Meet the Experts and Champions Powering Founder Lab Cohort 5
Why This Cohort Hits Different:
Founder Lab is built for one thing: readiness. Every session in this cohort is led by people who have raised, deployed, or advised real capital. They teach the strategy behind the story, the numbers behind the narrative, and the steps that move a round from idea to closed. The result is clarity you can act on.
The Experts Who Delivered Readiness
From capital strategy to governance to human capital, these leaders gave founders clarity, tools, and just enough tough love to move forward with conviction:
Danielle Smith, National Bank of Canada: Director, Tech and Innovation Banking. Danielle is a connector across tech, finance, and venture who helps founders access strategic financing and non‑dilutive capital. She helps founders understand “who’s who in the zoo” of Canada’s capital landscape — and how to navigate it with confidence.
Paul Natland, VERBED:The strategist behind pitch narratives that have helped unlock billions. Paul shows founders how to build decks that close.
Jason Thompson: Thirty years in media and storytelling. Jason sharpens founder stories until they land with investors.
Justin Dunnion, GreenSky Ventures: A VC who speaks fluent venture math. Justin translates valuations and fundraising mechanics into plain language.
Rachel Bodor, The51: Senior Analyst at The51. Rachel gives a candid view of how investors think, so founders can see the other side of the table.
Amit Jethani, Mantle: Co‑founder building an AI‑powered platform to help founders manage equity with confidence.
Nushrah Amod, Torys: Associate lawyer passionate about governance strategies that support women entrepreneurs. She prepares founders to structure for scale and credibility.
Danick Genest & Nadia McKinney, Logan Katz: CPAs who turn financial jargon into a founder‑friendly roadmap. They show what investor‑ready books look like.
Craig D’Cruze, Inverted Group of Companies: Venture investor and operator. Craig walks founders through cap tables and terms like a coach.
Laura Webb, Osler: Partner on the Venture Fund team. Laura demystifies legal language so term sheets feel manageable.
Kate Grant, Fasken: Business Associate and angel investor. Kate advises founders on scaling, governance, and Canada’s innovation landscape. In her session, she shows founders how to negotiate effectively and answer tough investor questions like a boss.
The Champions in Residence
Champions in Residence are the glue that holds it all together. They rolled up their sleeves, leaned in, and gave founders the kind of honest, one-on-one coaching that can’t be found in any playbook. Their mentorship bridged the gap between theory and reality—and the cohort noticed.
While our experts led the sessions, our Champions in Residence were the glue. They rolled up their sleeves, gave honest feedback, and helped founders turn insight into action. Think of them as the bridge between the classroom and the boardroom:
Allison Swelin
Builder of high‑performing teams. Led growth at Garmin Health to $25M in under three years.Amanda Vogeli
Business lawyer focused on financings, M&A, and the contracts that move deals from term sheet to close.Christine Whiteside
Operator across startups and Amazon. Blends strategy and operations to drive results.Dragana Kelly
Creative and marketing leader with two decades across tech, retail, and brand.Emily Dalphy
Operator who builds the systems and clarity needed to scale from single‑ to double‑digit ARR.Gabrielle Kolotinsky
VC and growth equity investor with experience across cleantech and B2B SaaS.Greg Brown
Customer behaviour specialist who grows lifetime value through data‑driven insights.Jessica Ma
Finance and analytics leader. Builds budgets, models, and pricing strategies for sustainable growth.Karen O’Leary
Grant and SR&ED strategist. Guides ventures to non‑dilutive capital.Kelly Fitzsimmons
Strategy consultant across innovation, brand, and product. Former Team Canada athlete.Kenya Rasmussen
Energy strategy leader at Accenture. Expert in problem definition and compelling storytelling.Kristen McGill
Fractional COO and executive coach. Helped scale ZayZoon from 8 to 200 employees and through $70M+ raised.Laura Sinclair
Strategic mentor and founder of This Mother Means Business. Focus on offer clarity and scalable systems.Lesley Parrott
Advisor and systems thinker. Turns big ideas into clear OKRs and momentum.Lisa Helfrick
Executive coach focused on clarity in leadership.Marcelo Ceron
Brand strategist and founder of MISSING LINK. Blends strategy and design rigour to unlock momentum.Meghan Vallance
Retail strategist and fractional exec. Builds repeatable GTM and strong customer connections.Mert Yucesoy
Investor and advisor. Works with Seed and Series A founders on fundraising, finance, and corporate development.Naomi Blackman
Co‑founder of alder apparel. Scaled to national retail and raised $3M, including from The51.Simona Fernandes
VC analyst at Plug and Play focused on agri‑food tech. Brings investment rigour to early‑stage founders.
Their mentorship ensured founders didn’t just leave inspired — they left ready.
What Founders Gain:
Over nine weeks, founders move from scattered to strategic. Expect a clear capital plan, a fundable deck and data room, practical governance, and warm investor introductions. You will also join a national peer community that keeps you accountable and moving. This is readiness you can measure.
Ready To Raise On Your Terms:
If you are preparing for a pre‑seed or seed round, the next Founder Lab cohort is built for you.
Who should apply
• Woman founder or co‑founder with decision‑making power
• Incorporated Canadian venture
• Pre‑seed or seed stage, typically raising up to about $2M
• High growth potential and ready to commit
