VC Spotlight: Panache Ventures
In Canadian venture capital, few names hit as hard as Panache Ventures. The name itself means flair, confidence, boldness under fire, and that’s exactly how they operate. Founded in 2018 by a team of operator-investors, Panache Ventures built a coast-to-coast platform that backs founders before the headlines, before the hype, before the rest of the market wakes up. This isn’t passive capital, it’s conviction money.
Patrick Lor, Managing Partner (Calgary), co-founded iStockphoto (sold to Getty Images) and helped lead 500 Startups Canada. Mike Cegelski, Managing Partner (Montreal), built and exited iBwave, served as Chair of Anges Québec, and earned national recognition as an elite angel investor. Partner Prashant Matta (Toronto) brings experience from OMERS Ventures and Samsung, while Partner Geneviève Tanguay (Montreal) adds 25+ yrs in PE, VC, and governance as former CEO of Anges Québec. Partner Scott Loong, Principal Sarah Willson, and Principal Domenic Del Vecchio round out a team stacked with founder DNA and early-stage intuition.
Panache Ventures runs a sharp thesis: back visionary founders from 0→1, early and fast. The fund is sector-agnostic but future-focused: AI/ ML, SaaS, fintech, climate tech, healthtech, clean tech, blockchain. They write first checks from $250K–$1.5M, always asking one question: can this be huge? The answer determines the pace. They don’t take board seats. They don’t waste time. They invest with precision, across hubs in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary & Vancouver, true national coverage driving local access, speed, and deal flow advantage.
Over 100 portfolio companies later, the impact is undeniable. $3.3B+ in follow-on capital. Breakout names like Certn, CoLab, Clutch, Botpress, Tailscale, Dooly, Flinks, Lane, Yuhu, and Lexop. Acquisitions stacking from fintech to AI to proptech. Panache Ventures-backed founders have become anchors in Canada’s tech ecosystem, proving that early conviction compounds faster than capital alone.
The differentiator? Their follow-through. No board politics, just support that hits where it counts. Panache Ventures built a founder-first operating model: hands-on mentorship, fundraising bootcamps via Commonwealth Ventures, and rapid access to top-tier investors. Their track record in diversity is unmatched, backing underrepresented founders at nearly 2x the national average, and their influence runs deep in relaunching programs like FounderFuel & pioneering partnerships with First Nations capital.
Now, the flywheel’s spinning faster than ever. 370+ open roles across their portfolio: engineering, ops, analytics, GTM, and leadership. Startups like these don’t wait for talent; they chase it. Founders, pitch your moonshot. Operators, join a rocket in motion. Investors, connect and co-create what’s next.
Certn — https://certn.co/careers/
Botpress — https://botpress.com/careers
Clutch — https://www.clutch.ca/careers
Flinks — https://ca.indeed.com/cmp/Flinks
Tailscale — https://tailscale.com/careers/
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