Private Equity
New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF), a Fredericton-based venture capital firm, has appointed Jeff White as its new CEO. White joins NBIF from East Valley Ventures, a startup accelerator and early-stage investor he co-founded in 2011. He served there as COO. Before then, White had a long entrepreneurial career that included serving as CFO for New Brunswick venture-backed technology companies Radian6 and Q1 Labs. NBIF has invested more than $100 million in local startups and research projects and helped leverage $457 million from other sources.
3 min read · 04 October 2018
New Enterprise Associates Inc has promoted Paul Walker to general partner. Previously, he worked at MPM Capital.
2 min read · 04 October 2018
Late-stage venture firm IVP announced Louisa Xu has joined as a vice president and Jake Storm has come on board as an associate. In addition, the firm announced it has promoted Armaan Ali to senior associate. Xu will focus on consumer and enterprise companies. Prior to joining IVP, she was with GIC’s technology investment group. Storm will focus on identifying and evaluating later-stage investments across the technology industry. He previously worked for Jefferies’ technology investment banking group. Ali joined IVP in 2016 and focuses on identifying and evaluating investments. Before IVP, he worked at Qatalyst Partners.
1 min read · 02 October 2018
John Ruffolo, CEO of OMERS Ventures, is leaving the firm, Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System said. Ruffolo, who is also leaving his role as executive managing director of OMERS Platform Investments, the pension system's innovation arm, will remain in an advisory capacity until December 31. Ruffolo founded Toronto-based OMERS Ventures in 2011. The statement said Ruffolo will be succeeded as head of OMERS Ventures by Managing Partner Damien Steel, who has been with the group since 2011.
1 min read · 28 September 2018
SeventySix Capital, a sports-focused venture firm, has added NBA Hall of Famer Ralph Sampson to its athlete venture group. In his new role, Sampson will work hands-on with the company’s current sports tech fund. During his career, Sampson played for the Houston Rockets.
4 min read · 27 September 2018
The National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) announced Randy Stewart Thompson, chairman and CEO of Valhalla Private Capital, has won the 2018 Canadian Angel of the Year Award. The award, sponsored by BDC Capital, recognizes an experienced angel who has made a significant contribution to the growth and development of angel investing in Canada. Thompson, who has been active as an angel, fund manager and company operator for 25 years, helped launch Calgary-based Valhalla in 2017. He oversees the investing of 100 angels and four funds with more than $30 million in deployed capital. Thompson has personally invested in 40 startups.
3 min read · 27 September 2018
Sapphire Ventures has appointed Michael Spirito as a partner. He will begin his new position in October. Previously, he worked at 21st Century Fox where he led business development and digital media for the 22 Fox Sports Regional Networks.
3 min read · 24 September 2018
Canadian venture capital firm Information Venture Partners (Information VP) has brought on Marc Altshuller as an entrepreneur in residence (EIR). Altshuller, the Toronto-based firm's first EIR, will help mentor portfolio companies and support investment activity. Altshuller joins Information VP from U.S. tech giant IBM, where he served for over six years, most recently as general manager for the business analytics division. He also co-founded Varicent Software Inc, a Toronto-based compensation and sales performance management analytics provider acquired by IBM in 2012. Varicent was backed by Information VP's predecessor, RBC Venture Partners.
3 min read · 21 September 2018
Austin, Texas-based SparkCognition, an artificial intelligence company, has named Vijay Doradla as chief business officer. Previously, Doradla was lead director at Verizon Ventures. The investors included Verizon Ventures, The Boeing Company, CME Ventures, Brevan Howard Investment Holdings Limited and Invenergy Future Fund.
2 min read · 21 September 2018
McDonald Hopkins LLC, a business advisory and advocacy law firm, has hired Jordan Koss to head its startup and venture capital group. Previously, Koss worked at Goodcounsel LLC.
2 min read · 20 September 2018
