Episode Overview

Often one of the most daunting tasks an entrepreneur can face – how do you finance your startup?  Simon Yep and David Kosmayer chat about the benefits of corporate partnerships vs. traditional venture capital investing when financing your big ideas, and how to navigate entering those partnerships.  

Simon Yep, VP of Corporate Development and Partnerships at Moneris, oversees strategy, investments, M&A and partnerships. Simon has over 19 years of experience as a strategic advisor and business leader accountable for developing and executing organic and inorganic initiatives to drive P&L growth in fintech, payments, loyalty, retail and healthcare.

David Kosmayer is CEO and Founder of Bookmark.com, a Website Builder disrupting the future of web design with Artificial Intelligence. David created his first company at 22 just coming out of college. Marketing Extensions Inc., an online affiliate and marketing agency, was born from the basement of his parent’s home. This company grew under his leadership into a 55-person team, topping $60M in revenue in less than a decade.

“Like any relationship, a partnership is work. Have the difficult conversations and find the areas where you can and can’t compromise so you’re on the same page. Honesty and transparency are paramount.” 

In this week’s episode of the #StartupCanadaPodcast, sponsored by Mastercard and Ceridian and powered by Moneris, Simon and David talk about the importance of entering funding partnerships that align with your values and goals, and why corporate partnerships are often a great way to do just that. 

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