Expertise, resources and partners for smart, sustainable transportation

Time with Brian is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Brian Lenahan, former executive with a Canadian Bank, author of four books on artificial intelligence, consults to corporations and scale-up companies, advising on practical roadmaps and strategies for artificial intelligence solutions to make companies more efficient and competitive. In terms of quantum technologies, he has written three books on the subject, writes the “Quantum’s Business” substack, and chairs the Quantum Strategy Institute, a worldwide think tank of technology experts dedicated to  accelerating the adoption of quantum technologies. Brian’s MBA is from the American Sentinel University (Colorado) and holds certification from MIT Sloan School of Management (Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy) with an undergraduate Commerce degree from Queen’s University in Kingston. His hobbies relate primarily to physical fitness, family and to quality time at Starbucks with the morning crew.

Time with Bruce is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Bruce is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory and is currently consulting technology companies on commercialization and successful go-to-market activities such as business strategy, investor relations, product management, and more. He previously worked as Senior Director, Business Marketing at BlackBerry. He has over 25 years of business management expertise in software and hardware companies specializing in the mobility, healthcare, and transportation industries.

Time with Bryan is only available through your Innovation Advisor. With over 30 years of experience in the energy industry, Bryan Duarte is a seasoned professional, social venturist, and impact investor. As the Founder and Managing Partner at BlackTech Capital and the Founder & CEO of Enliten, Bryan focuses on ClimateTech and CleanTech, driving innovation and sustainability in these fields. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Certificate in Sustainability Science from the University of Tokyo.

Time with Colin is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Colin Hung is an award-winning healthcare marketer with more than 25 years of industry experience. He has led the marketing efforts at five Health IT companies – all of which have gone on to be acquired. Colin is passionate about improving healthcare and growing the healthcare IT/MedTech innovation ecosystem in Canada. He has helped hundreds of companies grow and scale their business as an advisor and mentor through his work at local innovation hubs including Innovation Factory, ventureLAB, and MARS. Colin has been published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology and the Journal of Health Care Risk Management. He holds a degree from the University of Waterloo in Mechanical Engineering.

Time with David is only available through your Innovation Advisor. David W. Wright, ICD.D, is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory. He provides capital markets, corporate finance, and transaction advisory and valuation services through Cassio Capital Advisors Inc. David has spent his career supporting technology-enhanced high-growth companies as an equity research analyst, investment banker, and corporate advisor. David has analyzed thousands of public and private technology companies, including conducting due diligence of private China-based corporations. As the Executive Director of Equation Angels / Angel One Network, a local angel group, David assisted with deal flow curation and supported the members with industry education and due diligence.

Time with Gordon is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Gordon Wehner is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory who brings extensive experience in guiding innovative medical organizations toward the implementation of effective quality management systems and navigating international medical device regulatory requirements. With Nearly 35 years of experience in Quality Management and Regulatory Affairs, Gordon continually demonstrates cross-disciplined talents in problem-solving for complex issues in both mature and start-up organizations in the medical device industry.

Time with Ian is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Ian is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory and a technology professional with over 25 years of experience in creating, managing, and supporting IT and software solutions. He is an accomplished People Manager with a proven track record of building highly-effective teams that are motivated to execute and deliver with excellence. Ian has an immense passion for the magic of software and its ability to translate imaginative ideas into solutions that help people be more productive.

Time with Jisun is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Jisun is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory with almost 25 years of experience in building program P&Ls, loyalty program design and technology, international market expansion, and product development. Jisun has first-hand experience with building sustainable business models and helping brands form deep relationships with consumers. Jisun was the Chief Product Officer for Flexiti, a fintech company based in Toronto. In addition, during her tenure as the Head of Client Services at Loyalty One, Jisun developed C-level relationships across major businesses in Canada. Currently, Jisun leads the strategic planning process and oversight as Chief Strategy Officer at Kognitiv.

Time with John is only available through your Innovation Advisor. John is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory. Prior to establishing Plutus Consulting Group (www.plutuscg.com), John spent over 25 years as a senior executive and CEO in the multinational Food and CPG industries. He successfully launched many recognized new products on three continents, achieving their branding and sales goals. He now guides businesses in the monetization of product innovation, business strategy, change management, organizational effectiveness, brand/product positioning, and retail customer development.

Time with Julie is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Julie Ellis is a notable executive and business coach. She provides her unique experience and expertise, gained through 25 years of working first in the corporate world, and then as a leading Canadian entrepreneur. She is a co-founder of award-winning Mabel’s Labels, one of Canada’s greatest small business success stories. As a professionally certified coach with the International Coaching Federation (2020), Julie works directly with bold leaders propelling them to unlock their capacity, leading to accelerated success. She is also Chair of the Board at Angel One Investment Network, one of the most active angel investor groups in Canada. A sought-after speaker and trainer, Julie has developed keynotes and workshops for private companies, corporations and associations, with titles such as “Ignite, Scale and Exit”, “Success Secrets of Wonder Women!” and “Why We All Need to Think Big!”.

Time with Mark is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Mark Elliott is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory and is the founder of VA Partners. The VA Partners team provides part-time sales and marketing services. With the Innovation Factory Mark leads a Sales Bootcamp, co-champions the Sales and Marketing P2P, supports the IDEA Fund, and is an expert Advisor. Mark is active in the start-up sales community as champion of the Communitech Sales Leaders P2P, teaches at U of T, and works with other RICs including Acceleration +, Altitude Accelerator, Haltech, and Innovation Niagara.

Time with Mark is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Mark is a fractional CMO, strategic advisor, and entrepreneurship coach for B2B SaaS companies. He provides innovators with strategic guidance to establish marketing foundations underpinned by clear customer stories, go-to-market plans, and tactical oversight. Before starting Marketing Spark in 2008, he co-founded a startup, worked for startups, and was an award-winning technology journalist.

Time with Megan is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Megan Coombes is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry leading teams and projects at both multinational and local start-up companies. Megan has a robust understanding of global markets, evolving healthcare policies, and health technology assessment practices. Megan’s career journey has been marked by a series of achievements in roles that have allowed her to develop a wide range of skills. Her experience includes cross-functional team leadership, strategic planning, clinical research, project management, and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on health technology assessment and reimbursement.

Time with Michael is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Michael is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory with over 20 years of experience leading business performance optimization within the manufacturing sector utilizing a process-driven, continuous improvement approach. Over that time, he developed an expertise in not only understanding fundamental process improvement but also the critical interplay between the tools that govern those processes and the people who execute them. Now, as a consultant, Michael leverages his background in ISO, AS9100 and other quality management systems to assist organizations in operationalizing strategic initiatives toward scalability and sustainability. At his core, Michael is a People Manager with a proven track record of creating alignment across diverse stakeholders employing a needs-based approach with strong change management techniques.

Time with Michelle is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Michelle Campbell brings over 15 years of experience helping companies capture attention, build traction, and scale. She’s led strategy teams at top advertising and digital agencies across North America, advising both startups and global brands like Google and Audi. With a mix of brand instinct and growth mindset, Michelle helps businesses connect with the right audiences and unlock what’s next. After years working with global clients, she’s excited to support homegrown ventures and contribute to the local innovation community.

Time with Mitch is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Mitch Wilson is a medical device start-up founder with expertise developing, leading and executing in early-stage life sciences organizations. He was responsible for taking early-stage companies through formation, product development, regulatory clearances, revenue and ultimately generating cash-based high ROI for founders and all shareholders. Mitch earned a B.Sc(H) and MBA, both obtained at McMaster University. He also acquired a B.Ed from Trent University. Mitch spent several years as a former secondary school teacher before going back to business school. He is an avid pianist and multi-instrumentalist.

Time with Rajiv is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Rajiv has over 20 years of experience across telecom, pharmaceutical, and retail industries, holding senior roles in consumer, business, enterprise markets, and resellers. He is deeply knowledgeable in telecom regulations, including CRTC registration and wireless code of conduct, as well as pharmaceutical distribution and compliance, having owned and operated a pharmacy brokerage. Rajiv has also managed a family-owned retail business specializing in supplements. His expertise spans sales and marketing, corporate governance, finance, audit, compliance, M&A, and operations across Canada, the US, the Philippines, and India. He has built multi-disciplinary teams, led strategic planning, and served on both public and private company boards, contributing to corporate strategy, venture capital, and integration processes.

Time with Randy is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Randy has a breadth of experience in sales and sales management roles in both startups and large tech companies. He carried a quota for over 35 years, always in “hunting” roles focused on B2B sales; constantly having the pressure to produce results quickly. Currently, he is an Expert Advisor, assisting numerous start-up companies in launching and expanding their sales efforts. Randy has a bachelor’s degree in business finance from the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma. He has taken many sales training courses and is familiar with their various methodologies. Randy enjoys snowboarding, sailing, traveling, doing construction projects around the house, and playing with his grandkids.

Time with Robert is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Robert Buren has extensive experience in sales, marketing, and management consulting, having led business development for startups during the dot-com boom and significantly contributed to growing a Microsoft Gold Partner business. He later joined Microsoft Canada and founded ventures including SecTor, Canada’s largest IT security conference. Robert holds a Master’s degree and is currently pursuing a PhD in Kinesiology with a focus on pain management for spinal cord injury. His passion projects include helping startups with business definition and messaging, and he is also an advocate for accessibility and disability.

Time with Sanjay is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Sanjay is an Innovation Factory Expert Advisor who has a wealth of experience in different industries. He has offered financial stewardship in building and managing entrepreneurial companies and has provided SaaS and software/data-related services to their global clients. Sanjay has developed and implemented business-specific financial tools, accounting and finance structures, policies, processes, and procedures as the startup companies were going through hypergrowth. Sanjay has vast experience in many other industries in addition to technology and has been a trusted advisor to the senior leadership teams.

Time with Stephanie is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Stephanie McLarty is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory and award-winning entrepreneur and champion of sustainable business. Stephanie founded REfficient in 2010 which provided a reuse and recycling marketplace and services in the Telecom sector. Under Stephanie’s leadership, REfficient became Hamilton’s first Certified B Corp and grew to have customers in 14 countries. The company was acquired by Canada’s largest electronics recycler, Quantum Lifecycle Partners, in January 2022. Stephanie is now Head of Sustainability at Quantum, where she is in charge of building and executing a sustainability strategy across the company’s 10 locations and 500+ employees. Her work has already resulted in awards for the company in ESG leadership.

Time with Tom is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Tom is an Expert Advisor at Innovation Factory who has been working in the technology industry for over 35 years. He advises tech companies of all sizes in Business Strategy, Sales Execution, and Routes to Market Structure. He has successfully taken his clients through significant growth stages. Prior to establishing his practice, Tom spent 30 years as a senior executive at IBM, leading teams in their software and services division. He brings a unique combination of large company experience and entrepreneurial knowledge to the organization.

Time with Tom is only available through your Innovation Advisor. Tom Wolff has a passion for enabling consumer-driven companies to discover growth opportunities and build the capabilities required to scale to the next level of success. He has broad experience leading businesses in consumer-packaged goods, medical devices, and apparel at industry leading companies. With a strong working knowledge of retail markets and managing supply chains across North America, Asia, and Europe, Tom has successfully built global brands. Tom holds a BA from Emory University and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an ICD.D Director/Board designation from the University of Toronto-Rotman. Tom currently focuses on mentoring entrepreneurs and angel investing.