Did you know that Vancouver ranks among the top 25 startup ecosystems in the world? In terms of blockchain technology, the city's ecosystem ranks among the top ten.
These rankings come as no surprise: Vancouver counts with highly skilled talent and world-renowned research universities. The city promotes entrepreneurship and innovation through local economic development initiatives, access to provincial funds for tech entrepreneurs and tax credits to research-driven startups.
As of Q3, Vancouver startups have raised $777 million in venture capital in 2019. In terms of early stage funding, local startups receive an average investment of $235K. These numbers look quite promising!
Vancouver has plenty of funding resources. We'd like to share this list of local venture capital firms and angel investors to help you find the right investment for your startup.
If you want to prepare for startup funding in Vancouver, the Founder Institute is currently enrolling. Apply today to build a startup with Vancouver's top entrepreneurs and investors!
Vancouver Angel Investors
1. Boris Wertz
- Bio: “Extensive operational background in the consumer internet space so interested in adding value wherever the entrepreneur needs it.”
- Sectors: Consumer, Internet, E-Commerce, Mobile, SaaS, Education, Healthcare, Platforms, Marketplaces, Crowdsourcing, Drones, Robotics, Augmented Reality, Blockchains.
- Number of investments: 49
- Investment Range: $50K-$500K
- Notable portfolio companies: Flurry, Indiegogo, Top Hat, Wattpad
2. Dave Johnson
- Bio: “I love tools that put more power in the hands of developers from JavaScript to Arduino. Software is eating the world and developers are pepto bismol. I'm a serial entrepreneur turned angel looking for great people.”
- Sectors: Mobile, Hardware, SaaS, Consumer Electronics, Analytics, Consumer Internet, Clean Technology, Space Travel, B2B, Big Data, Marketplaces, Education, Families, Open Source, Electronics.
- Number of investments: 24
- Investment Range: $1K-$250K
- Notable portfolio companies: AdEspresso, buddybuild, Le Tote, Memo.ai, SendHub
3. Geoffrey Shmigelsky
- Bio: “I am a technology entrepreneur with a background in computer science. I prefer exponential technologies that leverage into new markets.”
- Sectors: Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Genetic Testing, Consumer Internet, Nanotechnology, Mobile, Crowdsourcing, Artificial Intelligence, Social Games, iPhone, Android, Synthetic Biology, Bioinformatics.
- Number of investments: 19
- Investment Range: N/A on website.
- Notable portfolio companies: 23andMe, CureTogether, dimeRocker, Getaround
4. Keith Gillard
- Bio: “General Partner at Pangaea Ventures, formerly President of BASF Venture Capital America and before that with Mitsubishi Corporation. Award winning musician.”
- Sectors: Clean Technology, Healthcare, Finance Technology, FinTech, Food Tech, Agriculture.
- Number of investments: 21
- Investment Range: N/A on website.
- Notable portfolio companies: CarbonCure Technologies, Energy Storage Systems, Redlen Technologies, Vestaron
5. Manny Padda
- Bio: “An angel investor with a global portfolio of investments including education, domestic and international real estate, technology, mining, and recruitment.”
- Sectors: Clean Technology, Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software, Mobile, Healthcare.
- Number of investments: 26
- Investment Range: $10K-$50K
- Notable portfolio companies: Blume, CareCru, Keela, myBestHelper, Picatic
6. Marcus Daniels
- Bio: “I'm a digital product entrepreneur, pre-seed capital investor and corporate innovation architect that helps startups accelerate growth. Co-Founder & CEO of HIGHLINE, a pre-seed fund & accelerator provider that helps digital startups raise follow-on capital.”
- Sectors: Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software, Mobile, SaaS, Digital Media, Education, Advertising, Venture Capital, Crowdsourcing, Market Research.
- Number of investments: 17
- Investment Range: $5K-$50K
- Notable portfolio companies: Andela, Drop, Famebit, Finn AI, Pressboard, Swept
7. Mike Edwards
- Bio: “Commit - Fund - Inspire.”
- Sectors: Email Newsletters, Financial Services, Consumer Internet, Design, Cloud Computing, Mobile, Location Based Services, Social Media, SaaS, E-Commerce, Social Games, Education, Sales and Marketing, Marketplaces, Small and Medium Businesses, Subscription Businesses.
- Number of investments: 55
- Investment Range: $10K-$100K
- Notable portfolio companies: 7Geese, Battlefy, Craft Coffee, Linquet, PayrollHero, Strutta, Unbounce
8. Pankaj Agarwal
- Bio: “Founder & Managing Partner at Optimus Information Inc.”
- Sectors: Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software, Financial Services, Big Data, Visualization, Investment Management, SaaS, B2B, Location Based Services, Small and Medium Businesses, Private Social Networking, Cloud Data Services, Non Profit.
- Number of investments: 19
- Investment Range: $1K-$500K
- Notable portfolio companies: Beanworks, Got It AI, Klue, Mintent, onefold, TeamFit
9. Rasool Rayani
- Bio: “Cofounder, Metalogix. Technology enthusiast. Angel Investor.”
- Sectors: Mobile, Social Media, Health Care Information Technology, Enterprise Software.
- Number of investments: 20
- Investment Range: $25K-$100K
- Notable portfolio companies: Allocadia, Checkfront, Dyspatch, Tapstream, Unbounce, Versly
10. Ray Walia
- Bio: “Co-Founder & CEO Launch.vc & LaunchAcademy.ca, Co-Founder, and Director at SportsTech.io, Co-Founder at Victory Square.com, Co-Founder of TractionConf.io.”
- Sectors: Consumer Internet, Enterprise Software, Mobile, Healthcare, Financial Services, Advertising, Cloud Computing, SaaS.
- Number of investments: 22
- Investment Range: $10K-$250K
- Notable portfolio companies: 7Geese, Battlefy, FansUnite, Later, Launch Academy, PayrollHero, Skift, Victory Square Technologies
11. Roham Gharegozlou
- Bio: “Product, team building, go-to-market, financing.”
- Sectors: Enterprise Software, Mobile, E-Commerce, Mobile Games, Social Media, Social Games, Social Commerce, All Markets, Consumer Internet, Life Sciences, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Cloud Data Services, SaaS, Digital Media, Advertising, Mobile Advertising, Video, Education, Sales and Marketing, Location Based Services, Bridging Online and Offline, Crowdsourcing, Local, Sensors, Health Care Information Technology, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Payments, Social Media Marketing, Payments, Analytics, Internet Infrastructure, Big Data Analytics, Databases, Data Mining, Security, Enterprise Security, Mobile Infrastructure.
- Number of investments: 21
- Investment Range: $25K-$100K
- Notable portfolio companies: Blink, Intercom, Lucibel, Routific, Tout, ZenHub
12. Ryan Holmes
- Bio: “Network, product knowledge, social media chops, scrappy attitude.”
- Sectors: Email Marketing, Email Newsletters, Social Media, SaaS, Consumer Internet, E-Commerce.
- Number of investments: 43
- Investment Range: $10K-$50K
- Notable portfolio companies: Bench, Bitium, Brightfunnel, Geckoboard, Gusto, Klue, Launchrock, Memo, Nestio
Vancouver Venture Capital Firms
1. 7 Gate Ventures
- Description: "7 Gate Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Vancouver, Canada, and Silicon Valley. Investing in early-stage startups from Seed to pre-Series A. Formed in 2015 and assembled by a group of serial entrepreneurs specialising in technology, operational expertise, and venture capital. We bring key industry connections, decades of international venture-building experience and foresight to effectively strategise, mentor and scale new businesses.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Software, SaaS, Cloud Services, Marketplaces, Mobile Apps and Solutions, Big Data/Analytics, FinTech and HealthTech.
- 7 Gate Ventures Stage: Seed stage startups to pre-Series A.
- Notable 7 Gate Ventures Portfolio Companies: Arrinex, Blanc Labs, Leavetown, LiveKindly, MetaOptima, Qudos, Spocket, Uppercase
2. Chrysalix Venture Capital
- Description: "We build great companies focused on industrial innovation. Chrysalix is a global venture capital fund with a long history commercializing step-change innovation for resource intensive industries. We invest in intelligent systems, energy technology and resource productivity solutions to deliver outsized financial returns and environmental sustainability. By teaming up with leading industrial companies and outstanding entrepreneurs, Chrysalix connects market driven problems to breakthrough solutions.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Energy, Resource Intensive Industries (Agriculture, Mining, Oil, etc.) and Intelligent Systems (AI, Blockchain, Data Analytics, IoT, etc.).
- Chrysalix Venture Capital Stage: Mostly early stage startups. On occasions, Chrysalix invests in later stage startups.
- Notable Chrysalix Venture Capital Portfolio Companies: Axine, Bridgelux, Enerworks, Feasible, GaN Systems, General Fusion, GlassPoint Solar, MineSense, NanoSteel, Svante
3. Framework Venture Partners
- Description: "Framework combines a unique data-driven investment decision process with a highly collaborative engagement model designed to help visionary entrepreneurs and CEOs scale world-class companies in high-growth global markets. Framework Venture Partners invests in companies across all software verticals with a focus on businesses re-imagining the consumption and seamless delivery of financial services within applications used daily, or applying artificial intelligence solutions to large industry-specific datasets.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Software.
- Framework Venture Partners Stage: All stages.
- Notable Framework Venture Partners Portfolio Companies: Cymax, Daisy Intelligence, Diply, Elastic Path, FlipGive, Foodee, Klue, Mobify, TouchBistro, Trulioo, Wattpad, Wave Financial
4. Highline Beta
- Description: "Highline Beta is a startup co-creation company. We build and fund new ventures alongside forward-thinking global enterprises.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: All tech or tech-enabled businesses.
- Highline Beta Stage: Pre-seed and seed stage startups.
- Notable Highline Beta Portfolio Companies: Andela, Breather, Drop, FameBit, Hurrier, Localmind
5. Kensington Capital Partners
- Description: "Kensington has been an active investor in venture capital since the launch of the firm in 1996, with strong links into Silicon Valley and across Canada.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Information and Communications Technology, Digital Media, Energy Technology, Clean Tech, Life Sciences and Healthcare.
- Kensington Capital Partners Stage: Early stage and growth equity investments.
- Notable Kensington Capital Partners Portfolio Companies: 41st Parameter, Bit Stew, Clearpath.ai, D-Wave Systems, Hubba, Influitive, Kognitiv, Mojio, Pandora, SoundHound, TouchBistro
6. Pangaea Ventures
- Description: "Pangaea is the world leader in advanced materials venture capital. We invest in start-up companies using advanced materials to make our world better. Established in 2000, Pangaea has built an outstanding portfolio addressing multi-billion dollar markets in energy, electronics, health, and sustainability. Our unmatched materials network spans multiple industry verticals, and includes twenty-five major multinationals as Strategic Limited Partners.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Energy, Electronics, Health and Sustainability.
- Pangaea Ventures Stage: All stages.
- Notable Pangaea Ventures Portfolio Companies: Airborne, Calysta, Cnano Technology, Energy Storage Systems, kovio, Modulim, New Leaf Symbiotics, SWITCH Materials, Tactus Technology
7. Quark Venture
- Description: "Smart Capital building Smart Companies. Established in 2015, Quark Venture LP is a venture capital investment firm, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and is focused on equity financing of innovative biotechnology and health sciences companies with breakthrough technology platforms and projects.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Biotechnology and Health Sciences.
- Quark Venture Stage: All stages.
- Notable Quark Venture Portfolio Companies: ARTMS, Cath Works, Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Eyevensys, Lyndra Therapeutics, Microbion Biosciences, PHEMI Systems, PhysIQ, Sitka Biopharma, SQZ Biotech, VWave
8. Renewal Funds
- Description: "Renewal Funds is a mission venture capital firm investing in early growth stage companies in Canada and the United States. We add value for entrepreneurs through capital, networks, and expertise. We deliver above market returns for our partners while catalyzing positive social and environmental change.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Organics and Environmental Technology.
- Renewal Funds Stage: Early-growth stage startups. On occasions, Renewal Funds invests at the seed and later stages as well.
- Notable Renewal Funds Portfolio Companies: Ian's Natural Foods, Miovision, Rustic Crust, Sensible Organics, SPUD
9. Vanedge Capital
- Description: "Vanedge Capital is a Vancouver-based early-stage venture capital fund. As operators, we’ve built and led world-class companies. We apply our experience and our network to help exceptional entrepreneurs scale their businesses.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Analytics, Computational Biology and Hard Tech.
- Vanedge Capital Stage: Early-stage startups.
- Notable Vanedge Capital Portfolio Companies: AVA, Bitfusion, Boundless Geo, Bridgit, Canalyst, Echodyne, Femtosense, Gojek, Plantiga, Plotly, RoosterBio, SpaceX, vArmour, xCures
10. Version One
- Description: "With investments in over 50 companies and ten years of experience we help you create remarkable, long-term impact.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: All tech or tech-enabled businesses.
- Version One Stage: Seed stage.
- Notable Version One Portfolio Companies: AngelList, Blockstack, Booster, Chefit, Coinbase, Clarity, Drover, Indiegogo, INDOCHINO, Mattermark, Memo, Pike13, Roost, Top Hat, Unbounce, Wattpad
11. Vistara Capital
- Description: "Tailored, flexible growth capital solutions for technology and technology-enabled service companies.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Enterprise Software, SaaS, Fintech, Security and Healthcare.
- Vistara Capital Stage: Growth stage startups.
- Notable Vistara Capital Portfolio Companies: Backstop Solutions, BitTitan, Blueprint, CoolIT Systems, FINCAD, Getaround, Guestlogix, InvestEdge, Kore.ai, Mobify, Syscon, You.i TV, Zafin
12. Yaletown Partners
- Description: "Yaletown invests in emerging-growth technology companies in Canada that enhance sustainability and productivity for industrial and enterprise customers.”
- Sectors / Markets of Focus: Intelligent Industry (Smart Grid, IoT, Energy, Sustainability, etc.) and Intelligent Enterprise (Cloud Computing, Subscription Business Models, Big Data, etc.)
- Yaletown Partners Stage: Emerging growth stage startups. On occasions, Yaletown Partners invests in early stage startups.
- Notable Yaletown Partners Portfolio Companies: Bit Stew, Charli AI, Cooledge Lighting, CTO.ai, Finn AI, Foodee, LoginRadius, Monexa, Mover, Thoughtexchange, ThoughtWire
Are you looking to build a great startup in Vancouver?
The Founder Institute is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. In the program, early-stage entrepreneurs and teams build their business alongside a critical support network of local startup experts that share equity in their success, and through a structured and challenging business-building process that has helped alumni raise over $1.85BN.
Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to raise funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more.
Learn more about the Founder Institute at FI.co, join a free startup event in Vancouver, or apply to build a startup today.
