When we launched Build Ventures in 2013, it was with a lot of hope and a little bit of trepidation. No one had run a private early-stage venture capital firm in Atlantic Canada before. Success was hardly guaranteed. But like many others in the East Coast startup community, we believed in the abilities of the entrepreneurs in this region. With the first Build fund, we invested in 14 companies including Affinio, Introhive, Dash Hudson, Manifold and other great companies led by experienced and ambitious professionals. A unique ecosystem has emerged here on the East Coast. It is more collaborative and…

The Kauffman Fellows is a two-year program that brings together the most innovative minds in venture capital. So, imagine how thrilled I was to find out I was one of two Canadians selected to its Class 24 cohort. It’s like a school for VCs, a well-respected Silicon Valley program aimed at accelerating success through peer learning and mentoring by other venture capitalists and thought leaders. It’s also a massive networking opportunity with a powerhouse group of people involved in venture capital. I will be working alongside VCs from 21 countries in Class 24, including my fellow Canadian Janet Bannister of…

Atlantic Canada is wonderful place to launch a startup. It has a supportive and collaborative startup community, great accelerators and strong universities. But it doesn’t have a lot of customers, partners, or investors when compared to other more mature ecosystems. You can start a successful business here, but you will never reach scale within the region. That’s just a simple fact. The reality is that you must get on a plane and travel to larger places if you want to build your business. Our little region has a population of less than 2.5 million people. Individually each province is about…