Startup Grind Vancouver is proud to present this fireside chat in conjunction with Founder Institute Western Canada.

Marlon Thompson is an angel investor, startup founder, and spent the past five years creating pathways to success for underrepresented leaders in the startup ecosystem. He founded Future Capital to support ambitious, driven diverse leaders who are ready to play a bigger role in their industry and born out of a need for more, fairer inroads to venture capital and angel investing. Marlon Thompson, Founder of Future Capital understands this is a crucial time to create lasting change by enabling and equipping a new cohort of investors: minorities, women, and LGBTQ with the necessary tools to bolster economic empowerment. 

Marlon has long been an advocate for diversity in business. Get to know Future Capital at https://www.myfuturecapital.com/

Colin Lynch is the Head of Global Real Estate Investments at TD Asset Management where he is responsible for investments in over 680 properties in 20 countries worldwide. Colin joined TD Asset Management in October 2015, initially working with TD Asset Management’s senior executive team on corporate strategy. Colin was formerly the General Manager of Global Strategy at Aimia (formerly Groupe Aeroplan), a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company, and an Investment Banker at Morgan Stanley. Colin’s work in the Investment Banking Division at Morgan Stanley involved, among other duties, advising Marc Carney (then Governor of the Bank of Canada) on Canada’s financial stability during the financial crisis.

Colin has been named as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, a Trustee Emeritus of Queen’s University and a recipient of Queen’s Toronto Branch Award. He is a co-founder of the Black Opportunity Fund and a member of its steering committee.

Co-hosting the fireside chat is Kailin Che, Co-Director at Founder Institute Western Canada helping the next generation of startups and connecting them to the best mentors and investors. Get to know Founder Institute Western Canada: https://www.fi.co

Kailin is also a  corporate lawyer and partner at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae (Canada), a cross border boutique law firm. Kailin represents clients in a broad range of industries including, technology, media, film/tv, and real estate. She has advised clients - from technology startups to multinational companies - on a variety of commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, financing, reorganizations, corporate governance, intellectual property, licensing matters, and regulatory compliance. In addition to her solicitor practice, Kailin has a passion for public interest law and community building. She volunteers her time, frequently on a pro-bono basis, to advocate for issues affecting the community at large. She has appeared before administrative tribunals, the provincial courts in BC and Ontario at all levels.

Prior to practicing law, Kailin worked for the federal minister of industry, minister of heritage, and minister of citizenship and immigration.