The Untapped Potential of Corporate Venture Capital in Canada with Paula Cruickshank of BDC Capital

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Differences Between Canada and the US (1:17)
• Canadian Ecosystem Growth (3:32)
• LP Network Composition (4:36)
• Gap in Corporate Investment (8:12)
• Paula's Journey at BDC Capital (10:54)
• Government Support for VC (14:05)
• Advice for Attracting Capital (18:56)
• Venture Ecosystem Growth in Canada (22:08)
• Insider Segment: Evolving Role of Legal Counsel (24:57)
• Impact of Legal Partnership (29:01)
• Measuring Success in Ecosystem Building (30:34)
• The Camel Metaphor (34:48)
• Challenges in Scaling (37:24)
• Resilience in Funding (39:49)
• Investment Criteria for Canadian Funds (42:36)
• Advice for Investing in Canada (46:08)
• Final Thoughts and Takeaways (47:39)

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.

https://www.bdc.ca/

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.