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Sunil Sharma is the Managing Director of Techstars Toronto (Techstars is the world’s biggest startup accelerator). At Techstars, Sunil has made 76 direct investments in tech startups based in 16 countries across the world.   He is also the Director of the Founder Institute in Toronto and Waterloo (Founder Institute is the world’s biggest startup pre-accelerator). At Founder Institute, Sunil has launched more than 350 new startups. Sunil is also Co-Host of the Collision Conference and Web Summit (Web Summit including Collision and RISE is the world’s biggest tech conference). 

Prior to Techstars, Sunil was a Managing Partner with Extreme Venture Partners, a Canadian early-stage venture capital fund where he led more than 20 investments and deployed more than $5M in capital.  Sunil was also co-founder and Managing Director of Extreme Startups where he ran 3 successful cohorts and made 15 investments as part of one of Canada’s earliest tech accelerator funds (backed by 5 prominent Canadian VC funds).

Sunil is a public speaker, often delivering keynotes on globalization of startups, immigration, marketing and fundraising. Sunil is often called upon as a judge at startup competitions and as an MC for large conferences and events (such as Collision).

Sunil possesses a rare background that spans across the worlds of entrepreneurship, investment and international diplomacy. Sunil was a career member of Canada’s Foreign Service where he last served as the Consulate Head in Southern California. Previously Sunil represented Canada at the United Nations and served at the Canadian Space Agency.

Sunil was born in Canada to immigrant parents. Sunil has lived extensively across Canada including many years in Edmonton, Halifax, Moncton, Kamloops, Victoria, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.  

Sunil has completed undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Victoria and the University of Toronto. Sunil is a proud parent to two teenage children.  

100+

Companies

5

Exits

$150M+

Total funding

Timeline:
  Jun 2017 – Present
Techstars
Managing Director, Techstars Toronto

Techstars is the largest investor in startups in the world (2600 investments growing by nearly 500 per year across 45+ accelerator funds)

Jan 2014 - Aug 2017
Extreme Venture Partners
Managing Partner

Seed to early growth stage investments focussing on open data, big data, internet-of-things, mobile, cloud, connected devices and other big ideas. Toronto-Waterloo focus.

Dec 2011 - Jul 2013
Extreme Startups
Managing Director and Chief Connector

Extreme Startups is a technology accelerator and venture capital fund based in Toronto, Canada. With world-class mentors, corporate partners and investors incuding Canada's premier venture capital funds, Extreme Startups has given rise to a new generation of tech startups and business leaders. Backed by OMERS Ventures, Rho Canada Ventures, Relay Ventures, BDC Venture Capital and Extreme Venture Partners, Extreme Startups provides funding in excess of $200K per startup and runs a 3 month accelerator program culminated by an impressive Demo Day. We have made 15 investments to date and will be announcing our 4th cohort later this year.

Mar 2008 - Jan 2012
Canada's Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA)
International Director

Facilitate and create international syndication partnerships between venture capital and private equity funds, fundraising and capital placement from institutional investors, family-offices and sovereign wealth funds, profile Canadian investment opportunities to a global audience.

Jun 2004 - Mar 2008
Consulate of Canada
Head of Consulate, Canadian Consulate San Diego

Served as Head of Consulate at one of Canada's newest diplomatic missions. I was responsible for opening this new Consulate and hiring a staff of Trade Commissioners and Advocacy Officers who represented Canada's commercial and political interests in the important region of Southern California.

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Managing Director, Techstars Toronto

Investing in
Future.

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