Canadian venture capital firm Golden Ventures has recently secured $100 million for its fifth venture fund. General Partner Ameet Shah, alongside newly appointed Principal Nick Chen, operate under the leadership of Matt Golden. Since 2011, the firm has been cultivating start-ups in the tech sector, including AI, quantum, and blockchain ventures. According to Golden, the firm’s focus has somewhat shifted from its initial emphasis on mobile tech, towards sectors presenting notable growth and innovation.
Golden Ventures actively supports the burgeoning Canadian tech industry. Not only does the firm invest, it also aims to contribute to shaping collaborative success narratives within the sector. Besides an affinity for the Canadian tech field, Golden Ventures also ventures into other industries. The firm handles a wide range of investment types, from core venture funding to angel investment. Golden expects about 30 major deals in the fifth venture fund, demonstrating their commitment to diversifying their portfolio while nurturing start-up growth.
With a history spanning over 13 years, the firm has invested in more than 100 businesses. Their comprehensive approach includes financial investment, talent development, and facilitating valuable relationships with later-stage funds for portfolio companies. Past successes include the acquisition of online food service SkipTheDishes by Just Eat and a narrative platform’s purchase by Naver. They maintain hands-on involvement throughout the investment period, encouraging growth and innovation.
General Partner Shah highlights the company’s flexible investment approach, confirming, “We invest in everything from temporary tattoos to photonic-based quantum computing chips.” The firm aims to identify overlooked ventures, particularly those operating outside typical tech hubs. This effort exemplifies their resolve to foster innovation without geographical constraints and back companies striving to impact their industries, irrespective of how unconventional they may be.
While the fifth fund’s distribution remains indeterminate, the company continues to roll out resources from its fourth fund, raised in 2021. This fund is backed by a variety of institutional partners including BDC Capital, ECMC Group, Foundry, HarbourVest Partners and Deloitte Ventures. Golden Ventures keeps focusing on sectors with vast growth potential. The plan for the fifth fund’s distribution is currently in progress, yet there is an ongoing commitment to optimizing returns and investing in businesses primed to become industry leaders.
