BDC Venture Capital’s Strategic Initiatives & Investments (SII) team has as its goal to play a leading role in stimulating the Canadian VC and innovation ecosystems. Its mandate is to build BDC's strategic initiatives and ecosystem-building activities in the Canadian venture capital industry in four key areas:
- Strategic investments - address current and future financing gaps, focusing presently on seed/early stage investing and acting as a bridge to angel financing;
- Entrepreneur and angel development - work with strategic partners to (i) enable entrepreneur mentoring to improve focus on commercialization and (ii) support angel groups to professionalize their industry;
- Global connectivity - help Canadian entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to develop global networks and connect with potential customers, strategic partners, investors, acquirers, etc. abroad; and
- Industry facilitation and visibility - act as a catalyst and thought leader within the Canadian venture capital industry.
The team is based in Montreal but operates on a pan-Canadian basis with BDC teams and strategic partners across the country.
Portfolio
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Senia Rapisarda
Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Investments
Montréal
Phone: (514) 496-2438
Contact by email |
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Senia Rapisarda joined BDC in 2010 as Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Investments.
In this role, Ms. Rapisarda leads BDC’s efforts to develop a healthy VC ecosystem in Canada through several key strategic initiatives and investments.
Ms. Rapisarda has over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications and technology sectors, including roles as senior advisor at NUR Energie, a London-based investment fund specialized in renewable energy; and Managing Director of the Technology Private Equity Team at Nomura International, managing over $300 million of investments in 42 companies across Europe, Israel and the U.S.
She is the founder of the Coller Institute at the London Business School – the first in Europe to provide a forum for the exchange of views and analysis of trends and policy issues in venture capital and private equity.
Ms. Rapisarda has a law degree from LUISS University in Rome, a Master’s in Law and Economics from Columbia University in New York, and is a Fulbright Scholar. |
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Dominique Bélanger
Director, Strategic Initiatives and Investments
Montréal
Phone: 514 496-1137
Contact by email |
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Dominique Bélanger is Director, Venture Capital Strategic Initiatives and Investments. Before joining BDC in 2010, Mr. Bélanger was co-founder & President of Gamerizon Studio, Inc. Before that he was Chief Financial Officer of the venture-backed Quazal Technologies, Inc. He also advised various technology companies and private investors on investments, financing, startups and restarts. Mr. Bélanger began his professional career as a communications officer for the Canadian Armed Forces in 1994. He went on to carry out several IT Strategy operationalization mandates across multiple industries for Deloitte Consulting in Houston, Texas. In 2003, Mr.Bélanger joined the VC firm Innovatech Montreal as Investment Manager, IT & Telecom. Following the privatization of Innovatech’s portfolio by the Quebec government, he joined the multiple capital team to manage the portfolio for Coller Capital.
Mr. Bélanger holds an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada as well as an MBA from the Université de Montréal business school, HEC Montréal. |
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Michael Mahon
Director, Strategic Initiatives & Investments
Montréal
Phone: 514 496-2311
Contact by email |
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Michael Mahon is Director, Venture Capital Strategic Initiatives and Investments. He joined BDC in 2002 and has held a variety of operational and corporate roles, joining the Venture Capital team in 2011. Mr. Mahon began his professional career as a communications officer in the Canadian Forces. After joining BDC in the Financing and Consulting group, he was appointed Director Corporate Planning and Strategic Initiatives, and subsequently Director, Corporate Development. In this latter role, he worked with BDC’s leadership team in diverse areas, including private equity, risk capital and venture capital, innovation and commercialization, industry specialization, enterprise risk management and knowledge management. He most recently was involved in the Canadian Venture Capital review conducted by BDC in 2010, and worked extensively with the venture capital team in developing its approach and action plan to support the Canadian venture capital ecosystem.
He is on the Board of GrowLab Ventures Inc. and is a member of NACO’s Angel Education Program Committee.
Mr. Mahon holds an undergraduate degree in computer engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and a Master’s of Business Administration from Queen’s University. |
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