As a Startup Visa Designated Organization we can help you:

  • Present your company to angel investors

  • Obtain your Letter of Support

  • Apply for Canadian permanent residency

  • Secure a minimum investment of $75,000

  • Launch your business in Canada

  • Expand your business across North America

START YOUR FREE APPLICATION

Who are we?

Founded in San Francisco in 2000, Keiretsu Forum has become the world's largest angel investor group with 3000+ members in 50+ chapters across 26 countries. Over the last 20 years, we helped thousands of companies obtain the resources needed to grow globally.

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We Invest in Start Ups


Each month we introduce curated companies in every industry to our investor community.

Our global network invests $100M per year into hundreds of organizations which ranks us the "#1 Most Active Early Stage Investor Group" according to Pitchbook.

In Canada we operate as a Not-for-Profit organization.

Our Start up Visa Process

The Start Up Visa program is an excellent opportunity to help your company begin in Canada but the process can feel complicated. We have simplified the qualification process into smaller steps so you can proceed at your own pace or even stop at any time.
Follow our three steps of preparation before you apply.



WHY WORK WITH KEIRETSU?

Keiretsu Forum members have invested close to a billion dollars into startup companies from acrosss the world since 2000. We know how to build and grow companies. The network has created numerous industry best practices that have been adopted by angel/early stage investment communities in many countries.

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We Are Global

With over 55+ chapters around the world we understand what it means to think global. We can assist with your expansion beyond Canada as you leverage our global network.

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We are sector agnostic

For over 20 years the Keiretsu Forum network has invested in thousands of businesses from every industry. Last year alone we invested $100M+ in nearly 200 companies.

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We Help Entrepreneurs

We assist with more than just financing. Each year we educate entrepreneurs with all elements of raising capital and growing their business.

Our Services

Starting a business can be challenging so we have a number of support services to assist with all aspects of your Visa application and your business operations in Canada.

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Business Planning

Our partners can assist with market research, sales & marketing plans, financial projections and operational challenges. They can also assist in writing all elements of business plans and your Visa application.

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Legal

We have lawyers ready to help with all aspects of your legal requirements including immigration, corporate agreements, registration, and intellectual property.

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Accounting

We recommend accounting professionals for all newcomers to Canada in order to comply with all tax reporting requirements.

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Human Resources

Finding the best employees will be critical to your success. Our partners can help with hiring and employment documentation.

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Payroll

Setting up payroll complete with tax compliance can be tricky for new businesses. Our partners can make this easy so you can focus on growing your business.

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Office Locations

Whether you require short term or long term accommodations, we can assist in finding the best location for your business.

3,000

Global Members

50+

International Chapters

$100M+

Annual Investments

200

Companies/yr

Entrepreneur Testimonials

"HCN has raised over $3M from the Keiretsu network over the past 2 years. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity that Keiretsu has given me to syndicate my success across North America"

Hotel Communication Network

"providing invaluable pitch coaching and strategy, as well as creating a system that works well for angels themselves, I can see why (they) are so successful in connecting companies to capital."

Jamstack

"being able to pitch to such a wide variety of individuals proved important for our success. We found several investors through the network who truly helped us scale."

Inkbox

"the enthusiasm and dedication of the forum leaders, including Mira, Ozan and Kevin, were apparent at every stage from initial contact all the way through making the presentations"

Opticyte

"An endless source of optimism and support, they provided great counsel and introductions to help us get our business off the ground."

Hill Street Beverages

"The investors were sophisticated... Congratulations to a fantastic organization!"

Tapplock

"We've raised almost $200k with them…Overall incredible experience and I'm happy to chat with any entrepreneurs on this."

Curexe

"We raised about $500k but there's still more coming. Very well worth the trip. You have a fantastic group."

Zive

"All women wishing to invest, grow their business and their network should be part of this amazing seed capital angel forum."

Powerful Women Today

Startup VISA

Keiretsu Forum Canada Startup Visa Program

START YOUR FREE APPLICATION

Meet the team

Introduce the team members that makes your company great here.

Ozan is a serial entrepreneur and investor with over 25 years of international experience within the angel investment, venture capital and private equity sectors. Based out of Silicon Valley during the first dotcom boom in the 1990's, Ozan worked closely with Fortune 1000 companies in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Toronto, Hamburg, Stockholm, London and Istanbul. Ozan later acted as General Partner in various angel investment and private equity practices.

He is currently the President of Keiretsu Forum Canada, the world's largest angel investment network operating on four continents. The global network specializes in syndication of deals and invested over $84 million USD into 168 early stage companies in 2018 alone.

Ozan is also a partner in Trendwell Ventures Inc., a Toronto based boutique capital advisory firm specializing in M&A and international channel expansion strategies activities for growth companies across the world.

Ozan received his MBA in Finance from the University of San Francisco – McLaren School of Business in 1998 and holds a double major in Economics & Political Science from the University of Western Ontario (1994). He speaks English, Turkish and French.

 

Ozan Isinak

President
Keiretsu Forum Canada

Kevin is a seasoned marketing executive with experience ranging from start-ups to large corporations. He has invested in 50+ early stage organizations and is assisting high growth companies with international distribution.

Kevin is currently President of the Toronto chapter of Keiretsu Forum which is the world's largest angel investor network with 52 chapters in 23 countries and 3,000+ members. Kevin reviews 150+ opportunities per year as an active member of the Keiretsu Academy, Deal Screening Committee, and Due Diligence teams for North American investment opportunities. He is also part of the Senior Advisor Network for Keiretsu Capital.

Kevin is also a partner in Trendwell Ventures Inc. which is a boutique capital advisory and consulting firm specializing in international channel expansion and soft landing for growing companies.

Kevin graduated with a degree in genetics from Western University, he is a serial entrepreneur that successfully founded and exited companies in a variety of industries (telecom, internet, energy, consumer licensed products).

His largest exits came via two IPOs in telecom and energy markets.

 

Kevin Sterling

President
Keiretsu Forum Toronto Chapter

Mira is an experienced business professional, speaker and entrepreneur who has contributed over 20+ years to a diverse range of organizations - both large and small - in a wide variety of industry sectors. As a CMA, CPA with a solid foundation in strategic management accounting, she sees the big picture and understands how all parts of an organization – from operations & marketing to finance, human resources & technology – must work together to create real value and achieve results.

As the Vice President at Keiretsu Forum Canada, Mira manages a diverse range of relationships and activities with investors, partners/sponsors and entrepreneurs. In addition to coordinating multiple monthly investor meetings across central Canada, Mira also helps to manage Keiretsu's annual Investor Capital Expo and the Keiretsu Academy Angel Investment Simulator Program, along with the growing "Keiretsu Women" portfolio, in partnership with Powerful Women Today.

With her focus on holistic value creation and win-win-win results, Mira not only provides tactical, operational and strategic advice, she also provides the professional leadership and development support needed for a successful entrepreneurial mindset that can empower people to turn their dreams into reality.

 

Mira Sirotic

Vice President
Keiretsu Forum Canada

Frequently Asked Questions

Canada’s Start-up Visa Program targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build businesses in Canada that:


- are innovative
- can create jobs for Canadians
- can compete on a global scale

If you can get support for your idea from one of the designated organizations like Keiretsu Forum, you may be able to immigrate to Canada. We suggest you complete our initial FREE application to better assess your eligibility. APPLY.

To qualify for the Start-up Visa Program, you must meet all 4 eligibility requirements, as well as the admissibility requirements to enter Canada.


Eligibility requirements for the Start-up Visa Program

You must:

- have a qualifying business
- have a letter of support from a designated organization
- meet the language requirements, and
- have enough money to settle and live in Canada before you make money from your business


Our Keiretsu Forum Start-Up Visa process can help with the first two requirements. It can take time to complete so start your application process today. APPLY.

Designated organizations are business groups that are approved to invest in or support possible start-ups through the Start-up Visa Program.

Organizations choose which business proposals to review. Each organization has its own intake process for proposals and criteria used to assess them. For example, you may be asked to present your business concept in person or submit a detailed business plan.

If an organization decides to review your business idea, it’ll assess the potential of your proposal and whether or not it’ll succeed.

If an organization chooses to support your business idea, it’ll give you a Letter of Support, which represents the official proof of investment for which the government of Canada will require in order to move forward with your immigration process.

A letter of support is given to the applicant by the designated angel investor group or venture capital fund. It is proof that they will support your business idea.

We have created an affordable step by step process to allow entrepreneurs to pay small fees only as they move down the qualification process.

Our process allows entrepreneurs to proceed at their own pace and exit the process at anytime without committing fees for future steps if they feel they will be unsuccessful.

We will provide our expertise in assessing your business idea and our partners help prepare you for your formal application to the government of Canada.

The first step is FREE so begin today. APPLY.


Our Industry Partners

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Global Partnerships

Are you a registered incubator, accelerator, angel, VC or immigration law firm? We can help identify, qualify and guide your portfolio companies to expand into the North American market space through Canada. Connect with us now by sending us a message below.

Partner with us!

Global incubators, accelerators, angels, VC's or immigration law firms, send us a message and we will reach out to you within 48 hours.