Dion Madsen
Founder of Amplitude Ventures
Dion Madsen
Founder of Amplitude Ventures
Montreal, Quebec
Overview
Work Experience
Co-Founder and Partner
2018 - Current
Amplitude Ventures is a capital catalyst for highly innovative companies at the point of value acceleration. We work with Canada's most promising healthcare companies that share our vision of bringing groundbreaking technologies to patients. Amplitude is focused on building world-class Canadian companies in precision medicine and next-generation medical devices. Since 2012, the Amplitude team has deployed a venture growth model used to build Canadian companies with world-class management teams and scale companies to breakout potential. This model has been used by the team to create, build, and grow companies, resulting in over $1 billion in company value. Our offices are in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Senior Managing Partner
2013 - 2018
BDC Venture Capital's mission is to help great ideas become great companies. With more than $1 billion in current and planned investments and over 25 years of experience in venture capital, BDC Venture Capital focuses on innovative health, IT and energy/clean technology companies with high growth potential. The BDC Venture Capital Healthcare Fund turns great healthcare ideas into successful ventures by partnering with Canadian entrepreneurs to commercialize the most innovative solutions and approaches to improving health outcomes.
Co-Founder and Managing Director
2007 - 2012
Managing Director of Physic Ventures based in San Francisco, provides capital and support to entrepreneurs focused on building exceptional science-based, consumer-directed health, wellness and sustainable living companies. Our strategy is to capitalize on major economic, social and political trends shaping the healthcare landscape, including the rapid migration toward the adoption of a consumer-driven, prevention-oriented "self-care" paradigm.
Managing Director
2005 - 2007
Managing Director of Unilever Technology Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of Unilever, PLC. Transformed the investment practice and led the harvesting of a $65MM venture capital fund. Notable exits include Textronics, Halosource and Merrimack.
Corporate Development
2004 - 2005
Developed new corporate development strategy for Chiron's BioPharma business ($600MM Annual Revenue). Developed portfolio management model to manage Chiron product assets. Developed recommendations for product/company acquisitions. Led corporate and business unit strategic planners to translate strategy into action by proactively identifying merger & acquisition and partnership opportunities to implement the overall corporate development strategy.
Manager of Investor Relations
2004 - 2004
Ensure that investors and analysts have the information needed to form an accurate investment opinion, supporting a clear and credible investment thesis. Primary contact with institutional investors, investment analysts, brokers and individual investors. Develops and executes all major financial communications, such as the annual report, quarterly earnings, analyst road shows and investor meetings. Strong financial analysis skills with an understanding of all aspects of the Chiron's business, including a strong knowledge of Chiron's history, as well as the external factors that could affect future results, including, regulatory and industry issues, broad market trends and competitive landscape. Able to have "spreadsheet" discussions with investors and analysts on balance sheet, income statement or cash flow issues. Provide appropriate information for analyst models and aids modeling process.
Partner
1998 - 2003
Raised a US$50MM Life Sciences Fund managed by RBC Capital Partners, the first third party capital fund in RBC Capital Partners' history. * Successfully led or co-led three investments in the US: Idun Pharmaceuticals (San Diego), Corus Pharma (Seattle) and Conforma Therapeutics (San Diego). Worked with Partners on investments in Signal Analytics (Palo Alto) and Angiogenix (San Francisco, RBC co-led). * In RBCs first life sciences fund, a CDN$100MM fund focused on the Canadian market, established a Western Canadian office. * Co-led the Funds investment in Cytovax Biotechnologies. Completed two PIPE's (Inex Pharmaceuticals and Hemosol Inc.), both exited profitably. Completed an investment in Sembiosys Genetics, the largest ever private biotechnology investment in Alberta. * Was Acting CFO at Cytovax Biotechnologies. Structured a bridge financing, negotiated a drug co-development partnership with BioChem Pharma, raised a $7.9MM private placement and arranged Cytovaxs IPO in 2001.
Education
Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder
1994 - 1997
B.Comm
1985 - 1989