On July 25th, 2019, deBanked hosted its highly anticipated Toronto event, dedicated to advancing the conversation around alternative financing for small businesses in Canada.
The event brought together fintech innovators, funding companies, sales leaders, and investors to explore how technology, transparency, and collaboration are reshaping access to business capital.
About deBanked Toronto
Founded in 2010 by Sean Murray, deBanked is a leading trade publication covering the non-bank finance industry across North America. Its Toronto event served as a meeting point for top industry players — from lenders and brokers to technology providers and marketers — all working toward modernizing small business lending.
“DeBanked is the trade publication… we cover the wide, wonderful world of non-bank finance. Today is the culmination of all the innovation that’s taking place in Canada, more so on the small business finance side of things.”
— Sean Murray, Founder of deBanked
Highlights from the Event
1. The Growth of Alternative Financing in Canada
Speakers shared how the Canadian market has evolved, with more fintech lenders offering fast, digital-first funding solutions that meet the needs of small business owners underserved by traditional banks.
2. Smarter Loans on Sales & Marketing Innovation
Vlad Sherbatov, Co-Founder of Smarter Loans, spoke about the importance of online marketing and customer acquisition strategies in today’s competitive lending environment.
“We’re going to talk about how to get more customers online, how to lower acquisition cost and also do it at scale… It’s amazing to see how far the alternative lending industry has come in Canada.”
— Vlad Sherbatov, Smarter Loans
3. Building Awareness and Trust
Rafael Rositsan, Co-Founder of Smarter Loans, emphasized the need to raise awareness of the many reputable lending companies and financial products available to Canadians.
“We try to raise that awareness and bring it to the end consumers – the Canadians that are going to be using these products.”
— Rafael Rositsan, Smarter Loans
4. Industry Collaboration and Community
Speakers like Christophe Choquart (IOU Financial) and Paul Pitcher (SharpShooter Funding) highlighted the importance of trust and cooperation across the fintech ecosystem.
“deBanked has been a big advocate of the online funding industry since the beginning… it creates trust for small business owners.”
— Christophe Choquart, IOU Financial
“It’s nice to be around people that are trying to achieve the same goals and help you grow.”
— Paul Pitcher, SharpShooter Funding
Connecting the Industry
As Sean Murray noted in his closing remarks, the purpose of deBanked Connect is to bring people together – to network, share insights, and collaborate on advancing the industry forward.
“What deBanked ultimately tries to do is connect… we’re trying to bring different people together who maybe work together or know of each other but have not had the opportunity to meet — and also give them the opportunity to learn and feel inspired.”
The Toronto event marked a defining moment for Canada’s alternative lending community — proof that collaboration, transparency, and innovation are at the core of a thriving financial ecosystem.
Our Take
The deBanked Toronto 2019 event showcased how far Canada’s fintech and lending ecosystem has come. As a proud participant, Smarter Loans continues to support the growth of this industry by connecting Canadians with trusted business lenders and providing the tools needed to make smarter financial decisions.
Watch the full video above to see highlights from the event.
Explore Business Loans in Canada to learn how modern lending solutions can help your business grow.
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Smarter Loans is Canada's online loan directory for any type of financing. The website helps Canadians find reputable lenders & financial companies all over Canada and compare their products, rates, and terms in one place.
