ArcStone Kingswood Growth Summit Ignites Bay Street, Unveils Global Expansion with ArcStone Israel Launch

Could this be the spark Bay Street has been waiting for? The ArcStone Kingswood inaugural Growth Summit brought nearly 500 attendees together, injecting fresh energy into the capital markets.

On Thursday, September 26th, I attended the ArcStone Kingswood Growth Summit, where ArcStone Securities and Investments Corp. (“ArcStone”) announced its continued global expansion with the establishment of ArcStone Israel Securities and Investments USA Corp. (“ArcStone Israel”). This strategic move enhances ArcStone’s position within international markets, extending its reach into one of the world’s most innovative economies—Israel. The new division, led by financial professionals Mark Goodman and Oded Orgil, is set to guide Israeli growth companies as they access North American capital markets.

This announcement follows ArcStone’s strategic collaboration with Kingswood US, a full-service investment bank managing $14 billion in retail assets, which was announced earlier this year. The partnership underscores ArcStone’s commitment to delivering cross-border financial advisory services that integrate Canadian and U.S. markets. Together, ArcStone and Kingswood aim to provide mid-market companies with customized capital market solutions, particularly in sectors such as technology, fintech, cybersecurity, and clean energy.

It had been a few years since I had seen Kevin Ernst, Managing Director for Kingswood, and I was genuinely impressed with how the model he had communicated to me in the past was growing in fortitude and strength. Likewise, this Summit allowed me to see Jack Bensimon, a Principal Partner of ArcStone, walk us through the remarkable growth ArcStone has seen over the past 14 months, with multiple successful transactions highlighting its commitment to strategic partnerships. Bensimon emphasized that ArcStone has positioned itself as a premier advisory firm, offering clients innovative solutions and access to both retail and institutional capital in North America and globally. Again, it was a real pleasure not only to hear the success but to see how many extraordinary investors and industry professionals they had brought together for this event.

During the unexpected (and exciting) announcement of ArcStone Israel, I discovered something new at the Growth Summit: the top countries listing on Canadian stock exchanges are Canada, the USA, Australia, and Israel—a fact I found fascinating.

The newly formed ArcStone Israel will be led by Oded Orgil, an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in capital markets. Orgil, who will serve as President and Head of ArcStone Israel, brings a wealth of expertise in strategic partnerships and investor relationships in both Israel and North America. “When Mark and I began working on this platform nearly three years ago, we recognized there was a huge opportunity. In ArcStone, we found a partner that shares our vision, passion, and provides the expertise needed to truly help Israeli companies access private and public markets in North America,” said Orgil.

Mark Goodman, who joins as Vice Chair of ArcStone Israel, will focus on strategic growth initiatives and expanding the capital markets team. Goodman’s leadership is expected to play a pivotal role in positioning ArcStone to support Israeli companies, particularly as it helps Israeli tech companies navigate their paths to Canadian and U.S. exchanges.

Jack Bensimon’s connection to Israeli tech innovation and his previous leadership role at Technion Canada, where he chaired the endowment fund sponsored by the Peter Munk Foundation, further bolsters the firm’s ability to deliver tailored financial services to Israeli companies. As Bensimon noted, “Oded and Mark bring an impressive track record and deep expertise in cross-border financing, which is exactly what we need to drive ArcStone Israel forward.”

The formation of ArcStone Israel comes at a time when the Israeli economy continues to thrive as a hub of technological innovation. With its highly skilled workforce and dynamic venture capital environment, Israel is home to groundbreaking advancements in robotics, cleantech, life sciences, and cybersecurity. This makes Israel an attractive market for investors and a natural fit for ArcStone’s cross-border advisory services.

By offering Israeli companies a gateway to North American markets, ArcStone Israel is well-positioned to support these firms as they scale globally. The Canadian exchanges, in particular, provide a strategic, cost-effective launchpad for Israeli companies, allowing them to raise capital before pursuing U.S. listings or cross-listings.

As ArcStone expands into Israel, its partnership with Kingswood US continues to enhance its ability to provide top-tier financial services across both Canada and the U.S. The two firms are focused on driving long-term value for clients, particularly in high-growth sectors such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, health-tech, and SaaS software. ArcStone’s innovative approach to investment banking, coupled with Kingswood’s extensive retail and institutional networks, is poised to create valuable opportunities for mid-market companies seeking global expansion.

Further to this announcement was the caliber of the audience. Regrettably, I was only able to catch half a dozen presentations, but one company that truly caught my attention during the event was Mannin Research, which announced that Jeremy Desai, the former CEO of Apotex, will become their new CEO this Fall. This strategic move reinforces Mannin’s focus on developing innovative therapies for vascular diseases. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. George Nikopoulos, who has been leading the company’s efforts to tackle health conditions like glaucoma and sepsis.

I also had the privilege of connecting with Jeff Gamble, Managing Director of Issue Services at Independent Trading Group (ITG). As a long-time fan of ITG and their market maker services, I was delighted to spend some time discussing market dynamics with him during the event and share with him what a fan I am of ITG’s Kevin Thomsen and his daily market update “Morning Chatter,” my top source for my daily market update, Investor.Coffee.

Additionally, I was introduced to Sheldon Bennett, CEO of DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. (TSX-V: DMGI), who is leading efforts to expand DMG’s mining capacity while focusing on sustainable blockchain solutions. He graciously explained the digital currency market as he sees it to me—he’s one of the original players in the industry, having been involved since 2011. Another highlight was my conversation with Darren Bondar, founder and CEO of Hempalta Corp. (TSXV: HEMP), a company producing sustainable hemp-based products like garden mulch and natural fiber insulation. Bondar also mentioned their subsidiary, Hemp Carbon Standard Inc. (“HCS”), which is focused on setting carbon standards for industrial hemp, reflecting the growing demand for green alternatives.

I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation from Adam Berk, CEO of One Bullion, who has extensive experience in capital markets with a diverse background and successful track record. Berk leads One Bullion’s efforts to explore and develop precious metal assets in Botswana. I was also exceptionally impressed by the conversation I had with Dr. Richard Lu from SolarBank Corp. (NASDAQ: SUUN | Cboe CA: SUNN), a renewable energy company focused on developing and operating solar power projects across North America. I was introduced to him by Jun Hu from ArcStone.

In closing, I’d like to extend my thanks to the ArcStone and Kingswood teams for their efforts in shining a light on innovative companies and strengthening public markets—a move that benefits all of us. With so much talent and innovation on display, I look forward to providing more updates on the standout companies I encountered at the Summit in the coming weeks. Special thanks to Michael Astone, Raj Ravindran, and Jack Bensimon, Principal Partners at ArcStone, for hosting such a remarkable event.