Fundraising Fox

Lance Laking

Investor

Managing Director at MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund · Partner Emeritus at Graphite Ventures

Ottawa

About

Lance Laking is Managing Director and General Partner at Graphite Ventures, a Canadian seed fund with $120M in Fund IV that invests $500K to $1.5M in early-stage B2B technology companies. He advises founders on go-to-market strategy, corporate finance, deal structure, and growth planning across Canada's major tech hubs. His background spans venture capital, corporate finance, and areas including contract negotiation, equity structuring, and working capital solutions.

LinkedIn ↗X / Twitter ↗Website ↗

Experience

  1. Graphite VenturesManaging Director and General Partnercurrent2022 — presentOttawa, Ontario, Canada
  2. StandUp VenturesAdvisor and Limited Partnercurrent2019 — presentToronto / Ottawa, Canada
  3. SAAS NORTH ConferenceSteering Committee Membercurrent2016 — presentGreater Ottawa Metropolitan Area
  4. Expertfile (www.expertfile.com)Board Directorcurrent2011 — presentToronto
  5. SingleTrack Performance Management Inc.Presidentcurrent2008 — present
  6. MaRS Investment Accelerator FundManaging Director2020 — 2021Ontario, Canada
  7. MaRS Investment Accelerator FundSr. Investment Director2009 — 2019
  8. MaRS Discovery DistrictVenture Group Advisor2008 — 2020
  9. Lixar ITDirector and Senior Advisor2005 — 2018
  10. TRM Technologies Inc.Executive Director & Chief Strategy Officer2009 — 2016
  11. Viscore Technologies Inc.Director and Senior Advisor2008 — 2014Greater Ottawa Metropolitan Area
  12. Granite Networks Inc.Director, Chairman2012 — 2013Greater Ottawa Metropolitan Area
  13. The Ottawa NetworkDirector2005 — 2010
  14. BTI SystemsCEO2001 — 2008
  15. Huber+SuhnerManaging Director, Huber+Suhner Canada Ltd.1995 — 2001
  16. Dynasty Components Inc.Co-Founder, VP Finance and Operations1987 — 1995

Education

  1. Chartered Professional Accountants of CanadaChartered Professional Accountant (CPA)1986
  2. University of WaterlooBA, Accountancy1981 — 1985

Skills & more

Venture Capital40Go-to-market Strategy28Private Equity4Contract Negotiation8Business Alignment1Dashboard1Start-ups43OEMs1Business Strategy71Entrepreneurship7Product Management8Business Development37
+10 moreStrategic PartnershipsCorporate DevelopmentTelecommunicationsCloud ComputingConsultingRisk ManagementStrategic PlanningStrategyManagementLeadership

From Lance's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended University of Waterloo206

Chamath PalihapitiyaFounder & CEO of Social CapitalKarim GillaniGeneral Partner at Luge CapitalRohan MongaInvestment Associate at Luge CapitalAndrew MiklasGeneral Partner at Y CombinatorAniTalent Team at Hummingbird VenturesAlex KolicichInvestment Team at 8VC

+ 200 more

Shared employers

Also worked at SAAS NORTH Conference1

Pat WhiteSenior Advisor at Alacrity Canada

Also worked at Expertfile (www.expertfile.com)1

Randall HowardGeneral Partner at Cognition Fund

Also worked at MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund10

Matthew LeibowitzCo-Founder & Managing General Partner at Plaza VenturesMichelle McBaneManaging Director at Stand Up VenturesCraig LeonardGeneral Partner at Graphite VenturesKevin MadillPartner at Graphite VenturesMackenzie PukliczAssociate at Graphite VenturesIngrid GaholManager, Reporting & Administration at Graphite Ventures

+ 4 more

Also worked at BTI Systems4

Fahim SheikhCEO & Co-founder at Mudita VentureKrishna V.CPO & Co-founder at Mudita VentureDenis LeClairVP Engineering & Co-founder at Mudita VentureEugene SiklosPresident at Thomvest Ventures

Colleagues at MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund

Will Ma
Partner at MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund