and relationships that Whitney Rockley and Scott MacDonald and the McRock Capital team have and make in the IoT space are wide and deep.
I can’t stress enough how important the role they are playing in helping put Canada on the map is so many ways.
- First, they attract corporate firms who are developing and looking to bring to market IoT solutions. These firms will invest in IoT startups and provide them access to their customers to validate and commercialize their IoT products.
- Second, they get IoT and that they understand the challenges that IoT can solve for municipalities, manufacturers and other industrial segments.
- Third, they don’t shy away from hardware. Something many software centric VCs do. The reality is hardware matters when it comes to IoT.
- Fourth, they’re Canadian … eh! The entire team are what I like to call “McRock Stars” in startups and IoT. Too cheesy?
Also, McRock Capital is different in many ways and as they say “they’re not your fathers VC“.
Last year I chatted with Whitney about the 2017 event and this year it was Scott’s turn to chat about this year’s IIoT Symposium. Check it out below.
Interview with Scott MacDonald, General Partner at McRock Capital
Timeline
Use the timeline to pick what you want to listen to | Full conversation transcript.
| 01:21 | This is the 7th year for the IIoT Symposium. Why McRock Capital created this event and why it continues |
| 04:56 | What is it about this year that makes the event different than previous years? |
| 08:23 | How is corporate venture capital different from venture capital? Why is it important for IIoT startups to know the difference? |
| 14:31 | How startups are using the IIoT Symposium to network in order to get customers, develop partnerships and this year, a new opportunity, pitch to raise capital. |
| 16:39 | We talk about this year’s IIoT Awards: 1) IIoT Entrepreneur of the Year; 2) IIoT Corporate Leader of the Year and, 3) IIoT Diversity Leader of the Year |
| 19:26 | McRock’s tracking of diversity within their portfolio of companies. |
| 20:27 | The fun side of the IIoT Symposium. Jazz, inspiration, arts and laughs! |
Chris Herbert
Cofounder
Chris Herbert is the founder of Mi6. Mi6 is a B2B (Business to Business) marketing and business development agency dedicated to helping companies build their brands and develop commercial relationships. He is the founder of ProductCamp Toronto and the Hi-tech community Silicon Halton. He tweets under the handle @B2Bspecialist.