Brightspark Ventures

Brightspark Ventures is a Canadian venture capital firm that puts money into early-stage technology companies. It grew out of a software business co-founded by Mark Skapinker, whose team created the WinFax program, and it has been investing since the early days of the internet.

What Brightspark Ventures does

• Early-stage investing: backs Canadian technology companies, mainly at pre-Series A and Series A.
• Investment vehicles for individuals: makes its deals available to accredited investors through special purpose vehicles.
• Secondaries programme: a transaction programme for existing holdings.
• Opportunities funds: a first fund with twelve portfolio companies, and a second fund planned for a diversified set of early-stage Canadian companies.
• Incubation history: Brightspark Labs earlier gave startups funding, mentoring, training and office space.

Clients

Early-stage Canadian founders on one side, and accredited investors who want access to venture capital on the other. The firm says its community of investors numbers about 5,000.

Key facts

• Focus: early-stage Canadian technology
• Investor base: accredited investors
• Exits noted: Radian6, Protecode and Borderfree, among others