Since her first entrepreneurial venture as a teenager, Janet has used her boundless energy and focus to build and shape companies. Part of the Real Ventures team since 2014, she has led investments in over a dozen companies and works actively to help them accelerate growth and create meaningful impact. Janet’s experience as a founder, and her work with industry leaders like Procter & Gamble, McKinsey & Co. and eBay, have given her great insight and practical knowledge, which she passes on to the teams she mentors. Given her background transforming eBay from a Collectibles to a Mainstream marketplace and launching and growing Kijiji into one of the most visited websites in Canada, Janet primarily works with entrepreneurs in marketplaces, fintech, future of work, and AI in enterprise settings. A dynamic, high energy person, Janet has also competed internationally in triathlons and loves spending time in nature and with her family.

John is an investor who daily resists the urge to get back to being an entrepreneur — but rather chooses to live vicariously through the founders in whom he invests. After having played leading roles in two successful startups in Asia Pacific, but being underwhelmed with the venture capital model, John transitioned from entrepreneur to investor, determined to give others a more rewarding experience. After a number of years angel investing, he cofounded Real Ventures in 2007, where he works with passionate entrepreneurs looking to use technology to pre-empt the status quo. He knows that the path to success is uphill and it doesn’t have many signposts, but that an enquiring mind, an ability to inspire, a strong compass and dogged determination can enable entrepreneurs to find success in places others didn’t know existed.

Alan has been building, operating and investing in businesses at the intersection of wireless and the internet since the 1990s. After cofounding a number of notable venture funds including GSM Capital and Acta Wireless, he joined with John and JS to cofound Real Ventures in 2007. A dedicated mentor, Alan sees himself as a demanding yet empathetic coach: helping on important issues, highlighting strategic opportunities, and looking for possibilities for his portfolio companies to exit. He works primarily with startups using emerging software technologies (mobile, digital media, deep learning, preventative healthcare), and is also interested in creating new markets with connected devices. A native of Scotland, Alan is a keen cyclist and lifelong skier, and is also committed to improving the quality of life in the community, through his work as President of the OSMO Foundation and as a board director of the McCord Museum, the Quartier de l’Innovation (QI) and the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada.

Sylvain Carle has spent the last two decades living and breathing emerging technologies. Though he didn’t study computer science, Sylvain has been tinkering with computers for years, and spent most of his career as a startup entrepreneur at the confluence of media, technology and networks. A self-proclaimed nerd, socialist and pragmatist, Sylvain believes in technology as a means to change the world, and loves investing in ideas and people to transform industries. Before joining Real Ventures in 2014, Sylvain was CTO and co-founder at Messagia, Interstructure, Praized and Needium, and also worked as Senior Developer Advocate at Twitter in San Francisco. As a Real Ventures pre-seed partner, Sylvain plays a key role in nurturing the local tech ecosystem, and also works closely with our portfolio companies.

JS is a hands-on investor and entrepreneur whose mission is to help creative and curious people to build great companies that have the potential to change the world. He primarily works with entrepreneurs who are using AI, blockchain technologies, AR/VR and synthetic biology to improve happiness, human creativity, and communication — and transform or disrupt the pillars of our society (health, education, food, energy, government, finance, work). His experience in all aspects of creating, building and growing tech companies has given him the confidence to follow his gut, and help passionate entrepreneurs realize their vision and find success in life and business. When he’s not working on reinventing the world, he’ll likely be found spending time with his five kids.

Driven and people-focused, Sarah joined the Real team as FounderFuel Program Manager in November 2018. Her past experience in the technology industry, both improving and building processes, and working in customer support and success, brings together a combination of organizational and interpersonal skills that are crucial for running a fast-paced venture accelerator. Sarah studied IT and operations management at HEC Montreal and sees herself as a jack-of-all-trades. When she’s not building processes and solving problems, Sarah loves to travel, knit, hike in the Adirondacks, eat pho soup and cuddle with her puppy.

Raphael is one of the three co-founders of Front Row Ventures, Canada’s first student-led venture capital fund. He joined the Real team in 2017 to build and grow the FRV fund across Canada. An entrepreneur since childhood, Raph went from owning a car garage to a window-cleaning business to a tech startup — all before he hit twenty. A software engineer and product geek who is passionate about creating outstanding technologies that enhance people's lives, Raph has also been involved in organizing tech-focused events including Startup Weekends, hackathons and other educational programs. Prior to FRV, Raph spent two years working as a Product Manager and developing Volume7, a digital product agency that partners with forward-thinking startups and companies. When he’s not working on building startups or the tech ecosystem, Raph can be found skiing, snowboarding or coding his newest product idea.

Laura's passion for technology bloomed during her undergraduate degree in Information Systems at McGill University. After graduating, she delved into technology market trends and business transformation at Forrester Research and was also able to apply those methodologies to build out quantitative competitive analyses for clients at a creative agency. Having grown up brainstorming products and services at the dinner table and having kept a close eye on the booming AI and startup ecosystem in Montreal, Laura is thrilled to connect with and learn from Montreal’s passionate entrepreneurs. When she’s not analyzing a market or meeting new people, she loves to be outdoors — hiking, biking, rollerblading — and to fly her Citabria.

Ricky joined the Real finance team in early 2019 after spending nearly three years working as a general ledger accountant at Luxury Retreats and through the startup’s acquisition by Airbnb. This experience opened his eyes to the new opportunities created by technology companies and drove him to learn more about the value creation they can bring to the market. Born and raised in Montreal, Ricky studied accounting at Concordia University and earned his CPA designation in 2017. He is excited to work at Real both because his role in finance is such an integral part of the firm, but also because working at Real and Notman House gives him front row seats to watch the high-calibre companies emerging from the burgeoning Montreal tech ecosystem. Ricky also loves watching and playing sports — hockey, football and baseball in particular. When he’s not working or playing, you’ll likely find him researching the next place he wants to travel to or experimenting with recipes.

Eloise is a native New Yorker who joined the Real team in 2018. In her current role of Operations Manager, she is leading a number of internal and external initiatives and has a no-nonsense attitude that enables her to deliver operational excellence in all she does. She moved to Montreal in 2013 to study Environmental Science and Urban Planning. Eloise is a polyglot who speaks English, French and Spanish fluently, Portuguese conversationally, and is learning Arabic. She is particularly interested in urban tech and Smart Cities, resource management tech, and creative collaboration and the arts, as well as international policy and globalization.

After nearly a decade in Silicon Valley, Sam joined the Real Ventures team with a great breadth of experience as a founder, strategizer and marketer. Having leaped into the startup world barely before he graduated from university, he joined the founding team at Chegg, a leading education technology company that went public in 2013. After Chegg, Sam led growth, marketing and sales teams at some of the top early-stage tech companies in the Valley. Combined, his startups have raised well over $200M from the world's best VCs. At Real, Sam works with founders on all aspects of their business from organizational development and product strategy to series A fundraising, growth and scale initiatives. After experiencing firsthand the extreme highs and lows of startup life, Sam has found that working with early-stage founders is his natural passion.

A passionate storyteller, communicator and connector, Lauren Jane thrives on adding value and making change in the world through her words and ideas. With a background that spans documentary film, journalism, copywriting, sponsorship and communications strategy, she brings a breadth of experience to Real Ventures that will help focus outreach initiatives and broaden our reach. She was catapulted into Montreal’s tech community in 2014 as the lead organizer for HackerNest, and has continued to play an important role in the ecosystem’s growth and visibility through her coverage of events and startup news for BetaKit. She is dedicated to building diversity in the tech community, and strongly believes in the democratization of new technologies.

Sid Kosaraju joined the Real team as an EIR in 2018 before transitioning to his current role of advisor and venture partner. Based in New York City, he gives Real access to the US market and the fast-growing New York entrepreneurial ecosystem. Sid focuses on sourcing/diligencing new investment opportunities, assisting Real’s existing portfolio companies and contributing to the firm’s growth strategy. He has extensive experience in technology-enabled transformation, having most recently spent over six years as Managing Director & Global Lead of Accenture’s Health Management Services business. This followed sixteen years of hands-on entrepreneurial experience. In addition to supporting PlanetRx through rapid growth, marquee venture capital financings and an IPO on the NASDAQ market, Sid was a co-founder of 24/7 Customer, a global BPO firm that attained profitability, 3,000 employees, VC financing from Sequoia Capital, and prominent mention in Thomas Friedman’s bestselling book, The World Is Flat. Sid has also advised and invested in growing healthcare technology firms including MedPlexus, Inc., which was acquired by GE Healthcare. When not at work, you can often find Sid spending time with his wife and three children or on the tennis court.

Kris is an incurable optimist who strongly believes in the potential for technology to improve our lives. A corporate lawyer by training, Kris practiced in the M&A group at Stikeman Elliott before joining Real in 2018 to work with Roula Zaarour (COO) on the firm’s operational activities. He is now working closely with JS Cournoyer and his portfolio companies as Partner Associate. Prior to this, Kris studied history and political science at McGill University, where he later attended law school. Kris is also a musician and songwriter who has co-written two albums and played in several bands. When not at the office, he’s likely using food as an excuse to connect with people or reading whatever he can get his hands on.

Mark is an engineer and entrepreneur who loves the creative, chaotic excitement of launching a new company. Growing up in the 1970s, he thought everything had already been invented — he even wrote to the patent office to ask what still needed to be created. With the advent of the Apple II, he jumped into his life as a creator, and decided to major in computer science with a focus on AI. After launching his career in the wireless industry, including roles in the founding teams at four startups, Mark co-founded Acta Wireless in 2004 with Alan MacIntosh, and was instrumental in Acta’s founding role in Montreal Startup and Real Ventures. Mark’s main interests today are blockchain technology, AI/ML, quantum computing, and the (imminent) return of analog. When he’s not encouraging founders to push harder, he’s helping them expand their teams so their companies can get to the next level.

As Real's Chief of Staff, Steph acts as a trusted partner to the Managing Partner and firm at large, ensuring alignment between our clients, customers, and internal teams. Steph joined Real in 2017 to work with Janet as a Partner Associate, where she managed pipeline and portfolio activities, operations, and talent. She is also Co-Chair of the VC Platform Community, a network of over 400 professionals from around the world who work in VC and are responsible for growing, and supporting their firm’s portfolio companies. With a background in Digital Media and HR strategy, she brings a combination of organizational effectiveness and communications to the firm. While completing her Masters Degree, she worked for a DMZ-backed startup and launched an MVP in 100 days. Steph is a former Team Canada, Team Ontario, and varsity volleyball player who also completed Level 8 piano under The Royal Conservatory of Music. She now balances her life through travel, sports and meditation.

Shudi joined Real in 2018 as Fund Analyst. His responsibilities include quantitative fund analysis, model development and data visualization. Excited to have the opportunity and flexibility to combine his passion for tech and finance, Shudi looks forward to making a significant impact on the firm by creating financial models and analyzing investment strategy. Prior to joining Real, Shudi worked for the National Bank of Canada as a global derivative analyst where he was responsible for quantitative model development and trading portfolio analysis. Outside the office, Shudi lives a spontaneous lifestyle and enjoys Italian food, BBQ, soccer and contemporary arts.

As the senior finance person at Real Ventures, Stephen plays a key role in the production of quarterly reports, tax reporting and the audit process. His fund-specific responsibilities include the production of investment valuation, quarterly fund valuation, financial statements production and investor reporting. Stephen believes that the energy you put into something corresponds with what you get out, and loves working in the high-speed atmosphere of Real Ventures, where he sees new challenges every day. Prior to joining Real Ventures in Montreal, Stephen worked for Jabre Capital in Switzerland and BlueCrest Capital in the UK where he was responsible for setting-up and managing the fund accounting and valuation functions for hedge funds and investment management companies. While Stephen’s work life is painstakingly well organized, he likes to select his vacation destinations the day before he leaves.

As Real’s first Director of Legal Affairs, Ziyi provides legal advice and support on investment transactions, fund formations, portfolio governance and all things legalese. Inspired by her passion for building communities and her desire to enable change, Ziyi was excited to join Real in the spring of 2018. She had previously interacted with the firm during her time at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, where she accompanied a number of companies through financings, restructurings and exits. A graduate of Université de Montréal law school, she also pursued a Master’s degree at Oxford. When not reviewing contracts, Ziyi enjoys sipping on soy lattes, volunteering with artistic non-profits and brushing up on obscure facts for the next pub quiz.

Isaac focuses on early-stage investments in Quebec-based companies as part of Real’s Orbit strategy. He is also part of the team behind FounderFuel, Real’s accelerator, and Front Row Ventures, Real’s student fund. Prior to joining Real, he held product leadership roles in a number of high growth startups and large tech companies in Montreal, Singapore and New York. Isaac is an active mentor, speaker, and organizer with a deep commitment to paying it forward. A husband and father of two, he thinks Montreal is the perfect place to build a world-class startup ecosystem while raising a family.

Steffie is an outgoing and easily approachable member of the Real Ventures team. She works on portfolio evaluation and day-to-day accounting, and also gives input into investment strategy. Steffie loves accounting because she is continuously exposed to new challenges, and the scope of her profession gives her access to numerous fields of expertise. She likes to keep up with industry news, and uses her interpersonal skills to develop strong relationships with the legion of passionate people in the startup community. To maintain balance with her high-minded and number-crunching work, she maintains a physically-active lifestyle.

Madison works closely with Janet Bannister and her portfolio companies as Partner Associate. Passionate about technology and its implications in reimagining existing business models, Madison is thrilled to support entrepreneurs in bringing their visions of the future to life. Madison joins Real from consulting, where she worked on technology and disruptive innovation, educating and developing strategies for organizations and helping them understand the impact of emerging technologies like blockchain and AI. Through her work on projects in the UK, Russia, Poland and the US, Madison developed a deep appreciation for technology, entrepreneurship, and impact of combining the two. When she's not focusing on her work with Real, Madison is likely to be learning computer programming, reading about history or economics, travelling in far off places, or eating something delicious.