What I Invest In
Stages and Sectors
🌱 I invest at pre-seed and seed stage. I may follow on pro rata in Series A or B rounds, but I rarely write first cheques at those stages. (I sometimes advise later stage companies iff they intersect with my areas of expertise.)
📡 I like B2B companies, including vertical and horizontal software, B2B marketplaces, data and API businesses, platforms & infrastructure, systems of record, unglamorous plumbing, AI/ML tools, and anything involving network effects.
🛍 I generally steer clear of consumer businesses, D2C ecommerce, healthcare, gaming, real estate, seed hedge funds, silicon, security, cannabis and crypto. You’re welcome to pitch me if your startup falls in those categories, but I’m very unlikely to invest.
⚛️ I’m building competence in energy, space, bio, and other deeptech, especially where mediated by software and data. I welcome pitches in those areas, even though I may not be ready to invest.
🚀 I like to see genuine technological innovation. Solving hard problems is a valuable moat.
All these criteria are flexible for the right team in the right market with the right approach. If in doubt, pitch me!
Investment Philosophy
🔮 At the highest level, I invest in startups that are building a future I want to be part of, and I try to help them make that future a reality. Beyond that, there are no rules.
🔥 Team ability and macro tailwinds matter a lot to me. Big ideas, market pull and innovative tech are also important. Traction is a useful proxy; it validates these attributes.
🌎 I’m flexible on geography, industry, and business model. I prefer B2B to consumer. About half my portfolio is in Canada, and half outside it.
🐶 I like both overdogs with earned unfair advantages, and underdogs who are scrappy, resilient, resourceful. I invest in both ‘brave new world’ startups and ‘faster better cheaper’ startups.
❤️ Building a startup is hard. I seek founders of character: resourceful, resilient, optimistic, curious, ambitious, competitive, and committed. If this is you, please reach out!