Brightspark Ventures
Brightspark Ventures is a Montreal-based venture capital firm founded in 1999 that invests $500K-$1.5M in early-stage Canadian tech companies, distributing deal-by-deal SPVs to 5,000+ accredited investors and managing the $67.5M BCOF institutional fund.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Brightspark Ventures does
Brightspark Ventures is a Montreal-based venture capital firm founded in 1999, with operational roots extending to 1988 through co-founder Mark Skapinker's Delrina Corporation. The firm backs early-stage Canadian technology companies, investing roughly $500K to $1.5M per deal at the pre-Series A to Series A stage, and accepting less than 1% of the companies it evaluates. Its product offering is twofold: (1) deal-by-deal Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Limited Partnership funds, accessible to individual accredited investors with a C$10,000 minimum and a typical subscription window of 5-20 days, and (2) the Brightspark Canadian Opportunities Fund (BCOF), a traditional diversified VC fund (BCOF I closed at $67.5M in 2020) requiring a C$100,000 minimum commitment. A secondary transactions program provides liquidity for otherwise illiquid SPV positions.
The firm generates revenue through three streams aligned with industry convention: annual management fees (1.5-2% of committed capital during the first 3-4 years), carried interest of 15% on realized returns above contributed capital (with 85% flowing to limited partners), and one-time admin reserve fees (2.5-4%) for legal, tax, and accounting expenses. The investor base spans individual accredited investors (a community of 5,000+ built since 2012), family offices, and institutional LPs, with geographic registration as an Exempt Market Dealer across six Canadian provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario). Distribution occurs via a proprietary online platform, supplemented by content marketing through a blog, the Spark Chats podcast, a YouTube channel, an annual investor summit, and a referral/co-investor network.
Brightspark is led by co-founder and Managing Partner Mark Skapinker and Managing Partner Sophie Forest (NACO Angel of the Year 2017), alongside Senior Partner Jacques Perreault and Venture Team member Éléonore Jarry-Ferron. The firm's track record includes marquee Canadian tech outcomes: Hopper (US$3.5B valuation from a 2007 pre-Seed), Radian6 (26x exit to Salesforce in 2011), Delrina (US$400M+ exit to Symantec in 1995), and Protecode (acquired by Synopsys in 2015). Recent 2025-2026 investment activity — Pricepoint (C$6.6M lead), Brickeye (US$10M Series B co-lead), Coral (C$4M acceleration), ShopVision (US$4.1M lead), Brio (C$3M spinout), Enurgen, NectAir, and Mycroft — reflects an active cadence above the firm's 5-7 new investments per year baseline, with growing lead-investor participation and an emerging thematic emphasis on AI-native and climate-related platforms.
Brightspark Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brightspark Ventures
- Legal name
- Brightspark Ventures
- Website
- https://brightspark.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Brightspark Ventures is a Montreal-based venture capital firm founded in 1999 that invests $500K-$1.5M in early-stage Canadian tech companies, distributing deal-by-deal SPVs to 5,000+ accredited investors and managing the $67.5M BCOF institutional fund.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Brightspark Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Brightspark Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Management Fees: VC firms typically charge annual management fees (1.5 to 2% per year for the first 3 years) to cover costs for board seating, due diligence, and administrative work.
- Carried Interest (Carry): When investments exit, Brightspark first returns contributed capital to Limited Partners, then distributes 85% of returns to LPs and retains 15% as carry.
- Admin Reserve Fee: One-time 2.5 to 4% fee reserved for external out-of-pocket fund expenses such as legal fees, tax, and accounting costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Deal-by-deal SPV investments with C$10K minimum |
| Subscription | Annual | Management fees: 1.5-2% annually for first 3-4 years |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Admin Reserve fee: one-time 2.5 to 4% |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Brightspark Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brightspark Ventures is a Canadian venture capital firm that sources, vets, and manages investments in early-stage Canadian technology companies (pre-Series A to Series A), typically deploying $500K to $1.5M per new investment. It delivers capital through two distinct vehicles: deal-by-deal Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Limited Partnership funds available to accredited investors with a C$10K minimum, and the diversified Brightspark Canadian Opportunities Fund (BCOF), a traditional LP fund structured for institutional and family-office capital. The firm also operates a Secondary Transactions Program to provide liquidity for positions in otherwise illiquid VC securities.
Product overview
Brightspark Ventures is a Canadian venture capital firm that provides investment opportunities to accredited investors. The company does not operate a technology product platform with distinct modules or named offerings. Its core services include: (1) Deal-by-deal Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) investments targeting single early-stage Canadian tech companies; (2) The Brightspark Canadian Opportunities Fund (BCOF), a diversified VC fund investing in a portfolio of 15-35 companies; and (3) A Secondary Transactions Program allowing investors to sell their positions to other accredited investors. The firm sources, vets, and manages investments in Canadian early-stage technology companies, primarily at pre-Series A to Series A stage, with typical investment sizes ranging from $500k to $1.5M.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Brightspark Canadian Opportunities Fund (BCOF): A traditional VC fund structured as a Limited Partnership that invests in a diversified portfolio of 15-35 early-stage tech companies over a few years.
- Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)
Products and services
- Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Funds
- Brightspark Canadian Opportunities Fund (BCOF)
- Secondary Transactions Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Upper top quartile returns in Canada with Fund II
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Brightspark Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Brightspark Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Brightspark Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Brightspark Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Real Ventures: Montreal-based early-stage Canadian tech VC firm with similar thesis and geographic focus. Operates traditional fund structures investing in Canadian founders, making it the closest comparable peer by geography and stage.
- Version One Ventures: Vancouver-based seed-stage Canadian tech VC with a similar portfolio-construction approach focused on early-stage software and consumer tech. Comparable by stage, geography, and check size.
- iNovia Capital: Quebec-based early-stage tech VC investing across Canada with comparable check sizes and stage focus. Direct peer given overlapping thesis on Canadian SaaS and consumer tech.
- Panache Ventures: Montreal-based pre-seed/seed Canadian tech VC fund of funds and direct investor. Comparable by stage (pre-seed), geography (Quebec/Canada), and target founder profile.
Broad incumbents
- BDC Capital: Investment arm of Canada's Business Development Bank, operating multiple VC funds at scale across stages. Acts as a frequent co-investor in Brightspark's rounds, representing the broad incumbent VC in the Canadian ecosystem.
Emerging players
- Rhino Ventures: Vancouver-based seed-stage Canadian tech VC that has co-invested with Brightspark (e.g., ShopVision). Comparable at the seed stage with overlapping Canadian tech focus but smaller AUM.
- GreenSky Ventures: Toronto-based early-stage VC focused on construction and real estate tech that has co-led rounds with Brightspark (e.g., Brickeye Series B). Comparable as a co-investment peer but with a sector specialization.
- Diagram Ventures: Montreal-based Canadian tech VC that has co-invested with Brightspark in multiple rounds (e.g., Coral, Enurgen). Comparable by stage and Montreal-based operating model but newer and smaller AUM.
Others
- AngelList: U.S.-based platform enabling SPVs and rolling funds for individual investors and managers. Adjacent peer because it powers the democratized VC access mechanism that Brightspark has implemented in-house since 2012.
- Republic: Retail-access investment platform offering SPVs and deal-by-deal investing. Thematically comparable to Brightspark's democratized VC model, though focused on U.S. private markets and equity crowdfunding.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Brightspark Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceBrightspark Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brightspark Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Brightspark Ventures subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Brightspark Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brightspark Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments77 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brightspark Ventures
What does Brightspark Ventures do?
Brightspark Ventures is a Canadian venture capital firm that sources, vets, and manages investments in early-stage Canadian technology companies (pre-Series A to Series A), typically deploying $500K to $1.5M per new investment. It delivers capital through two distinct vehicles: deal-by-deal Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Limited Partnership funds available to accredited investors with a C$10K minimum, and the diversified Brightspark Canadian Opportunities Fund (BCOF), a traditional LP fund structured for institutional and family-office capital. The firm also operates a Secondary Transactions Program to provide liquidity for positions in otherwise illiquid VC securities.
Is Brightspark Ventures a public or private company?
Brightspark Ventures is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Brightspark Ventures founded?
Brightspark Ventures was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Brightspark Ventures based?
Brightspark Ventures is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Brightspark Ventures make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest (Carry) and admin Reserve Fee.
Who are Brightspark Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Real Ventures, Version One Ventures, iNovia Capital and Panache Ventures. BDC Capital is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Rhino Ventures, GreenSky Ventures and Diagram Ventures. Others are AngelList and Republic.
Does Brightspark Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brightspark Ventures.