Tomi Poutanen
InvestorCo-founder, Partner at Radical Ventures
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Writes $1M – $25M checks
About
Tomi Poutanen is a serial AI founder and fund co‑founder who shaped Canada's AI ecosystem, actively building AI companies and engaging as investor and CEO of health‑AI Signal 1.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningBiotechClimate TechHealthtechSemiconductors
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Poutanen co-founded Layer 6 AI, which was acquired by TD Bank Group in 2018. Poutanen co-founded Signal 1, a health AI startup focused on empowering frontline care providers with patient insights. Poutanen co-founded the Vector Institute, an academic research institute for deep learning. Poutanen co-founded Radical Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in AI companies.
- Education
- Studied at University of Toronto (MSc, Computer Engineering)
- Communities
- Poutanen co-authored Canada's first National AI Policy in 2017. Poutanen co-authored Canada's first set of guidelines for the responsible use of AI in financial services.
- More
- Poutanen is the founder of four AI companies with exits to Microsoft, Yahoo!, and TD Bank.
From published sources — common ground for a warm intro.
Experience
- Signal 1Chief Executive Officercurrent2022 — presentToronto, ON
- Radical VenturesCo-Founder & Partnercurrent2017 — presentToronto, Ontario, Canada
- Vector InstituteCo-Founder & Advisorcurrent2016 — presentToronto, Canada Area
- TDSVP and Chief AI Officer2018 — 2022Toronto, Canada Area
- Layer 6 AICo-Founder & Co-CEO2016 — 2022Toronto, Canada Area
- Creative Destruction LabFounding Fellow2013 — 2020Toronto, Canada Area
- Milq Inc.Co-Founder & CTO2012 — 2017Toronto, Canada Area
- MicrosoftPrincipal Software Engineer2010 — 2012
- Yahoo!Sr. Principal Engineer2009 — 2010
- High Performance Search AlgorithmsFounder2007 — 2009
- YahooSr. Director, Product Management2003 — 2007
- YahooDirector, International Web Search Operations2002 — 2003
- Inktomi CorporationGM, Paid Inclusion1999 — 2002
- Data Compression TechnologiesCo-Founder1993 — 1996
Skills & more
Search Engine5Social Media4Computer Engineering5Scalability9Product Management46Monetization2Distributed Systems31Machine Learning8Search Engines8Web Applications6Search Engine Technology12Algorithms15
+8 more
Big DataE-commerceStart-upsSEMMobile ApplicationsMobile DevicesStrategySearch Engine Marketing (SEM)From Tomi's professional profile.
Investments
Investor
Signal 1
Per the firm's website.
Colleagues at Radical Ventures
Aaron Brindle
Partner, Public Affairs at Radical Ventures
Aaron Rosenberg
Partner at Radical Ventures
Andy Bredar
Investor at Radical Ventures
Anna Howley
Executive Assistant & Office Manager at Radical Ventures
Anuj Karwa
Manager, Finance at Radical Ventures
Arrika He
Senior Associate, Finance at Radical Ventures
Barney Pell
Venture Partner at Radical Ventures
Blair Bernholtz
Partner, CFO at Radical Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Tomi Poutanen?
- Tomi Poutanen is a serial AI founder and fund co‑founder who shaped Canada's AI ecosystem, actively building AI companies and engaging as investor and CEO of health‑AI Signal 1.
- Where does Tomi Poutanen work?
- Tomi Poutanen is Co-founder, Partner at Radical Ventures.
- What does Tomi Poutanen invest in?
- Tomi Poutanen invests in AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Climate Tech, Healthtech, Semiconductors.
- What check size does Tomi Poutanen write?
- Tomi Poutanen typically writes checks of $1M – $25M.
- What companies has Tomi Poutanen invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Signal 1.
- Where did Tomi Poutanen go to school?
- Tomi Poutanen studied at University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management (MBA); University of Toronto (MASC, Computer Engineering); University of Waterloo (BASC, Computer Engineering).
Same school
Also attended University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management95
Clayton MacDougaldInvestment Director - Water at Emerald Technology Ventures AgLeah MorrisExecutive Director, Encode: AI for Science at Pillar VCKaty YamGeneral Manager at Inovia CapitalGreg AllenPartner at ChrysalixIvan YuenInvestor at AgeTech CapitalPeter Seufer-WasserthalExecutives in Residence at GENERAL INCEPTION
+ 89 more
Also attended University of Toronto341
Ilya SutskeverCo-founder of OpenAI; co-founder & CEO of Safe SuperintelligenceNick FrosstCo-founder of CohereYasmin RazaviInvestor at Spark CapitalImran BashirFounding Partner, Chief Operating Officer at Extreme Venture PartnersKarim GillaniGeneral Partner at Luge CapitalAndrew MiklasGeneral Partner at Y Combinator
+ 335 more
Also attended University of Waterloo357
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
+ 351 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Vector Institute10
Paige DickieVice-President at Radical VenturesJordan JacobsCo-Founder & Managing Partner at Radical VenturesAjay AgrawalCo-founder & Partner at Intrepid Growth PartnersStephen LakeFounder/CEO at NorthRoei SchusterFounder at Wild MooseAkshay BudhkarFounder at Spine AI
+ 4 more
Also worked at TD82
Funmi GarrickFinance and Operations at Impact America FundMarc MichelVenture Advisor at Alpha PartnersMark FieldsInvestor at Alsop Louie PartnersRick GrinnellFounder and Managing Partner at Glasswing VenturesCasy van MaanenAssociate at GTMfundLeah BaePrincipal at Higher Ground Labs
+ 76 more
Also worked at Layer 6 AI2
Also worked at Microsoft1,188
Reid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorNat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDGKai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AIBill GatesCo-founder of Microsoft; Chair of the Gates FoundationMike KriegerCo-founder of Instagram; Chief Product Officer at Anthropic
+ 1,182 more