TLDR:
- Band VC is a corporate venture as a service business in Canada
- Alberta’s tech sector is seeing positive growth and momentum
Geoff Kelsall interviews Mike Mannix from Band Venture Partners to discuss the investment thesis of the corporate venture as a service business. Band VC is unique in Canada as it runs corporate venture programs for companies looking to incorporate venture into their innovation strategies. The tech sector in Alberta is described as having an industrious culture with strong government support, leading to growth and diversification beyond the energy space.
Mannix emphasizes the importance of finding scalable problems and collaborative teams when investing in startups. Band VC aims to support founders in scaling their businesses and accelerating corporate innovation in the digital economy. The Alberta tech ecosystem is thriving with a growing number of qualified founders, capital flows, and successful anchor companies like Benevity.
The article concludes by highlighting Canada’s potential for entrepreneurship and innovation, calling for a more aggressive and risk-on approach to compete globally. Band Venture Partners advocates for corporate venture investments to capture value, drive innovation, and create sustainable businesses in the digital economy.
