It takes a robust tech ecosystem for founders to thrive.
For Real, it starts with the desire to contribute to an ecosystem in a way that can benefit others as much as we benefit ourselves. It’s this collaborative mindset that inspires us to launch initiatives that lay, or build upon, the foundations of rapidly growing tech hubs in Canada, and wherever else we may go.
After launching in 2007 as a geographically-focused seed investor, Real saw firsthand that the earlier we invested, the more portfolio founders benefited from proximity to our team. While we have expanded the stage and location of our investments, that belief in the benefit of proximity hasn’t changed and it forms the basis of our Orbit investment strategy: launched in 2017, initially in the Province of Quebec, and backed by long-term ecosystem development partners, la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), le fonds de solidarité FTQ (FSTQ), Desjardins capital de risque and Québec’s government via Investissement Québec, OrbitMTL provides capital and stage-appropriate support to Quebec-based early stage companies.
FounderFuel was launched in 2011 and is Canada’s leading accelerator program. We created FounderFuel because we recognized that bringing entrepreneurs, mentors, investors and industry experts together wouldn’t just accelerate our startups, but would also increase the connectivity of tech ecosystems within Montreal, Canada and North America – to everyone’s benefit.
Rep Matters is where Black founders come for inspiration, connection, and support.
We believe in the untapped potential of Black communities and the individuals within them and serve as a bridge into the tech and venture capital ecosystems.
Our mission is to inspire Black founders and nurture the communities in which they thrive.
Notman House played a defining role in shaping Montreal’s tech ecosystem. Before it opened, the city’s startup energy was spread across countless meetups and initiatives without a shared home. In 2010 Real co-founded the OSMO Foundation and helped bring to life a 30,000 sq ft campus where entrepreneurs, community builders, and organizations could gather, collaborate, and grow.
Notman House closed in 2024, and while the physical space is no longer in operation, its impact continues to live on. The relationships, companies, and community initiatives that took root there remain part of the foundation of Montreal’s startup ecosystem, and Real Ventures is proud to have helped build and nurture a place that shaped a generation of founders.
