Advisory Board
Selection Committee Co-Chairs
Matthew Leibowitz
Co-Founder & Managing General Partner
Plaza Ventures
Matthew is the Co-Founder of Plaza Ventures, a national venture capital firm, spending 15+ years focused on deal flow, board management, ecosystem development, corporate partnerships and investor relations. Matthew is a career VC, having overseen dozens of growth-tech finance investments with consistent top decile returns. Matthew has co-created multiple funds...more
Speaking on: THE STANDOFF: OPERATORS VERSUS VENTURE CAPITALISTS
Advisory Board Members
Chris Albinson
Chief Executive Officer & President
Communitech
Chris Albinson is Chief Executive Officer & President of Communitech & Co-Founder & Managing Director of BreakawayGrowth Fund. Albinson has been an early investor in companies that have created $45bn+ in value including Pinterest, Docusign, Newbridge Networks & Juniper Networks. We invested $1.06B & returned $4.25B, 3.8X over 26 years...more
Speaking on: CIX 2022 INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION & KEYNOTE
Layth Ashoo
Partner
Maverix Private Equity
Layth is a Partner at Maverix Private Equity. In this role, he is responsible for deal sourcing, execution and portfolio company oversight. He brings 15 years of industry experience spanning private equity, management consulting, investment banking and software development. Layth has been involved in the origination, evaluation, execution, and oversight...more
Speaking on: CIX TOP 10 GROWTH #2 COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
Sue Britton
CEO & Founder
Firefly Growth Inc
Sue Britton is CEO and Founder of FinTech Growth Syndicate (FGS). FGS is a corporate innovation accelerator that works with traditional or incumbent organizations to help them research and develop new product innovations.
Sue started FGS after a successful 25 year innovation corporate career, and is a first time and successful...more
Speaking on: PREPARING FOR PAYMENTS SUPERVISION: AN UPDATE FROM THE BANK OF CANADA,ROCKET PITCHES - FINTECH
Marcus Daniels
Founding Partner & CEO
Highline BETA
Marcus is CEO and Founding Partner of Highline BETA, a venture capital and a startup co-creation company. He leads visionary execution, strategic deals, accelerator
platform growth, and new venture funding. He has 20+ years as a serial tech entrepreneur and was previously the Co-Founder and CEO of HIGHLINE.vc and Managing Director...more
Brenda Hogan
Chief Investment Officer
Venture Ontario
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/brenda-hogan-9608a230
Brenda M. Hogan is the Chief Investment Officer at Venture Ontario and has over 15 years’ of experience in strategy and execution in venture capital at the co-investment, fund of funds, and fund level investing.
Brenda has held senior roles in corporate development, finance, and strategic investing with Bell...more
Speaking on: CIX TOP 10 GROWTH #2 COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
Matthew Leibowitz
Co-Founder & Managing General Partner
Plaza Ventures
Matthew is the Co-Founder of Plaza Ventures, a national venture capital firm, spending 15+ years focused on deal flow, board management, ecosystem development, corporate partnerships and investor relations. Matthew is a career VC, having overseen dozens of growth-tech finance investments with consistent top decile returns. Matthew has co-created multiple funds...more
Speaking on: THE STANDOFF: OPERATORS VERSUS VENTURE CAPITALISTS
Laura Lenz
Partner
OMERS Ventures
Based in Toronto, Laura is a Partner leading OMERS Ventures’ investment activity in Canada. Laura has over 15 years of venture investing experience, including prior roles as a Partner with Generation Ventures, an Investment Director with MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund, and a Principal with EdgeStone Capital Partners. Laura started her...more
Speaking on: CIX TOP 10 GROWTH #2 COMPANY PRESENTATIONS,THE STANDOFF: OPERATORS VERSUS VENTURE CAPITALISTS
Dani Lipkin
Managing Director, Global Innovation Sector
TSX Inc.
Dani Lipkin carries the role of Innovation Sector Head for Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV).
In this capacity, he is responsible for working with private companies and their shareholders as they explore and consider the option of raising equity capital in Canada.
Prior to this role, Dani...more
Matthew Lombardi
Director
TELUS Pollinator Fund
Matthew Lombardi was previously the Managing Director of OneEleven, Toronto's premier innovation hub for post-seed scaleups. He has worked in leadership roles at Deloitte in Toronto, and the United Nations World Food Programme in Rome, across multiple industries. He also co-founded the not-for-profit marketplace GroceryHero during the earliest days of...more
Michelle McBane
Managing Director
StandUp Ventures
Michelle (Twitter: @michellemcbane) is passionate about working with amazing technology entrepreneurs applying disruptive technologies to solve problems in enterprise, health and consumer markets. Michelle is a skilled business professional with many years of combined operational and venture capital experience. Her background includes 16 years of venture capital investing early- and...more
Speaking on: CIX TOP 20 EARLY #1 COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
Giselle Melo
Founder & General Partner
Matr Ventures
The VC system is methodically designed to result in a particular outcome. Understanding the industry as it exists today, I’m relentlessly committed to helping underestimated founders grasp the rules of the game while simultaneously creating structures to tip the scales in our favor.
Matr, will invest up to $1...more
Alison Nankivell
Senior Vice President, Fund Investments
BDC Capital
Alison Nankivell is Vice President, Fund Investments and Global Scaling. Based in Toronto, she leads BDC Capital’s team of indirect investments – Canada’s largest venture fund investor, with investments in more than 60 funds and close to $1 billion in assets under management.
Bringing over 20 years of experience in the...more
Speaking on: CIX 2022 INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION & KEYNOTE
Michelle Scarborough
Managing Partner, Thrive Venture Fund and Women in Technology Venture Fund
BDC Capital
Michelle Scarborough is Managing Partner, Strategic Investments and Women in Technology Venture Fund. In this position, she leads the origination and execution of strategic initiatives to fill current and future financing gaps in the Canadian ecosystem. She is also responsible for BDC’s $200M investment to bring capital to high-growth tech...more
Speaking on: CANADIAN SUCCESS STORY: SPOTLIGHT ON WAABI
Sunil Sharma
Managing Partner
Techstars
Sunil Sharma is Managing Director for Techstars Toronto. Techstars Toronto is a city program and Techstars' first accelerator in Canada. Techstars Toronto is a joint venture between Techstars and Real Ventures (Canada’s most active venture capital fund).
Prior to Techstars Sunil was a Managing Partner with Extreme Venture Partners (EVP) and...more
Craig Strong
Partner
Round13 Capital
Craig’s main interest is helping entrepreneurs to build powerful sales & marketing machines. He was the co-founder and CEO of Fitzii, an online recruiting company that uses a predictive algorithm to match candidates to employers (sold to the Ian Martin Group).
Craig worked at Deloitte – initially as a Marketing Director...more
Speaking on: MEETING EXCHANGE A: FACE TO FACE WITH INVESTORS
Margo Wu
Lead Investor
Georgian
Margaret Wu is a Lead Investor at Georgian focused on business software companies exploiting Applied AI. Prior to Georgian, she was a Product Manager for mobile marketing at Amazon, co-founded a biotech company and served as COO at OneSpout, a local e-commerce startup. Margaret began her career in consulting at...more
Advisory Board Emeritus
John Albright
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Relay Ventures
John is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Relay Ventures as well as Co-Founder and Board Member of Alate Partners and Playmaker Capital. John has over 20 years of experience helping entrepreneurs shape their vision and capital plans for long-term, sustainable growth. John’s tenure in finance spans both venture capital...more
Chris Arsenault
Managing Partner
Inovia Capital
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/chrisarsenault
https://twitter.com/chrisarsenault
Chris Arsenault has more than 25 years of operating and investing experience, and through his vision, has been a key pillar of today's rich Canadian tech ecosystem. Through his decades of leadership, Chris has developed an outstanding track record of identifying high potential companies early on, supporting them...more
Tyson Baber
Lead Investor
Georgian
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyson-baber-82772a14/
https://twitter.com/tysonbaber
Tyson Baber is a Partner on our Investment team and manages a range of activities including deal selection, due diligence and post-investment support. In addition to serving on the boards of several portfolio companies, Tyson provides expertise and guidance in the areas of business alliances, investment analysis and...more
Joe Catalfamo
Venture Advisor
Joe brings over 28 years of venture capital investing and a wealth of experience in the Mobile, Enterprise Software and Digital Media verticals.
His diverse and extensive experience allowed him to play an integral role in the formation, strategic direction, overall growth and business development of emerging companies.
Joe, as a co-founding...more
Roger Chabra
General Partner
Rho Canada Ventures
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/rchabra
https://twitter.com/rchabra
Roger Chabra is a General Partner at Rho Canada Ventures, a division of Rho Capital Partners focused on early-stage investing in Canada’s most innovative technology companies. With more than 15 years of venture capital, operating and entrepreneurial experience, he seeks to partner with passionate, energetic and visionary entrepreneurs who solve...more
Michael Hyatt
Investor
Hyatt Family Office
Michael Hyatt is the co-founder of BlueCat, which was sold to Madison Dearborn Partners, of Chicago, IL. He serves as a director of BlueCat, ranks as one of Canada’s top entrepreneurs, and is a known as a technology visionary. Michael is also a weekly business commentator on CBC and was...more
Speaking on: CIX TOP 20 EARLY #1 COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
Justin LaFayette
Lead Investor, Head of Firm
Georgian
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/justin-lafayette-bb43972b
https://twitter.com/GeorgianPrtnrs
Justin LaFayette is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Georgian Partners. Justin leads Georgian Partner’s investments in Bluecore, DefenseStorm, IEX, Integrate.ai, Polar, PrecisionLender, Signpost, Tealium, Top Hat, True Fit and WorkFusion. Justin also previously led the firm's investments in 41st Parameter, Kinnser Software, Kony, Shopify, Silanis/eSignLive, Syncsort and Turnitin.
In addition,...more
Rick Nathan
Managing Director
Kensington Capital Partners
Rick Nathan
Managing Director
Kensington Capital Partners
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/rick-nathan-a4443552
https://twitter.com/rick_nathan
Rick Nathan leads Kensington’s venture capital investment program as a Managing Director and member of the firm’s Investment Committee. His career spans many years across the private equity and venture market as an industry leader, investor and professional advisor. Rick currently serves as an...more
Senia Rapisarda
Managing Director
HarbourVest Partners (Canada) Ltd.
Senia Rapisarda joined HarbourVest in 2014 to focus on partnership and direct co-investments in Canada and to expand HarbourVest’s local presence in the market.
Senia joined the Firm from BDC Venture Capital, where she was responsible for the establishment of a team focused on direct and indirect investments across Canada. Her...more
Speaking on: CIX TOP 10 GROWTH #1 COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
Robert Simon
Senior Managing Partner, IT Venture Fund
BDC Capital
ROBERT SIMON
Senior Managing Partner, IT Venture Fund
BDC Capital
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsimon1
Robert Simon joined BDC Capital in 2011 as Senior Managing Partner in the IT Venture Fund. He is responsible for overseeing the IT Venture Fund investments and maximizing value creation across the portfolio.
Robert brings over 25 years of experience as...more
John Stokes
Partner
Real Ventures
JOHN STOKES
Partner
Real Ventures
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/johnstokes
https://twitter.com/iamjohnstokes
John is an investor who daily resists the urge to get back to being an entrepreneur — but rather chooses to live vicariously through the founders in whom he invests. After having played leading roles in two successful startups in Asia Pacific, but being underwhelmed...more
Salim Teja
Partner & General Manager
Radical Ventures
Salim Teja brings over 20 years of experience in the technology sector as an entrepreneur, venture investor, corporate innovator and innovation ecosystem builder.
Salim is currently a Partner at Radical Ventures, a USD $350 million venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to transform massive industries.
Prior...more
David Wismer
Head, Global Technology Investment & Corporate Banking
BMO Capital Markets, Corp
David has over 20 years of technology investment banking experience and has completed over $100 billion in capital raising and advisory transactions, including some of BMO's most significant transactions globally over the last several years. He is a trusted advisor to high-growth technology companies from early-stage to large-cap public companies. As Global Head of the...more
Speaking on: CANADIAN SUCCESS STORY: SPOTLIGHT ON D2L
