This week on Swimming with Allocators, Earnest and Alexa welcome Paula Cruickshank, Senior Vice President of Fund Investments at BDC Capital. During the conversation, Paula discusses the Canadian venture capital landscape. The conversation highlights the differences between Canadian and U.S. venture ecosystems, focusing on late-stage capital scarcity in Canada, the role of corporate venture capital, and the potential for quality IPOs. Paula emphasizes the need for more limited partners (LPs) and diversity in fund management. She also reflects on the evolution of Canadian venture capital over the past decade and the opportunities for growth in sectors like climate tech. Also, don’t miss our insider segment as Shane Goudey and Mathew Eapen of Sidley join the show to discuss the evolving role of legal counsel in venture capital, emphasizing the importance of strategic partnership, business advisory, and trust in navigating complex market dynamics.
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:
BDC Capital is the investment arm of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), dedicated to supporting Canada’s most innovative companies and building a thriving venture ecosystem. Through strategic investments and partnerships, BDC Capital balances financial returns with a mandate to foster long-term growth and inclusion in Canada’s economy.
Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com.
Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies.
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.