Meet Your Next Investor: Funding The Founder Journey

Access to capital remains one of the most critical and complex challenges founders face as they build and scale their companies. From early non-dilutive funding through seed and pre-seed rounds to later-stage growth capital, each stage presents distinct expectations, risks, and decision points for founders.

This VEF event brings together investors, founders, and ecosystem partners for a candid, practical conversation about navigating the funding landscape in today’s market, and is a ‘must attend’ if you plan to raise in the next 12 months. 

Through three focused investor panels, attendees will put investors into the hot-seat, gain insight into how different types of capital work, capture an insider look at what investors are seeking at each stage, and deepen their knowledge of how founders can prepare for and choose the right funding pathways for their businesses.

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Agenda:

5:00 – 6:00 PM: OPEN NETWORKING

Connect with founders, investors, fund managers, public sector leaders, and innovation ecosystem partners from across the region. Light refreshments provided.

6:00 – 6:15 PM: INTRO & WELCOME REMARKS
• Welcome and event overview
• Community announcements

Moderator: Michelle Sklar, Head of Marketing & Communications at Innovation UBC & Board Chair at VEF

6:15 – 6:45 PM: INVESTOR PANEL 1 – NON-DILUTIVE FUNDING

This panel explores non-dilutive funding options available to founders, including grants, government programs, and alternative financing mechanisms. Speakers will discuss eligibility, application strategies, timelines, and how non-dilutive capital can support early traction without sacrificing equity.

Speakers include:

• Cynthia Shippam-Brett, from NRC-IRAP

• Marcelo Mora, Senior Advisor, Mitacs

• Pat Brady, Executive Director, Industry Programs, Genome BC

• Omar Mawji, Portfolio Manager, NorthX

• Alexander Adams, Senior Manager, Client Delivery, Boast

• Moderated by: Camellia Ho, CPA, CA Ho, Assurance Partner, Smythe LLP

   

6:45 – 7:15 PM: INVESTOR PANEL 2 – SEED AND PRE-SEED FUNDING

This panel focuses on early equity funding, including angel investment, seed funds, and pre-seed rounds. Discussion will cover what investors expect at this stage, how founders should think about valuation and dilution, and common mistakes to avoid when raising early capital.

Speakers include:

• Stephen Nairne, Chief Investment Officer, Raven Indigenous Capital

• Aaron Stuart, COO at WUTIF Capital & CEO at VANTEC

• Melaniia Volkodav, Investor, Panache Ventures

• Ash Gozli, BC Director of Investment, Front Row Ventures

• Keith Ippel, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Spring

• Moderated by: Kookai Chaimahawong, Executive Director, UBC Sauder School of Business, CCBC

   

7:15 – 7:45 PM: INVESTOR PANEL 3 – LATER-STAGE AND GROWTH CAPITAL

This panel examines later-stage funding pathways, including Series A and beyond. Speakers will share insight into scaling expectations, governance considerations, investor-founder alignment, and how growth capital decisions shape long-term outcomes.

Speakers include:

• Paras Sharma, Principal, InBC Investment Corp.

• Michelle Ng, Associate, Vanedge Capital

• Thomas Green, Principal, Thrive Venture Fund, BDC Capital

• Jay Crone, Managing Director, Deloitte Ventures

• Hans Knapp, General Partner & Co-Founder, Yaletown Ventures

• Moderated by: Vivian Wang, Board of Directors, VEF

   

7:45 – 8:00 PM: CLOSING REMARKS & NETWORKING
• Key takeaways
• Final remarks
• Informal networking

Who Should Attend
• Startup founders and co-founders
• Angel investors, VCs, and fund managers
• Government and economic development leaders
• Accelerator and incubator teams
• Corporate innovation professionals
• Researchers, faculty, and innovation staff from post-secondary institutions

Join us for an honest, practical look at how founders can navigate funding decisions at every stage of growth.

AND for a limited time if you sign up as a VEF member, you will get two tickets to this event, and all of our events through June 2026. Register today: https://www.showpass.com/m/individual-membership/