Communitech, in partnership with Thomson Reuters Labs and Gowling WLG, announced today a Legal, Regulatory and Tax Bootcamp to commence this fall. "Tipping the Scales," a six-day immersive bootcamp, will provide hands-on support for Canadian startups in the legal, tax and regulatory fields and help position their businesses to land more customers and secure more investment.

Taking place October 21 - 23 and continuing November 18 - 20, 2019 at the Communitech Hub in Kitchener, the two-part bootcamp will help Canadian startup companies strengthen current business practices by offering tactical, one-on-one sales and marketing advice, as well as the opportunity to meet with industry experts in their field.

"Partnership is an important part of the Thomson Reuters innovation strategy. Being a good partner means bringing value to the table for the companies with whom we engage. We're proud to put forward to our startup partners a strong network of customers like Gowling WLG and investment opportunity, which includes the venture fund of Thomson Reuters Labs," says Brian Zubert, Director of the Thomson Reuters Labs in Toronto and Waterloo.

"Whether it's implementing AI-led solutions, utilizing blockchain and smart contracts or automating complex processes for our clients, at Gowling WLG we continue to redefine what's possible through bold innovations and forward-looking collaborations," said Viona Duncan, Gowling WLG partner and co-chair of the firm's Global Tech Group. "For us, this bootcamp represents an exciting opportunity to connect with, mentor and potentially partner with the next generation of legal innovators working to transform our industry."

Startups will learn to master their customer and investor pitches through workshops led by Gowling WLG, Thomson Reuters Labs and other industry leaders representing the legal, tax and regulatory fields. They will also participate in feedback sessions with Communitech's Growth Coaches to gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to sell to enterprise companies, raise series A funding, and scale their businesses.

"We've seen great success with startup bootcamps, and we're excited to offer this for those companies in the legal, regulatory and tax sectors," said Iain Klugman, CEO, Communitech. "We're also proud to have the strong support of our partners like Thomson Reuters and Gowling WLG."

In partnership with the Canadian Digital Media Network, the bootcamp is pleased to offer eligible candidates the opportunity to receive partial reimbursement for transportation and accommodation costs.

Interested companies can apply to be considered for the bootcamp's first cohort by September 8, 2019, 11:59 p.m. EDT.

About Communitech

Communitech was founded in 1997 by a group of entrepreneurs committed to making Waterloo Region a global innovation leader. At the time it was crazy talk, but somehow this community managed to pull it off. Today, Communitech is a public-private innovation hub that supports a community of more than 1400 companies - from startups to scale-ups to large global players.

Communitech is a member of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs and helps tech companies start, grow and succeed in three distinct ways.

  • Communitech is a place - the centre of gravity for entrepreneurs and innovators. A clubhouse for building cool tech and great companies.
  • Communitech delivers programs - helping companies at all stages with access to capital, customers and talent. We are here to help them grow and innovate.
  • Communitech partners in building a world-leading ecosystem - making sure we have all the ingredients (and the brand) to go from a small startup to a global giant.

About Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is a leading provider of business information services. Our products include highly specialized information-enabled software and tools for legal, tax, accounting and compliance professionals combined with the world's most global news service - Reuters. For more information on Thomson Reuters, visit tr.com and for the latest world news, reuters.com.

About Gowling WLG

With more than 1,500 legal professionals in 18 cities worldwide, including 3 offices in Canada's Innovation Corridor, Gowling WLG provides its clients with in-depth expertise in key global sectors and a suite of legal services at home and abroad. With market-leading strength in intellectual property, corporate finance and tech among other areas, we have the tools, talent and know-how required to turn fearless creativity into unprecedented opportunity.