Capital across the full funding continuum plays a defining role in shaping Canada’s economic future. The companies being funded today will be the economic drivers and global competitors of tomorrow.
In what many describe as the most uncertain period for venture capital in over a decade, investment decisions are being made with greater discipline and sharper conviction. But is there too much conservatism? Where capital flows today — and who has the capacity to deploy it — will shape Canada’s economic trajectory over the next decade and beyond. From AI to climate, health to logistics and transportation, investment in Canada’s innovation is critical for the long term success of our economy.
Join Canadian Club Toronto on April 14 for a forward-looking conversation on the trends reshaping Canada’s innovation economy. Our panel will examine where the strongest opportunities are emerging, challenges to the ecosystem, and why investment in the companies emerging in this cycle is critical for the nation-builders of the next generation.
The discussion will be moderated by Jeanne Lam, SVP Growth & Global Marketing, Propel Holdings and will feature insights from:
*For virtual attendees, please note that the live stream will begin at approximately 12:40 pm ET & the link will be provided closer to the event date*
Mona Minhas
Managing Partner, Venture Capital at BDC Thrive Venture Fund
Mona Minhas is a Managing Partner with the Thrive Venture Fund and Women in Tech Venture Fund at BDC. Thrive Venture Fund is a $300M Fund that invests in women-led technology companies that are solving some of the world’s biggest problems.
Mona is a former operator, and fractional CFO and COO. She has worked with several recognized venture-backed startups and founders, helping them to grow and scale their businesses and secure capital. Plus, she’s a Board Member of Women’s Equity Lab, a Canada-wide angel investment network of funds that supports investing in early-stage companies.
Mona is an advisor and mentor to several startups in the ecosystem. She is a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs and companies that are driving a meaningful impact.
John Rikhtegar
Vice President, Northleaf Capital Partners
John Rikhtegar recently joined Northleaf Capital Partners and was previously Director of Investments at RBCx, after having held various roles in corporate development, revenue operations, and go-to-market at select growth-stage technology companies in both Canada and the United Kingdom. While at RBCx, John was responsible for leading the direct and venture capital fund investment strategy, alongside producing RBCx’s data-driven thought leadership on the venture industry more broadly. John is a proud Ottawa native, HBA graduate from the Ivey Business School, and avid long-distance runner.
Ameet Shah
General Partner, Golden Ventures
Ameet is an experienced founder, operator and investor. He has 15 years of product development and sales experience, wearing many hats in both early-stage startups and large enterprises. As an investor, his core interest areas are in commerce, consumer, communities, and marketplaces.
Prior to joining Golden, Ameet spent some years in the Bay Area before returning to Toronto to co-found Five Mobile, a premier product design and development firm. When Zynga acquired the company, he became a GM, overseeing the operations in Toronto. Key responsibilities included managing the P&L of several live games, launching the mobile ad platform and kickstarting the machine learning initiatives for the company. Ameet also was one of the first employees at Tira Wireless, later becoming the Director of Systems Engineering and Strategic Accounts. He has also worked as a software engineer at both IBM and Grey Interactive. Ameet studied at the University of Toronto and graduated with a B.Sc Hons in Computer Science and Economics. He is an active mentor, advisor, and angel investor in his community.
Kathryn Wortsman
Founder & Managing Partner, Amplify Capital
Kathryn Wortsman is the Founder & Managing Partner of Amplify Capital. Founded in 2016, Amplify Capital is a Canadian based early-stage venture fund investing in transformational technology companies solving today’s biggest problems. Investing across North America, Amplify Capital manages 3 funds, $100M in assets and specializes in Climate and Health solutions. We leverage impact led diligence, deep sector expertise, and a founder-first approach to deliver superior returns.
Kathryn holds a number of board positions including Lucid, Carbon Upcycling and Future Fields. Kathryn is also an active current Board member of the Canadian Club Toronto.
Jeanne Lam
Senior Vice President of Growth & Global Marketing, Propel Holdings
Jeanne Lam leads teams through transformative growth, leaning on her extensive experience scaling businesses and navigating the complexities of venture-backed and publicly traded companies.
She is currently Senior Vice President of Growth and Global Marketing at Propel Holdings, a global financial technology company committed to credit inclusion through its AI-powered online lending platform.
Previously, Jeanne was President of Wattpad, a global storytelling platform and one of Canada’s largest consumer tech companies. Jeanne oversaw Wattpad’s P&L and remarkable revenue, user and operational growth, prior to and through its acquisition by Naver Corporation for $700 million.
Before Wattpad, Jeanne worked in pioneering U.S. tech companies in 3D printing, mobile payments, Yahoo!, as well as strategic consulting at Accenture.
Jeanne has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Economics from Cornell University. She serves on the boards of Women’s College Hospital, the Canadian Club Toronto, the Harvard Business School Club of Toronto, and the Cornell Club of Toronto, and is a founding member of the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR). Jeanne is a sought-after advisor and speaker on leadership.
