McGill Ventures

What McGill Ventures does

McGill Ventures is a student-run venture capital organization founded in 2020 at McGill University in Montreal by Aaron Anandji, Hyeonwoo (Woo) Park, and Zacharie Faucillion. It operates as Montreal's premier student VC platform, with 70+ active student members drawn from business, engineering, and science programs, and has grown to become the 2nd largest club in McGill's Desautels Faculty of Management, with 2.6K+ LinkedIn and 2K+ Instagram followers. The organization runs four educational programs — the 16-week Analyst Program, the 7-week Health Tech & Innovation Lab (HTIL), the 6-week Venture Advisory program, and the 10-week Fund Program — alongside signature events such as the North Star conference (500+ attendees, January 2025 keynote from Shopify President Harley Finkelstein), Scarlet Pitch, Women in VC panels, Startup Showcase, and TechNova.

The underlying product is a community- and education-led platform, not a proprietary technology. Its core technology field is explicitly marked as not applicable, and the organization's value is delivered through workshops, mentorship, pitch competitions, and direct deal participation rather than through software or AI products. It is building a $500K pilot fund to deploy 12-18 pre-seed SAFE investments of $10K-$50K into McGill-founded startups over three years, but this fund is still in the fundraising build-out phase and is not yet a deploying, fee-generating vehicle.

The business model is sponsorship- and partnership-driven. Revenue comes from a roster of 30+ corporate sponsors and partners led by Deloitte as the presenting sponsor, with BDC, EY, and Osler as core financial partners, and an extended ecosystem of Canadian VCs (Inovia, Real Ventures, Panache, Diagram, Brightspark, Graphite), accelerators (CDL, Next AI, Dobson Centre, McGill Engine, La Base HEC), and service providers (Gowling WLG, Nation Graph, General Magic). Programs are free to student participants, and there is no commercial pricing. The two primary "customer" segments are McGill students seeking hands-on VC experience and McGill-affiliated pre-seed founders seeking capital and mentorship, with corporate sponsors serving as the paying counterparties that fund the organization's operations and brand activities.

Name

McGill Ventures

Legal name

McGill Ventures

Website

https://mcgillvc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McGill Ventures is Montreal's premier student-run venture capital organization, founded in 2020 at McGill University. It runs VC training programs, a building $500K pre-seed fund, and signature events connecting 70+ student operators with founders, sponsors, and investors across the Canadian startup ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship Education

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Student venture capital
• Pre-seed investments
• Startup mentorship programs
• Venture capital education
• Entrepreneurship community

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Fund Management (Planned): Student-run VC fund deploying capital to McGill-founded pre-seed startups. Currently building $500K pilot fund targeting 12-18 investments over 3 years with $10K-$50K check sizes via SAFE notes.
2. Sponsorships & Partnerships: Revenue from corporate sponsors and partners (Deloitte as presenting sponsor, BDC, EY, Osler, and 30+ other partners) supporting programs, events, and fund operations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

McGill Ventures is a student-run venture capital organization at McGill University that delivers hands-on VC educational programs (Analyst Program, Health Tech & Innovation Lab, Venture Advisory, Fund Program), hosts entrepreneurship events (Scarlet Pitch, North Star Conference, Women in VC panels, Startup Showcase), and operates a $500K pilot fund investing $10K-$50K via SAFE agreements in pre-seed startups with McGill affiliations.

Product overview

McGill Ventures is Montreal's premier student-run venture capital organization offering a multi-product educational platform. The core portfolio includes four educational programs (Analyst Program, Health Tech & Innovation Lab, Venture Advisory, and Fund Program) providing hands-on VC training; a flagship investment fund ($500K pilot) targeting pre-seed McGill-founded startups; and recurring events including Scarlet Pitch competition, North Star Conference, TechNova Conference, Women in VC panels, and Startup Showcase. These offerings work together to connect ambitious students with the startup ecosystem through mentorship, real-world experience, and capital deployment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Analyst Program A 16-week comprehensive educational program covering venture capital fundamentals including deal sourcing, due diligence, portfolio management, and case study analysis, with weekly workshops, mentorship from experienced VCs, and networking events. Targeted at McGill students interested in venture capital careers.
• Health Tech & Innovation Lab (HTIL) An intensive 7-week program bridging healthcare and venture capital through hands-on workshops with biotech and VC professionals, mentorship, and real-world project deliverables. Targeted at McGill students interested in health tech and biotech investing.
• Venture Advisory Program A 6-week program connecting students with early-stage startups to help shape growth strategies, providing actionable deliverables on go-to-market strategies and venture capital fundraising.
• Fund Program A 10-week student-run program providing hands-on venture capital experience, covering deal sourcing, due diligence, financial modeling, and investment structuring while evaluating real startups.
• McGill Ventures Student Venture Fund A $500K pilot fund making 12-18 investments over 3 years with check sizes of $10K-$50K via SAFE agreements, focused on pre-seed stage startups with McGill connections.
• Scarlet Pitch Competition McGill's premier pitch competition where student founders compete for funding, mentorship, and the chance to pitch their ventures to leading investors.
• North Star Conference McGill Ventures' flagship entrepreneurship conference bringing together 500+ students with top-tier VCs, founders, and industry leaders, featuring keynote speakers and founder panels.
• TechNova Conference An intimate tech conference exploring emerging technologies, AI innovation, and the future of the Canadian startup ecosystem.
• Women in VC Panel Panel discussions featuring female investors and VCs sharing insights on breaking into venture capital and supporting underrepresented founders.
• McGill Startup Showcase Industry event connecting rising startup entrepreneurs with Montreal's leading venture capitalists to discover startup missions, product differentiators, and investment perspectives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70+ club members trained in VC fundamentals
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McGill Dobson CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcGill's entrepreneurship hub co-hosts events like Women in VC and provides startup ecosystem resources.
• Next AIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI-focused accelerator partner providing expertise and connections in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
• CDL (Creative Destruction Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing startup acceleration framework and mentorship connections for McGill founders.
• Gowling WLGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services partner providing intellectual property and corporate law expertise.
• PolyfinancesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial services partner in the Montreal ecosystem.
• Toronto Tech WeekminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner connecting McGill Ventures with Toronto's tech ecosystem.
• Espace CDPQminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent venue partner for TechNova 2025; CDPQ is Quebec's pension fund.
• Beta KitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCanadian tech news outlet partner providing media coverage and visibility.
• StartupfestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for Montreal's startup festival ecosystem.
• La Base HECminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEC Montreal's entrepreneurship hub partner.
• McGill EngineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcGill's engineering innovation hub partner.
• CVCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian Venture Capital Association providing industry network and resources.
• The ClipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia/content partner for event coverage.
• Claude Builder ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMcGill-based developer community partner for AI/tech events.
• Mayo ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast sponsor - healthcare innovation partner.
• Ascent by McMillanminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPast sponsor - legal services from McMillan LLP.
• CLIP (Clinical Innovation Platform)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting McGill's entrepreneurial and medical communities with CLIP's clinical ecosystem and leading MedTech founders and venture capitalists. Co-hosted CLIP x Health Tech Innovation Lab event in December 2025.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Inovia Capital: Top-tier Canadian VC firm and named McGill Ventures partner; comparable in that it sources and diligence-pre-seed Canadian founders, but operates as a multi-stage institutional fund rather than a student training vehicle.
• Panache Ventures: Montreal-based pre-seed/seed VC and McGill Ventures partner; targets the same pre-seed McGill/Montreal founder pool but deploys institutional capital rather than student-led SAFEs.
• Creative Destruction Lab (CDL): Multi-cohort Canadian startup accelerator partnered with McGill Ventures; overlaps on pre-seed founder curation and mentorship but at significantly larger scale and longer program duration.
• Brightspark Ventures: Canadian early-stage technology VC and McGill Ventures partner; comparable as a pre-seed allocator to Canadian founders, but as an institutional fund with a longer operating history and broader LP base.
• Real Ventures: Montreal-based early-stage venture capital firm and active McGill Ventures partner; provides deal-flow and mentorship that mirrors what McGill Ventures provides at student scale, but operates as a fully professional institutional fund.
• Diagram Ventures: Montreal/Quebec fintech-focused VC and McGill Ventures partner; comparable in Montreal pre-seed sourcing, but operates as a specialized institutional fund with its own thesis rather than a generalist student program.

Direct peers

• Front Row Ventures: Student-run, Canada-wide venture fund investing pre-seed capital in student founders via SAFE — the closest model and direct structural competitor to McGill Ventures, and already a current McGill Ventures partner.
• Project ATLAS: Canadian student-led venture initiative prominently linked from the McGill Ventures website; operates a comparable cohort/network model for student founders and student VCs across Canadian universities.

Emerging players

• Standup Ventures: Canadian early-stage VC focused on diverse founders and a named McGill Ventures partner; comparable target founder profile (underrepresented Canadian founders) but deploys institutional capital rather than student-led programs.

Others

• McGill Dobson Centre: McGill University's own entrepreneurship hub and McGill Ventures strategic partner; operates complementary incubator/acceleration programs for McGill founders from the same talent base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcgillvc
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcgillvc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McGill Ventures