Failup Ventures

In the past 15 years, Canada’s innovation ecosystem has taken off. Startups, accelerators, incubators, investors, and forward-thinking policies have created a true hotbed of entrepreneurship. Bold ideas are flourishing, transformative ventures are thriving, and Canadian technology is reshaping industries, driving growth at home and societal impact worldwide. We could look back and self-applause our progress, but let’s be radically transparent: major challenges remain and there is still a lot left to be done. A majority of our technology companies are not achieving the global scale they legitimately could attain. They do not achieve their full potential; frequently selling prematurely instead of being the market consolidator and building for the long term. ​ A central cause of this problem is the lack of early-stage venture leadership and risk-taking at the true “inflection point” - when startups have early revenue, signs of product-market fit, and are ready to scale. Canada has no shortage of funds willing to follow on, but far too few are prepared to lead Seed and Series A rounds: to structure financings, set valuations, negotiate terms, and define the conditions for success. The “Death Valley” is real. Canadian venture capital lacks leadership, and needs to contribute more expertise. The “Death Valley” is the critical scaling stage that most companies fail to overcome. It happens as a company attempts to bridge the gap between early commercial success and achieving significant revenue scale. In 2024, roughly six in ten Canadian seed rounds included foreign investors, a dynamic that intensifies by Series A and beyond. Half of that was led by US Too often, the most promising Canadian startups saw their early rounds led by U.S. VCs. While we welcome foreign investors, global connections strengthen our ecosystem, Canada simply lacks enough lead investors to keep ownership at home. For early-stage and scale-up companies, the shortage of funding alternatives is a major barrier. Many of our best founders head south in search of stronger capital partners. The gap is readily filled by international investors, and who can blame them? Canadian founders are known to outperform and to be more capital efficient than their U.S. peers. The best founders will always attract global capital and seek out the strongest partners. But this comes at a cost. Every time leadership is ceded abroad, Canada loses ownership of its most successful businesses. An ecosystem of “follower investors” produces an economy of subsidiaries, when what we need are global leaders. The problem is twofold: not enough Canadian capital to lead at the inflection point, and not enough seasoned expertise to scale our champions. If you believe, as we do, that local technology champions will be the cornerstone of our future economic prosperity, then our ecosystem must level up. We need more early-stage capital that doesn’t just follow, but leads. Equity financing must evolve to deliver not only dollars, but expertise, resources, and technology to nurture local champions. Understandably so, when they lead funding rounds, most Canadian VC firms will either focus on the pre-seed stage, where the power-law is magnified and placing many small bets is more important than bringing expertise, or the growth stages (Series B+) where significant risk is already behind and larger checks drive the outcomes. A paradigm shift is required. New organizations must emerge that add real value and aren’t afraid to take the lead at the Seed stage. This is why we are launching Amiral Ventures. Amiral Ventures is a new venture capital firm on a mission to empower Canada’s most ambitious founders with dynamic capital and scaling expertise, building the next generation of technology flagships with lasting societal impact. Vaisseau Amiral (French for Flagship): A ship or building that is recognized for its size and strength, making it the pride of a fleet or an organization As entrepreneurs ourselves, we have utmost respect for the founder journey. We don’t just invest, we aim to deserve the right to partner with them along the way. Amiral creates the ecosystem where visionary founders thrive, with capital, expertise, global networks, and technology to fuel their growth. We’ve built scale-ups, felt the entrepreneurial highs and lows, and now channel that experience into backing the founders solving the world’s toughest problems. Prosperity Decoded Backing Canadian founders at seed to series-a to drive enterprise productivity, sustainability & resilience The challenges we face, low productivity, climate urgency, and fragile infrastructure, are systemic. But they also represent one of the greatest investment junctures of our time. New enterprise technologies, powered by AI and software, can equip leaders with transformative, mission-critical solutions. Productivity. Canada’s productivity gap is real—our workers produce only ~70% of what their U.S. peers achieve. The answer isn’t more talk, it’s action: applied AI, automation, robotics, and digital platforms. We back Canadian founders building these solutions at home and scaling them worldwide. Sustainability. Profitability and environmental impact can no longer be at odds. The transition to renewables and the optimization of energy use are urgent. Software and AI will be the linchpins of this shift, from clean energy production to efficient consumption. Resilience. Supply chains, industries, and critical infrastructure are under strain. Building resilience means more autonomy, security, and sovereignty, enabled by smart industry, robotics, digital twins, cybersecurity and intelligent manufacturing. More than just capital. Founders-led and founders-backed. Amiral Ventures will focus on leading early-stage rounds between theSeed and Series A and will actively support companies to achieve a strong global position. Capital is a commodity, expertise is not. An integral part of our investment thesis is having a dedicated impact team that will create value post-investment. Our initial focus is helping portfolio companies expand globally and seize international opportunities to scale. Over time, Amiral’s impact team will operate like a service organization, combining internal expertise, external networks, and proprietary technology to empower founders. Our goal is clear: every dollar invested by Amiral should deliver a measurable impact on a founder’s trajectory. Beyond the Amiral team’s expertise, we are surrounding ourselves by an unprecedented group of investors who are themselves founders, CEOs, CTOs, CROs, and not only share our vision but are eager to roll up their sleeves to help our flagship companies. ​Building an enduring franchise We are proudly Québécois but our market is much wider. We believe that for Québec & Canada to succeed, we must expand beyond our borders just like the Admiral butterfly. Papillon Amiral (French for Admiral Butterfly): Emblem of Québec, it is known for its rapid flight, its impressive migration, resilience and its noble appearance. Building a dynamic, resilient, and cleaner economy means securing local ownership while scaling globally. Amiral is an investment firm with an entrepreneurial mindset, built to create value for the next generation of innovators. We stand on the shoulders of the Canadian venture pioneers who came before us. History will mark the early 2020s as an inflection point. Technologies once magical are now everyday tools. The means to create prosperity are in our hands. But good is no longer good enough. High-paying jobs, economic development, and new technologies are necessary but we must also increase Canadian ownership in our champion companies, deploy smarter capital, and elevate our ecosystem. The “Death Valley” for Canadian startups must be crossed. Ambitious founders are ready to take flight on the global stage. Let’s build the next generation of Canadian flagships.

Japan, which once dominated the world with its capital and technological prowess, has gradually begun to lag behind the rest of the world without realizing it. And the old structure and systems are causing further delays and widening the gap with the rest of the world. Our mission at One Capital is to update Japanese companies and managers so that Japan will not be left behind by the world and the times. Investing in the future of work By leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI and cloud computing, we aim to enhance the productivity of business professionals and transform the business structure of Japan. With technology at the core, we are exploring new possibilities in work styles and aim to establish Japan as a leader in the digital era, showcasing this to the world. Furthermore, One Capital itself is overturning traditional working methods, utilizing technology to realize a work style that prioritizes flexibility and efficiency. Accelerate InnovationSTRATEGIC INSIGHTS. Accelerate innovation through bold strategic insights that defy common sense, the past, and convention. CONNECTED PARTNERSHIP. Accelerate innovation by ensuring that entrepreneurs, business professionals, and internal teams are deeply connected at all times. DATA DRIVEN APPROACH. Accelerate innovation by using data to show/measure objectives, plans, progress, and challenges.

At Exhort Ventures, we believe that the foundation of groundbreaking innovation lies in the hands of extraordinary people. Our focus is on identifying and empowering relentless founders - those with the vision, expertise, and tenacity to build and execute on their promises. Our mission is to be the catalyst for early-stage success, leveraging our extensive community and experienced networks to connect founders with the resources they need. Our promise is to back only companies in which we truly believe, and we are committed to doing everything within our power to support them – during both the good times and the bad. Our Approach Deal Flow Generation: We engage with an extensive network of established investors from leading venture capital firms, with whom we have built trust and relationships over the years. Venture firms partner with us to provide the additional capital required to close a funding round, understanding that while we may contribute a smaller cheque, we offer an extensive network that founders can tap into. We also engage with startups at their earliest stages, helping them find strategic investors when they reach the right scale. Lastly, we offer a share of the deal-specific profits (carry) to those who facilitate introductions to founders. Strategic Co-Investments: We do not lead investment rounds; instead, we invest alongside top-tier VCs that have a strong track record and with whom we identify strong alignments. The nimble structure of our syndicate allows us to make decisions more quickly, bypassing institutional red tape. This approach helps founders close deals quickly, enabling them to focus on building their businesses. Community at the Core: Our long-term vision is to foster a community of LPs who are as invested in the success of our startups as we are. We are building a community of LPs comprising CEOs of established companies, founders, industry operators, lawyers, and seasoned investors. The cumulative insights and reach of our community unlock tremendous value for founders who want us on their cap table, not just as a provider of capital. Sector-Agnostic: We are not bound by investment constraints, which allows us to identify and capitalise on the best opportunities across all sectors. However, we prefer to invest in software and in non-capital intensive businesses where technology is at their core. Therefore, we tend to avoid areas like BioTech, MedTech and ClimateTech with large hardware components. Secular Themes We Favour Each theme below represents not only a significant market opportunity but also mirrors broader societal and technological trends, which we expect to persist and evolve over the next decade. Cloud-Native Software Disruption: The shift towards cloud-native software is disrupting incumbents entrenched in outdated legacy tech stacks. New ventures are demonstrating superior scalability and efficiency at exceptionally low costs, delivering value to customers. We view the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence applications as complementary to software companies rather than disruptive. Generative AI Integration into Human Workforces: We are at the infancy of the development of generative AI, but its integration into human workforces is set to redefine productivity, creativity, and efficiency. By automating routine tasks and improving decision-making, generative AI can augment human skills and significantly boost productivity. There are numerous ventures in this space, and it is essential to navigate carefully, as the lasting impact of these innovations over the next decade is still to be determined. Digitalisation of Payments: With economies becoming more digital, the demand for secure, efficient, and adaptable payment solutions is soaring. This trend is especially relevant in emerging markets transitioning from cash to digital and in developed economies focusing on digital efficiency. The evolution of fintech, along with the adoption of blockchain and other technologies, promises to further revolutionise how transactions are conducted. HealthTech and Aging Demographics: Advancements in medicine have considerably extended average lifespans, leading to an aging population. This demographic shift presents unique challenges and opportunities. While we don't invest in Medtech (or medical hardware), we favor HealthTech solutions that aim to address critical aging-related issues, such as remote patient monitoring and personalised medicine. By leveraging AI and other technologies to deliver health-related services, HealthTech can offer more proactive and predictive care models, thereby reducing healthcare costs and enhancing the quality of life. Evolving Cybersecurity Industry: Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field, with new threats and challenges emerging as technology advances. With the increasing digitisation of assets, the proliferation of connected devices, and the sophistication of threats, there will continue to be a growing need for advanced security solutions to protect our data and privacy. E-Commerce Solutions: The rise of e-commerce is reshaping consumer behavior, with a shift towards the convenience of online shopping. We are particularly interested in businesses that are changing consumer behavior and spending patterns. The ongoing evolution of e-commerce platforms, including the creator economy and integrations with social media, is creating new opportunities for brands to engage with consumers and enhance their experience. Our Investment Process Having a rigorous investment process can help filter through the noise, but it can also hinder your ability to identify non-obvious opportunities. We assess each deal on its own merit, acknowledging the following considerations: Founders: We invest in people – relentless, domain-expert leaders obsessed with solving real problems. We prefer founders that are deeply rooted into the problem they are solving and offer a unique perspective. Markets: We favour large and rapidly growing addressable markets. Though we also like niche, inefficient, and fragmented markets if they have much lesser competition and if we identify opportunities to expand into adjacent markets. Business Models: We favour capital-efficient businesses that leverage technology for rapid scaling. Our support extends to innovative business models, as well as proven models from other industries that can be effectively replicated across various geographies and verticals. We love enterprise solutions, embedded into workflows, that have short sales cycles and high contract values. Traction: We generally don't invest in ideas, we actively seek evidence of market validation. This means we look for clear indicators that the product not only solves a problem but also that it has garnered genuine customer enthusiasm and approval. Deal Terms: We play the long game, ensuring every term aligns with the potential for stellar returns. In early-stage deals, we focus on company ownership and pro-rata rights, which are the two single contributors to enhanced returns. When a company does really well, you want to own as much of it as you can. Why Now is the Time From a macroeconomic perspective, the era of cheap money is over... or at least for now. The balance between capital supply and demand has shifted back to investors, allowing us to benefit from lower valuations, less competitive deals and better terms. The following points are also structural tailwinds benefitting Australian investors. Aussie Ecosystem Boom: The Australian tech scene has exploded over the past decade, fuelled by record VC funding, government support, and a wave of experienced founders stemming from some Australia’s most successful startups – think of Canva, Airwallex, Safety Culture and many others. Global Solutions: The Australian market is small but is fertile ground for experimentation before going global. Global markets are now more interconnected than ever and we champion startups that think beyond borders, building products that can grow into enormous global markets. Undervalued Gems: Australian startups are often priced attractively compared to global peers, presenting a unique chance for higher return multiples. Early Mover Advantage: The Australian ecosystem is still young but at an inflection point, offering exponential return opportunities for early investors. The market is not as crowded and competitive, allowing you to handpick some of the highest quality deals.

Our passion is to help entrepreneurs grow, win and stay in the game to achieve their own dreams. FOUNDERS BACKING FOUNDERS Swift Ventures is the fund that we wish existed when we were starting out -- a low-ego, sincerely helpful firm led by former founders who get it. With decades of company-building experience, Swift provides relevant and practical “garage-to-IPO” building and scaling expertise. While our firm is new, our team has been having fun going for it together as co-founders since 2006. We have “in the trenches” experience at building companies through every stage including IPO and acquisitions. We know what it’s like to be on top of the world one day and dealing with an existential crisis the next. We have rung the bell and know that getting there can be absolutely brutal on our bodies and relationships. Our mission and passion are to help entrepreneurs grow, win and stay in the game to achieve their own dreams. We are guided by the belief that there is no higher calling than creating something of value to the world from scratch. But overcoming the haters, incumbents and the status quo isn’t for everyone. The name “Swift” comes from our shared experience that while there are many paths to build great companies – the best entrepreneurs have the ability to build, learn and iterate faster than others think is possible. INVESTMENT FOCUS We invest in AI and Automation companies with B2B business models. Typically, we are looking for companies that have an early compelling product with positive revenue and retention signals. More than any focus or pedigree we value Founders that are bold and that have a high Do:Say ratio (and expect the same of ourselves)

RockawayQ is the newest investment division of Rockaway Capital, focused on leveraging AI to transform established B2B companies into leaders. Our unique mix of company-building DNA and proactive approach has led to a decade of proven success in technology investments. We believe in partnering closely with our companies, guiding them to become global leaders through state-of-the-art technology innovation. We are more than just investors; we are partners and company builders committed to fostering value creation through direct involvement and technological expertise.

G Squared is a global venture capital fund manager that deploys a differentiated investment strategy to deliver access and exposure to some of the world’s most exciting growth-stage technology companies. We serve as a transitional capital provider to our portfolio companies and leverage structural inefficiency in an endeavor to methodically construct portfolios that offer elite access to value creation in private markets. Founded in 2011, G Squared is aligned to a fundamental shift: venture-backed companies are staying private longer and longer. As a result, those companies need both primary capital to fund their continuing growth and transitional capital to provide liquidity to early investors, current and former employees, and other shareholders. Positioned at the crux of this liquidity access challenge, G Squared invests in primaries and secondaries, and leads and structures employee tenders – partnering with portfolio companies throughout their lifecycles using a fundamentally different approach to traditional VC firms. We invest in companies that are tackling big problems, shaking up industries, and challenging the status quo. G Squared funds have invested in over 150 companies, including household names like Airbnb, Bombas, Bolt, Coursera, Instacart, Lyft, Spotify, Toast, and Turo, as well as companies which we believe to be the next generation of disruptors including airSlate, Anthropic, Brex, Fanatics, Lambda, Monzo, PandaDoc, Tipalti, and Wiz. G Squared is headquartered in Chicago and has offices in San Francisco, Zurich, and Miami.