HALIFAX, July 5 /CNW/ - Innovacorp, an organization focused on emerging high potential technology companies, today announced Jevon MacDonald, founder and business developer of several software and services companies, is joining its team as Entrepreneur in Residence.
Mr. MacDonald will be a resource and advisor for early stage technology entrepreneurs.
"I'm eager to collaborate with Innovacorp and its roster of existing and prospective clients and investment opportunities," said Mr. MacDonald. "I look forward to working with top entrepreneurs and helping them grow their business ventures into market successes."
Mr. MacDonald has spent the last decade building high technology businesses. Most recently, he was senior partner at Dachis Group, an Austin, Texas-based start-up providing Social Business Design services and technology. He developed strategic alliances with companies such as IBM and Jive Software and helped the company grow from four employees to more than 100. Mr. MacDonald joined the Dachis Group through the acquisition of his previous start-up, Firestoker.com.
Mr. MacDonald is also the co-founder of, and a regular writer for, Startupnorth.ca, the leading voice of the start-up community in Canada. Startupnorth.ca hosts regular events such a StartupEmpire, Canada's largest start-up conference, and Founders and Funders, one of the premier start-up financing events in Canada.
Mr. MacDonald is also the co-founder of StartupIndex.ca, a database of Canadian start-ups and funders.
Born and raised on Prince Edward Island, Mr. MacDonald began his career there, co-founding Silverorange.com, a prominent web development firm. Over the years, he has been active in multiple start-ups at various stages of growth and is an active angel investor, providing capital for start-up companies.
As Entrepreneur in Residence with Innovacorp, Mr. MacDonald will provide business development support and advice to Innovacorp's high potential clients and help evaluate emerging business ventures. Through this work, he will identify his next business opportunity, whether he builds it himself or joins an existing start-up.
"The launch of our Entrepreneur in Residence program will take Innovacorp's business model to the next level, which will create good jobs and grow the economy," said Stephen Hartlen, interim president and CEO of Innovacorp. "Jevon is an accomplished entrepreneur, and his experience and knowledge will allow us to offer increased insight and value to our clients."
"Jevon is well positioned to help our clients accelerate towards their business goals," said Ben Forcier, vice-president of investment at Innovacorp. "He will be able to help refine their value proposition and go-to-market strategies, and assist them in delivering on their targeted operational and financial objectives."
Based in Halifax, Innovacorp's venture capital fund invests in seed and early stage, high-growth companies with timely investments that range from $100,000 to $3 million over the life cycle of the investment. The fund has capacity to invest in new opportunities, with capital commitments of over $40 million. Key industries include clean technology, information technology, and life sciences.
Innovacorp's High Performance Incubation (HPi) business model recently won an international award for its best practice approach to technology commercialization.
For further information: Media Contact: Jennifer Guy, Innovacorp, 902-424-8670 ext. 1197, Cell: 902-225-7284, E-mail: [email protected]
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