Our Story
In the spring of 2020, a group of experienced investors decided to act. They launched Archangel’s COVID-19 Leadership Initiative — an open call to founders working on solutions to the crisis unfolding around them. Fifty companies applied. Twenty went through due diligence. Three investments closed.
What started as three investments has since grown into a network of four specialized funds and nearly 100 portfolio companies. We continue to operate with the same conviction: Canada’s high-potential companies deserve capital and expertise that’s been through this before.
Four Funds. One Network. Shared Conviction.
Our four specialized funds share deal flow, expertise, and a common belief: that Canada’s next generation of breakout companies is being built right now. We find them early, support them fully, and are in it for the long run.
Our Team
Our team is as dynamic as it is diverse — entrepreneurs, operators, and investors with the expertise to support and guide companies toward meaningful exits.
Stephanie Aivaliotis
Stephanie is the Marketing and Communications Administrator at Archangel, supporting internal and external communications. She manages Archangel’s social media, blogs, videos, website content, reporting, and newsletters to help maintain clear and consistent messaging.
Stephanie holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, specializing in Political Science with a minor in Philosophy.
Peter Barr
Independent Board Director
Peter is AltaML’s Chief Strategy Officer where he helps develop their national platform of applied Ai.
He was previously with Deloitte for 40 years and held a variety of leadership positions. Most recently he was the Managing Partner for the Waterloo and Western Ontario Region where he created Deloitte’s innovative new office and team that focuses on disruptive technologies and the insurance industry. From 2008 to 2012 Peter was a member of the Deloitte Board of Directors and has been a member of the Board of Governors at the University of Waterloo since 2017. He is also an alumnus of the School of Accounting and Finance.
Todd Bissett
Legal Advisor
Todd is a widely experienced business, technology and international transactions lawyer, licensed in California and Ontario. He previously practiced for several years in Silicon valley and Greater China. He is CEO and founder of Pulse Law LLP in Waterloo Region..
Todd’s emerging growth practice focuses on the complete life-cycle of startup companies, from formation and organizational work through equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, and complex business combinations. Todd acts for both issuers and investors in investments, and sellers and buyers in M&A transactions. He has worked extensively with venture capital and private equity funds, major institutional and strategic investors, and companies and issuers from early stage startups to multinational public and private organizations.
Jacky Chen
Jacky is an entrepreneur, business leader, and early-stage investor with a particular focus on B2B technology companies. He has built a diversified portfolio of startup investments across the United States and Canada, drawing on decades of firsthand experience in entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, and business growth.
Over the course of his career, Jacky has experienced business from multiple perspectives—building startups from the ground up, navigating the challenges of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and serving as an executive at Fortune 500 companies for more than two decades. His leadership experience ranges from launching new ventures to leading a billion-dollar business supported by thousands of enterprise channel partners.
This combination of entrepreneurial and corporate experience shapes Jacky’s approach to early-stage investing. Beyond capital, he brings founders practical perspectives on strategy, go-to-market execution, partnerships, scaling, and organizational leadership.
Jacky is a graduate of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He holds master’s degrees in engineering and business administration.
Beyond business and investing, Jacky has practiced Wushu and Tai Chi since childhood. He is deeply committed to advancing health and well-being through Tai Chi and bringing its enduring principles to modern life and leadership.
Ellen Fang
General Partner
Ellen is an angel investor and former executive at L.E.K. Consulting and Deloitte, with more than 20 years of experience in strategy, M&A, and investing. She has advised Fortune 500 companies on cross-border growth and worked with leading private equity funds on investment evaluation, due diligence, and portfolio value creation. Today, she invests in innovative technology, healthcare, and cleantech companies across Canada and the United States. In 2022, she was featured by NACO as one of 27 Women Trailblazers at the forefront of Canada’s innovation economy.
Ellen holds an MBA from the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and a bachelor’s degree in Materials Science. She serves on the Investment Review Committee of Maple Leaf Angels.
Danielle Graham
Danielle has built a career championing women in technology, both as an investor and an ecosystem builder. A dedicated advocate, coach, and connector, Danielle has worn many hats across venture and community building, including as Co-founder of The Firehood and former Principal at both Sandpiper Ventures and Dream Maker Ventures.
In the Canadian tech ecosystem, Danielle is well known as founder of Communitech’s Fierce Founders, the first women-focused tech accelerator in Canada.
Danielle holds an MBA from the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, an MA from Dalhousie University, and a BA from Trinity College at the University of Toronto.
Randall Howard
General Partner
Randall has had a distinguished career building and funding global firms based on innovation. A prolific technology visionary, CEO, investor and philanthropist, Randall has worn many hats in both investment and operation including as a Manager Partner of Verdexus, Co-founder and Partner of Cognition Fund, and co-founder of CEO MKS Inc. a software company that was taken public and acquired.
In the Waterloo-Toronto Tech Corridor, Randall is well known as a co-founder of Communitech and a major driver of GTAN, the local angel organization.
Randall graduated from the University of Waterloo with an honours degree in computer science and mathematics.
Thealzel Lee
General Partner
Thealzel Lee is an experienced board member, entrepreneur, and angel investor who advises companies on technology commercialization and developing achievable business strategies. She has managed angel investor groups including the VANTEC Angel Network (VANTEC) and the Vancouver chapter of the Keiretsu Forum (Northwest Region). She also served on committees with the National Angel Capital Organization (Canada) and the Angel Capital Association (U.S.).
Thealzel is co-founder and director of angel investment funds including Nelsa Investment (VCC) Inc., the VANTEC Entrepreneurs (VCC) Fund Inc. dba eFund.
Thealzel holds an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University and a BSc from the University of Alberta.
Benton Leong
General Partner
In his career, Benton has served as a teacher and researcher in computer science at Penn State University and the University of Waterloo. He is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, coach to many startups, innovation ecosystem builder and community activist. Some of Benton’s roles include: Communitech’s Executive-in-Residence; Canada’s National Angel Capital Organization (NACO)’s Angel-in-Residence; Co-founder of MapleSoft – MapleSoft was acquired by Cybernet Systems Group in 2009.
A business developer at heart, Benton identifies opportunities that are not obvious at first glance; he puts together teams with complementary expertise to capitalize on those opportunities. As well as serving on the board for tech ventures, Benton also helps in the general community as a board member and volunteer for organizations that serve people under stress, recent immigrants, and those without shelter.
Claudette McGowan
General Partner
Claudette McGowan is a global information technology leader with more than 20 years of success leading digital transformations, optimizing infrastructure and designing new approaches that improve service and cybersecurity experiences. She has worked in the technology industry for several organizations such as Deloitte, Metropolitan Police Services, North York General Hospital, Bank of Montreal and TD Bank.
Claudette is the founder and CEO of Protexxa, a Canadian-based cybersecurity software and services company.
Claudette is an active member of the Canadian innovation ecosystem. She is the chair of the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR), a group of senior business leaders committed to fighting systemic racism within the innovation economy. Her commitment to community is evidenced by her multiple board seats for leading organizations such as MaRS Discovery District, SickKids Hospital Foundation, Black North, The Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR), Elevate Technology Festival, Northwind Professional Institute, and the U.S. Consul General of Toronto U.S-Canada Innovation Council.
Claudette completed her studies in Canada and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Lakehead University, a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University, and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Carleton University. Claudette is currently in the Computer Science PhD program at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Peyvand Melati
General Partner
Peyvand is a highly accomplished entrepreneur and angel investor. He is an expert in commercialization and growth of companies, with a focus on AI, IOT, CleanTech, and MedTech. He is a seasoned veteran in the startup process from initial inception to launch. Peyvand has a particular knack for setting priorities, developing strategies, and building teams to scale ventures.
Peyvand is the founder & CEO of QEA Tech, an AI-driven sustainability company that uses drones to gather comprehensive thermography, quantification, and energy audit services for buildings’ infrastructure.
Peyvand is an electrical engineer and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and from the Schulich School of Business.
Ehsan Mirdamadi
General Partner
Ehsan has been an active entrepreneur since 1999. Throughout his 20 + years of experience, he has founded, led, and exited multiple successful ventures in cloud computing, cloud software, and biotechnology in Canada and the United States. Ehsan is the co-founder and CEO of Codalio. He acts as a technology and venture development advisor to dozens of ventures.
Ehsan holds a B.Sc in Computer Science from York University.
Alexandra Puthon
Operations
Alexandra’s work at Archangel involves managing day-to-day fund operations by supporting Archangel’s four portfolios, including reviewing legal documents for fund investments and interacting with portfolio companies and limited partners.
Alexandra earned an LL.B from the University of Edinburgh and is licensed with the Law Society of Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree at Western University, with a double major in Globalization Studies and Nutrition.
Aaron Rezaei
Former General Partner
Aaron is a serial entrepreneur, investor and advisor who has co-founded several companies in electronics design, electronics manufacturing, voltage power (protection control), and SCADA panel design in Canada and the United States. He is currently the CEO of STIM, Canada.
As an angel investor, Aaron is most interested in pre-seed and seed-stage start-ups in the tech, fintech, electronics design and manufacturing spaces.
By trade, Aaron is an electrical engineer and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
David Rich
General Partner
Prior to angel investing, David had a 30-year career in the food industry. He was country manager for one of the world’s leading flavour and ingredient companies. He brings a strong record of corporate governance, financial and risk management.
David was the 2018 GTAN Angel of the Year.
David holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.Eng. from McGill University.
Diane Wolfenden
General Partner
Diane Wolfenden is an active angel investor. She’s a General Partner in Phoenix Fire, investing in women entrepreneurs. Since 2009, Diane’s been a charter member of the Golden Triangle Angel Network (GTAN) and has twice been on its board. In 2016, she received GTAN’s David Borges Community Builder of the Year Award. Currently, she sits on the Archangel board and the Advisory Boards for Clockwork Energy and Splice N Connect, and is an instructor for the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) Academy. Formerly an investor advisor with RBC Dominion Securities, Diane also gives back as a community volunteer.
Diane received both her MBA and MLS from McGill University.
