Financial Foundations for Tech Founders

​This workshop equips pre‑seed tech founders with the essential financial literacy needed to understand and manage the financial backbone of their startup. We cover the core concepts of commercial finance, capital, assets, equity, liabilities, cash flow, valuation, and profitability, and how these fundamentals support day‑to‑day decision-making in early‑stage companies.

​Founders will learn how to assess and strengthen their unit economics, establish financial clarity, and prepare for their first financing round, including valuation approaches, what investors look for, and how to navigate the due‑diligence process.

​The session also explores the complete funding landscape. We start with bootstrapping strategies, how to fund and grow early operations using internal resources, before mapping out external funding options. On the non‑dilutive side: grants, tax incentives, traditional and non‑traditional tech loans, including MRR‑based lines of credit, SR&ED financing, and venture debt. On the dilutive side: convertible debt, SAFEs, angel investment, venture capital, and private equity.

​Designed specifically for pre‑seed founders, this workshop offers practical, actionable knowledge to help you build financial confidence and make informed capital‑raising decisions as you scale your venture.

​Offered by Desjardins, the largest cooperative financial institution in Canada, the workshop is given by Nishant Raizada, Managing Director, Technology and Innovation Banking.