Meet our 2022 Investor Showcase Evaluation Committee
Teams will be evaluated by our esteemed panel of industry and investor experts, leveraging their knowledge and insights to decide our final line up of ventures pitching at the 2022 Investor Showcase.
Ventures who are “Ready-to-Raise” will be selected based on funding and readiness criteria established by entrepreneurship@UBC and ICICS, the creators of HATCH Venture Builder.
We are thrilled to welcome three panelists in this selection process to decide the finalists moving on to pitch at UBC Robson Square May 10.
Maria Pacella
Managing Partner, Pender Ventures
Maria Pacella has over 20 years of investing and operational experience with technology companies. She currently heads up Pender Ventures, the private technology investing arm of Pender Capital Management. Previously, Maria spent 11 years with one of Canada’s largest venture capital firms, where she invested in multiple early-stage technology companies and served on a variety of boards in the areas of enterprise software and health-tech. Along the way she worked at two start-ups assisting with operational activities and strategic initiatives. Prior to that Maria worked in M&A for Deutsche Bank.
Darrell Kopke
Director of Creative Destruction Lab-Vancouver at UBC Sauder School of Business, Founder and Chairman at Ædelhard
Darrell Kopke has 25 years of retail and apparel experience including original General Manager of Lululemon, founding CEO of Kit & Ace, and Founder and Chairman of Ædelhard. Board Member of numerous start-ups including entrepreneurship@UBC graduate Stoko. UBC Sauder MBA alumnus.
Thealzel Lee
Founder, Director and President at eFund (VANTEC Entrepreneurs Fund VCC Inc) and General Partner with Archangel Phoenix Fire
Thealzel Lee is an entrepreneur, angel investor and business strategy advisor to companies with a focus on strategy development and operational alignment. She manages the monthly VANTEC Angel Network (VANTEC) and the Vancouver chapter of the Keiretsu Forum (Northwest Region) for the local startup community of entrepreneurs and angel investors. She also serves on committees with the National Angel Capital Organization (Canada) and the Angel Capital Association (U.S.). Thealzel is a General Partner with Archangel Phoenix Fire.
Thealzel is co-founder and director of angel investment funds Nelsa Investment (VCC) Inc., the VANTEC Entrepreneurs (VCC) Fund Inc. dba eFund and the TIMIA Capital Corporation (TSX.V:TCA) which provide equity and non-equity investments in these entrepreneurs.
Thealzel is active in philanthropy; currently serving as the National Chair for the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada. She lives in Vancouver with her 3 grown sons who are working as a Game Designer, an Electrical/Mechanical Engineer and a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Thealzel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of Alberta, and a Masters of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.