Fundraising Fox
/People
Sign in

Lesley Esford

Investor

Executive Director at SFU VentureLabs

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Kauffman Fellow · Class 20

Find your path to Lesley

1,370 people in our graph share verified history with Lesley — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Alfred LamunlockedLesley: together at National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada (2006–2009)
×3Lesley: together at Kauffman Fellows Class 20
×8Lesley: together at Kauffman Fellows

About

Lesley Esford is Executive Director at SFU VentureLabs, bringing twenty years of experience in the life sciences sector. She has advised over one hundred entrepreneurs across drug development, medical devices, and diagnostics from concept through commercialization, and maintains extensive networks across the global life sciences and investment communities. Her expertise spans innovation strategy, stakeholder engagement, partnership development, and fundraising.

Experience

  1. SFU VentureLabsExecutive Directorcurrent2022 — presentVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  2. Kauffman FellowsFellow Class 20current2015 — present
  3. NZ Technologies TIPSOBoard Membercurrent2020 — presentVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  4. Durwell Equine NaturalsCo-Founder and CEOcurrent2020 — presentLangley, British Columbia, Canada
  5. Bio2Strategy LtdPrincipalcurrent2018 — presentVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  6. Nanomedicines Innovation NetworkExecutive Board Member, Co-Chair and Chair of the Audit and Finance committee2019 — 2024Vancouver, Canada Area
  7. Innovate BCBoard Member, Chair of the Audit and Finance committee2018 — 2024
  8. Simon Fraser UniversityMentor-in-Residence and Life Sciences Lead, Coast Capital Savings Venture Connection2019 — 2022British Columbia Canada
  9. Phoenix Molecular DesignsVice President Of Strategic Alliances2019 — 2021Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  10. LifeSciences BCPresident and CEO2017 — 2018Vancouver, Canada Area
  11. IndependentLife Science Consultant2015 — 2017Vancouver, Canada Area
  12. Accel-RxDirector of Programs2015Vancouver, Canada Area
  13. National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches CanadaIndustrial Technology Advisor2006 — 2015
  14. Consulate General of CanadaTrade Commissioner2012Greater Boston Area
  15. British Columbia Institute of TechnologyInstructor/Program Head1999 — 2006

Skills & more

Government5Research20Market Research4Analysis6Program Management2Competitive Intelligence4Technology Transfer28Business Strategy12Strategic Planning17Business Planning1Project Management5Lifesciences18
+8 moreScienceStart-upsData AnalysisCommercializationR&DEntrepreneurshipProduct DevelopmentStrategy

From Lesley's professional profile.

Colleagues at SFU VentureLabs

Alexis Santoso
Marketing Associate at SFU VentureLabs
Andrew Elphinstone
EIR at SFU VentureLabs
Bob Harper
EIR at SFU VentureLabs
Brigita Cecic
Marketing Coordinator at SFU VentureLabs
Bruce H. Clarke
EIR at SFU VentureLabs
Chris Buckman
EIR at SFU VentureLabs
Chris Stairs
EIR at SFU VentureLabs
Chuck Hamilton
EIR at SFU VentureLabs

Network1

Ela BorensteinMentor
BDC Capital · Kauffman Fellow (Class 17)

Investors connected to Lesley in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Lesley Esford?
Lesley Esford is Executive Director at SFU VentureLabs, bringing twenty years of experience in the life sciences sector. She has advised over one hundred entrepreneurs across drug development, medical devices, and diagnostics from concept through commercialization, and maintains extensive networks across the global life sciences and investment communities. Her expertise spans innovation strategy, stakeholder engagement, partnership development, and fundraising.
Where does Lesley Esford work?
Lesley Esford is Executive Director at SFU VentureLabs.
Where did Lesley Esford go to school?
Lesley Esford studied at The University of British Columbia (Ph.D, Microbiology and Immunology); Brock University (M.Sc, Biology); Brock University (B.Admin. (Hons), Business Administration).

Same school

Shared employers