Judges (Semi-Finals)

Todd Farrell

Todd has thirteen years of venture capital experience working locally with both GrowthWorks Capital and Vancity Capital. He has a successful record of early stage funding of local technology companies that includes several UBC startups. Todd is also an experienced entrepreneur having founded and managed his own spin-out company from a UK based research institution that was acquired by Thomson Reuters. Previous to this he worked for four years as a technology transfer manager at a set of research institutes as well as having worked as an assistant economist for the Forestry Commission in the UK. Currently, Todd is managing the entrepreneurship@UBC Seed Accelerator Fund targeting emerging companies that are associated with UBC.

Bob de Wit

Bob de Wit is a Vancouver based investor, mentor, director and consultant to growth-stage technology companies. He expresses his passion for entrepreneurship as Executive Director of New Ventures BC, Director and CEO of GreenAngel Energy Corp, and as an active member of the VANTEC angel network and the WUTIF angel fund. As a frequent speaker on entrepreneurship, Bob draws upon his executive experience in corporate development (M&A strategy and execution), corporate finance (raising equity capital) and competitive market intelligence to audiences ranging from entrepreneurial CEOs, angel investors to graduate students. Holding degrees in marketing (BBA) and economics (MA) from Simon Fraser University, Bob has built his fifteen year career around starting or nurturing technology start-ups.

Kevin Jampole

Kevin is an accomplished entrepreneurial software executive with broad experience in all aspects of sales, business development, marketing, operations and corporate strategy. He has over 30 years of national and international experience building strategic growth opportunities based on new technologies, products and services with Global 500 companies. Most recently Kevin was an Owner and Director of a UK based company, Software Imaging, one of the world’s largest suppliers of imaging technologies for the printing and mobile phone market. Previous to Software Imaging, Kevin held senior and executive positions at innovative IT companies like Adobe Systems, Infowave (award winning Retail and OEM Printing solutions), Vertigo (pioneer in 3D software) and Merisel (formerly the world’s largest distributor of computer products).

Jenny Yang

Jenny is the co-founder and CEO of Metafor Software, a startup developing next generation application management solutions. Prior to founding Metafor, Jenny was a Senior Director at BDC’s Venture Capital group where she led and managed BDC’s investments in young companies such as Bycast (acquired by NetApp) and OctigaBay (acquired by CRAY). Prior to BDC, Jenny was a consultant with BCG and Bain & Co. Jenny also has extensive experience in the telecom industry having worked in Nortel’s Wireless Product Marketing group where she helped to grow the wireless infrastructure business in China. Prior to Nortel, Jenny was an engineer with Telus. Jenny is an active supporter of the Canadian technology community and currently serves as Chairwoman of the Vancouver Enterprise Forum.