About
Steven Woods is Partner and CTO at Inovia Capital, where he advises portfolio companies on product strategy, technology, and engineering leadership. He has over 30 years of experience in software engineering and company building, including co-founding three software companies—most notably Quack.com, an early interactive voice assistant acquired by Netscape/AOL in 2000—and leading product and engineering growth at Google Canada from 2008 onward. At Inovia, he evaluates investment opportunities through a technical and product lens while drawing on his background as an entrepreneur, engineer, operator, and board member.
Experience
- Inovia CapitalPartner & CTOcurrent2021 — presentGreater Toronto Area, Canada
- SpellbookMember of the Board of Directorscurrent2024 — presentToronto, Ontario, Canada
- CohereInvestor, past Member of the Board of Directorscurrent2023 — presentToronto, Ontario, Canada
- Reliant AIMember of the Board of Directorscurrent2024 — present
- Signal 1Member of the Board of Directorscurrent2022 — presentGreater Toronto Area, Canada
- RouteThisInvestor, past Member of the Board of Directorscurrent2016 — presentGreater Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo Metropolitan Area
- Good Start LabsInvestorcurrent2025 — present
- Jaide HealthInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- Tera AIInvestorcurrent2025 — present
- ScribenoteInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- CARE-AIAdvisory Board Member - Centre for Advancing Responsible and Ethical Artificial Intelligencecurrent2019 — presentGuelph, Ontario, Canada
- Windigo HoldingsPresident, Windigo Holdingscurrent2010 — present
- Quantum Valley Ideas LabMember of the Board of Directors2020 — 2024Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Mistral Venture PartnersExecutive Fellow2013 — 2021Toronto, Canada Area
- GoogleSenior Director Engineering2008 — 2021Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
- GoogleEngineering Director, Mobile Shopping & Offers2008 — 2012Canada
- CommunitechBoard of Directors, Past Chair2011 — 2019Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
- OMERS VenturesAdvisory Board Member2012 — 2019Toronto, Canada Area
- University of WaterlooBoard of Governors ad hoc Committee on Technological Innovation2014 — 2018Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- FYidoctorsMember of the Board of Directors2014 — 2016Calgary, Canada Area
- Waskesiu FoundationBoard of Directors2012 — 2015Waskesiu, Saskatchewan Canada
- Hyperdrive Startup IncubatorHead Coach for Startups2012 — 2014Kitchener, Canada Area
- Waskesiu Seasonal Residents AssociationBoard of Directors2009 — 2012Waskesiu, SK Canada
- NeoEdge NetworksBoard of Directors2002 — 2011Mountain View, California
- NeoEdge NetworksFounder and Chief Technology Officer2007 — 2008Mountain View, California
- NeoEdge NetworksPresident and CEO, co-founder2002 — 2007Mountain View, California
- NeoEdge NetworksChairman of the Board2002 — 2007Mountain View, California, USA
- Tynt MultimediaMember, Strategic Advisory Board2007 — 2008Calgary, Canada Area
- Jefferson PartnersStrategic Advisory Board Member, Limited Partner2001 — 2008Toronto, Ontario
- AvvenuTechnology Advisory Board2005 — 2007Palo Alto, California
- AOLVice President, Systems Infrastructure2002Mountain View, California
- AOLVice President, Voice Services2000 — 2001Mountain View, California
- Quack.comBoard of Directors1999 — 2000Mountain View, California
- Quack.comCTO, Chief Product Officer and co-founder1998 — 2000Mountain View, California
- Software Engineering InstituteMTS - Member of the Technical Staff1998 — 1999Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- University of Hawaii at ManoaPostDoctoral Fellow, Researcher, Lecturer1996 — 1997Honolulu, Hawaii
- ICue SoftwareConsultant - Design and Architecture1996Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- University of WaterlooGraduate Research And Teaching Assistant1993 — 1995Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Department of National DefenceDefence Scientist (Computer)1993Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Canberra KnightsHockey Player1991 — 1993Canberra, Australia
Education
- University of WaterlooPh.D., Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence)1993 — 1996
- University of WaterlooM.Math, Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence)1989 — 1991
- University of Saskatchewan1987, B.Sc. Hons. (Computer Science)1983 — 1987
- Université LavalCredit Certificate, French as a Second Language (Public Service)1992
- Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate1980 — 1983
Skills & more
Research SkillsExperimental DesignBuilding Strong Teams3Product Innovation10Internet Services6Entrepreneurship99Online Advertising36Consumer Products7Technology Management13Software Engineering35Scalability3Mobile Devices60
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Strategic PartnershipsBusiness DevelopmentE-commerceProduct DevelopmentProduct ManagementStart-upsDistributed SystemsTeam BuildingEnterprise SoftwareSaaSSoftware as a Service (SaaS)ManagementFrom Steven's professional profile.
Colleagues at Inovia Capital
Alex Barrett
General Partner at Inovia Capital
Alex McIsaac
General Partner at Inovia Capital
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Alex Norman
Partner at N49P
Alice Reimer
Co-Founder & Venture Partner at Inovia Capital
Andre Charoo
Founder & Managing Partner at Inovia Capital
Andrew Biddell
Analyst at Inovia Capital
Arie Koifman
Investor at Inovia Capital
Catherine Zhang
Investor at Inovia Capital
Network1
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Investors connected to Steven in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Steven Woods?
- Steven Woods is Partner and CTO at Inovia Capital, where he advises portfolio companies on product strategy, technology, and engineering leadership. He has over 30 years of experience in software engineering and company building, including co-founding three software companies—most notably Quack.com, an early interactive voice assistant acquired by Netscape/AOL in 2000—and leading product and engineering growth at Google Canada from 2008 onward. At Inovia, he evaluates investment opportunities through a technical and product lens while drawing on his background as an entrepreneur, engineer, operator, and board member.
- Where does Steven Woods work?
- Steven Woods is Partner at Inovia Capital.
- What check size does Steven Woods write?
- Steven Woods typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
- Where did Steven Woods go to school?
- Steven Woods studied at University of Waterloo (Ph.D., Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence)); University of Waterloo (M.Math, Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence)); University of Saskatchewan (1987, B.Sc. Hons. (Computer Science)).
Same school
Also attended University of Waterloo345
Chamath PalihapitiyaFounder & CEO of Social CapitalApoorva MehtaFounder of Instacart; founder of Cloud Health SystemsKarim GillaniGeneral Partner at Luge CapitalRohan MongaInvestment Associate at Luge CapitalAndrew MiklasGeneral Partner at Y CombinatorAniTalent Team at Hummingbird Ventures
+ 339 more
Also attended University of Saskatchewan22
Desmond PadhiOperating Partner at Westlake Village BioPartnersWilson ActonManaging Partner at Tall Grass VenturesChris PatersonVenture Partner at Tall Grass VenturesDavid SullivanVenture Partner at Tall Grass VenturesDion MadsenPartner at Amplitude Venture CapitalAlex ShimlaPrincipal at Conexus Venture Capital
+ 16 more
Also attended Université Laval33
Laura WeigertSenior Associate at Marlin Equity PartnersLeah BaePrincipal at Higher Ground LabsDylan Lawrence MissonnierInvestment Director at CapagroWenceslas MoussaHead of Risk & Compliance at HeadlineChris ArsenaultFounder and Partner at Inovia CapitalSophie GuptaPrincipal at Yaletown Partners
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Shared employers
Also worked at RouteThis3
Also worked at Tera AI1
Also worked at Mistral Venture Partners7
Code CubittManaging Director at Mistral Venture PartnersPablo SrugoPartner at Mistral Venture PartnersRaif BarbarosPartner at Mistral Venture PartnersBernie ZeisigManaging Partner at Mistral Venture PartnersMike ScanlinVenture Partner at Mistral Venture PartnersJulien KathiresanHead of Finance at Mistral Venture Partners
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