Jordan McFarlen from Conexus Venture Capital

Jordan McFarlen is the Managing Director at Conexus Venture Capital.

Conexus Venture Capital (CVC) has launched its second $30M VC fund with a $15M first close from its founder, Conexus Credit Union.

With Fund II and new leadership, the Regina-based VC firm aims to build on the groundwork laid by its first fund and Conexus-founded incubator Cultivator.

Through its latest fund, CVC plans to invest in more early-stage Saskatchewan-based technology startups.

Takeaways

• Jordan starting Cultivator and building a leading accelerator.
• Great versus good accelerator.
• Nuances and specific challenges that Saskatchewan founders face.
• Raising a $30M Fund II.
• Advantages of having a smaller tech ecosystem like agility, connectivity, a cohesive ecosystem, and the government's support through tax credits and non-dilutive funding.
• CVC's role in Saskatchewan funding early-stage startups and building relationships with other VCs for future funding rounds.
• Exciting Sask companies like 7Shifts (backed by Softbank), Coconut Software, Vendasta and more.
• The exciting next wave of Saskatchewan founders.

Chapters

00:00 Joining Conexus and Creating Cultivator

03:22 Attracting Investors and Building Relationships

08:22 Transitioning from Founder to Investor

13:31 The Advantages of Investing in Saskatchewan

18:43 Creating a Flywheel Effect in Saskatchewan

21:19 The Launch of Connect Suspension Capital Fund

24:26 Interesting Companies in Saskatchewan

26:47 The Ambition of the Younger Generation

29:05 Balancing Learning from Others and Staying Authentic

30:55 Dealing with Hard Times

33:45 The Inspiration and Drive Behind Jordan's Work

Keywords

Saskatchewan, tech ecosystem, Cultivator, Conexus Venture Capital, incubator, challenges, community, mentorship, smaller market, ambition, drive