Latest news with #KeiretsuForum
National Post
09-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Hotel Communication Network Named One of Canada's Top 20 Moonshot Ventures™ of 2025
Article content Keiretsu Forum Canada recognizes the world leader in AI Concierge powered hotel room tablets as a company most likely to achieve 'unicorn' status Article content OTTAWA, Ontario — Hotel Communication Network (HCN), the world leader in AI Concierge powered guestroom tablets, has been named one of Canada's Top 20 Moonshot Ventures™ of 2025, an exclusive honor presented by the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO), a Government of Canada agency established to encourage innovation and support capital raising for pre IPO companies. Article content Article content The announcement follows a closed-door showcase at the NACO Summit where Canada's most promising early-stage companies were unveiled to an elite audience of investors and innovation leaders. Selected through a rigorous nomination and evaluation process, the Moonshot represents the country's boldest, most visionary ventures in sectors spanning AI, cleantech, healthtech, space, and more. HCN was nominated by Keiretsu Forum Canada, recognizing its pioneering work in revolutionizing hotel communications and enhancing the digital guest journey. Article content Leveraging advances in AI technologies, HCN developed the first human-looking AI Concierge persona capable of addressing guests individually with full voice integration and providing voice-activated access to all guest services during their stay at HCN partner hotels. To make this technological achievement even more compelling, HCN's new ad-supported revenue model makes the entire platform highly subsidized with a possible revenue share for hotels. Article content 'Being selected as one of Canada's Moonshot Ventures is a major milestone for HCN,' said Kevin Bidner, Founder and CEO of Hotel Communication Network. 'This recognition from NACO and its national network underscores our commitment to transforming the hospitality experience through cutting-edge, guest-focused technology.' Article content The Top 20 Moonshots were chosen from more than 100 nominations submitted by NACO member organizations—including Canada's top angel groups, accelerators, and incubators. From this curated pool, 23 companies were selected to present on the Moonshots Stage™ at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa during the NACO Summit 2025. The showcase offered each founder a TED-style platform to tell their story to a handpicked audience of angel investors, venture capitalists, and corporate leaders. Article content 'These founders represent the bold ideas, entrepreneurial drive, and global ambition within Canada's innovation economy,' said Claudio Rojas, CEO of NACO, in a prepared statement. 'We are proud to spotlight companies like HCN that are not only driving technological advancement but redefining what's possible in their industries.' Article content 'We're proud to have HCN in our portfolio. With strong backing from highly sophisticated investors spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, the company has built impressive momentum, positioning it to become a truly global player,' said Ozan Isinak, President of Keiretsu Forum Canada. With over $190 million collectively raised by this year's Moonshot cohort, the companies represent a cross-section of Canada's emerging innovation economy. Ventures hail from across the country, with HCN proudly representing Ontario's contribution to global travel and hospitality innovation. Article content 'We are honored that Keiretsu Forum Canada — part of the world's largest angel investor network — believes so strongly in HCN,' Bidner said. 'We are grateful that they recommended us to NACO as 'the most likely to achieve unicorn status' in the travel and media sector.' Article content Hotel Communication Network (HCN) is the hospitality industry's leading provider of in-room guest engagement and monetization platforms. Following its acquisition of Crave Interactive, HCN now operates the largest global network of smart hotel tablets and mobile solutions, seamlessly integrating guest services, hotel operations, and contextual media delivery. The combined platform delivers personalized digital concierge services, revenue-generating programmatic advertising, and strategic brand activations at scale. HCN supports major hotel brands across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, offering a turnkey solution that enhances the guest experience while unlocking new revenue streams for hotel operators. For more information, visit Article content Article content Article content Article content Media Contact: Article content Barb Worcester Article content Article content Article content
Associated Press
30-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Accredited Investors: Navigating the Post-Pandemic Landscape
ATLANTA, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new era of early-stage investing takes center stage this summer as Keiretsu Forum South-East, the Angel Capital Association (ACA), and Georgia Tech's Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) announce the Southeast Investor Conference, set for July 29–30, 2025, in Atlanta. The two-day program is designed to deliver candid insights, curated deal flow, and pragmatic strategies to navigate an investment landscape that has transformed dramatically in recent years. Attendees will explore evolving trends shaping portfolio management, early exits, and innovative funding models—while engaging with the entrepreneurs building the next generation of market solutions. The Southeast Investor Conference will feature a blend of educational programming and direct access to capital-ready startups. Notable sessions include: The conference also includes a curated Startup Showcase, featuring promising early-stage companies actively raising capital. Participating founders will present their ventures to an audience of active accredited investors, followed by structured Q&A and networking opportunities during the investor reception and conference dinner. Organizers welcome angel groups throughout the Southeast with exceptional deal flow to connect regarding participation in the showcase. The event aims to spotlight founders and investment opportunities demonstrating market traction, clear pathways to scale, and strong potential for timely exits. The Southeast Investor Conference is supported by Accorto Regulatory Solutions, whose sponsorship underscores their commitment to strengthening the innovation landscape. They are a boutique regulatory firm that helps domestic and international companies bring FDA-regulated product concepts to market. Accorto partners with entrepreneurs and investors to accelerate compliant commercialization of breakthrough technologies. 'The investment environment has never been more demanding,' said Barry Etra, Director of Entrepreneur Services, Keiretsu Forum. 'This conference was designed to provide both the clarity and the connections serious investors need to navigate these cycles with confidence.' Registration for the Southeast Investor Conference is open to accredited investors and investment professionals. Capacity is limited to preserve the highly interactive format of the sessions and networking components. Register at About Keiretsu Forum South-East Keiretsu Forum is the world's largest and most active accredited investor community, with over 2,000 members across 50+ chapters globally. Since its founding, Keiretsu members have invested over $1 billion in early-stage companies spanning technology, life sciences, consumer products, and beyond. About the Angel Capital Association The Angel Capital Association is a professional alliance of accredited angel investors in North America. Representing more than 15,000 angels and over 250 angel groups and platforms, ACA supports investor education, public policy, and industry standards. About Georgia Tech's ATDC The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech is the state of Georgia's technology incubator, helping entrepreneurs build and scale technology companies that make an impact. For media inquiries or information about participation in the Startup Showcase, please contact: Cindi Sutera K4-MST Communications [email protected] 610-613-2773
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Keiretsu Forum Mid-Atlantic and South-East Appoints Christian Haller as Regional Vice President, Signaling Strategic Leadership Expansion
Keiretsu Forum Mid-Atlantic PHILADELPHIA, May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keiretsu Forum Mid-Atlantic and South-East, a leading network for accredited angel investors and innovators, is proud to announce the appointment of Christian Haller as Regional Vice President. Haller's role marks a step forward in the organization's commitment to accelerating growth and supporting high-potential startups across these dynamic regions. Christian Haller brings more than 35 years of entrepreneurial and investment expertise to Keiretsu Forum. He currently serves on the board of innovative, actively funding companies including Tympanogen, and ALM Orthopaedics, and founded LifeLine Medical, a pioneer in wearable health technology. Haller's extensive background includes founding The RavenOye Group, LLC, where he has supported seed and pre-seed medtech companies through commercialization and growth strategy. He is recognized for his leadership in entrepreneurial education, founding AdvaMed's Entrepreneur's Boot Camp and EBD's Japan Medtech Partnering Forum, and is a frequent speaker on topics of innovation and product commercialization. 'Christian's track record as a founder, investor, and board leader in promising life-science and tech startups will elevate our ability to source, vet and accelerate the deal flow that our members care about most. His strategic insight aligns perfectly with Keiretsu Forum's mission and will be invaluable as we expand our support for entrepreneurs and investors in the Mid-Atlantic and South-East regions.' said Howard Lubert, Area President of Keiretsu Forum MST. 'I am honored to join Keiretsu Forum as Regional Vice President,' said Christian Haller. 'I look forward to working with our exceptional members and partners to accelerate innovation, support promising startups, and create value for our investor community.' This expansion of leadership underscores Keiretsu Forum's dedication to building a robust ecosystem for entrepreneurs and investors, positioning the organization for continued growth and influence in the innovation economy. About Keiretsu Forum Founded in 2000, Keiretsu Forum is the world's largest global investment community of accredited private-equity angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate/institutional backers. Through 54 chapters on four continents, our members have invested over $1 billion in more than 1,400 high-growth companies. For more information, visit Media Contact Cindi Sutera Keiretsu Forum MST, Communications CindiS@ 610-613-2773
Associated Press
14-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Keiretsu Forum Brings 13 High-Potential Startups to 2025 Angel Capital Association Innovation Funders Showcase
PHILADELPHIA, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keiretsu Forum Mid-Atlantic, South-East, and Texas (K4-MST), a leading force in early-stage investing, proudly announces its endorsement of 13 dynamic companies selected to present at the 2025 Angel Capital Association's Innovation Funders Showcase. Held this year from April 15–17 in Denver, Colorado, the Summit offers an unparalleled platform for strategic investor-founder connections at a time when the early-stage ecosystem is being redefined. A Critical Moment for Founders and Funders 'Early-stage investing continues to evolve rapidly in the face of tightened capital markets and extended timelines to liquidity,' said Howard Lubert, Regional President of Keiretsu Forum-MST. 'But out of this pressure, a more disciplined and ROI-focused generation of companies is emerging—and that's exactly what we're showcasing in Denver.' According to Lubert, the current environment rewards startups that are lean, well-positioned, and laser-focused on solving real-world problems with a validated market demand and a clearly defined path to exit. 'Our 2025 delegation exemplifies the shift toward nimble, capital-efficient businesses that offer strong returns,' he said. Featured Companies at the 2025 ACA Innovation Funders Showcase: The 13 presenting companies, selected from across the life sciences, medtech, AI, and sustainability sectors, include: These ventures reflect Keiretsu Forum's commitment to rigorous due diligence, founder support, and fostering connections that result in funding and commercial traction. Summit Highlights: Investing with Purpose and Precision Hosted by the Angel Capital Association, the Innovation Funders Showcase brings together leading angel investors, family offices, and venture capitalists to explore high-potential companies in a collaborative setting. With investor sentiment still cautious after several years of market contraction, the Showcase offers vital visibility and connection for startups navigating today's more selective investment landscape. About Keiretsu Forum Founded in 2000, Keiretsu Forum is the world's largest and most active accredited investor – private equity community. The Mid-Atlantic, South-East, and Texas regions (K4-MST) are known for their robust VC-style diligence, collaborative member model, and commitment to long-term portfolio growth. K4-MST members have participated in funding over 1,400 companies with more than $1 billion in capital deployed. Media Contact: Cindi Sutera Keiretsu Forum-MST Communications Email: [email protected] Phone: 610-613-2773
Technical.ly
11-02-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
This angel investor network is using AI to speed due diligence on promising startups
Local investors are using artificial intelligence to save time on the due diligence process. Keiretsu Forum, a global angel investor network that includes sponsors and startups in the Philly region, announced the K4-MST AI FastTrak Due Diligence Engine earlier this month. The tool aims to save time on the first draft report so that investors can spend more time actually deciding if a company is a good fit for investment, Howard Lubert, area president of Keiretsu Forum's mid-Atlantic division, told 'Philadelphia's startup ecosystem thrives on strong investor-founder relationships, but due diligence has always been a bottleneck,' Lubert said. 'Philly-based startups [will] get faster feedback, investors can engage with more deals, and promising companies secure capital sooner.' Typically, due diligence reports, which help determine how risky an investment would be, take 80 to 120 hours to complete, according to Lubert. He expects AI to cut that time in half by reading through hundreds of files, summarizing them and annotating them in reference to the original files. The tool was trained using existing due diligence reports from a variety of sectors. Keiretsu ran over two dozen trials over the last few months with local investors and startups, like medical device company Actuated Medical, based in Bellefonte. Plus, there are guardrails in place to make sure the information in the report is accurate to what the company provided. 'The AI engine that we're using does not take it upon itself to go out to the world wide web and look for information about this company,' Lubert said. 'The only data that is used in creating this draft due diligence report comes from the files that the companies provide in the deal room.' AI gives investors more time to carefully decide their next move Despite curiosity for AI, Lubert said there wasn't a lot out there that fit Keiretsu's needs. Many of the existing tools worked better for mergers and acquisitions. These tools don't work for due diligence because they can't accurately estimate the valuation of early-stage companies, he said. Eventually, it found AI company which specifically develops platforms for due diligence processes. Companies upload all their files onto an online deal platform. Once that information is condensed into one file, Lubert can upload it into the AI platform. It typically takes the AI engine 10 to 20 minutes to pull that information into a draft due diligence report. The draft also comes back annotated with links back to the original documents. So if team members have questions or want to fact-check parts of the report, they can access it. The hope is that this tool will leave more time for discussion and making careful decisions about investments, Lubert said. 'What we hope will transpire from that is a greater interest from our investor members to get on due diligence teams, because they won't have to make that significant [time] commitment,' Lubert said. Sarah Huffman is a 2022-2024 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The Groundtruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. This position is supported by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
