Sergio A. Escobar
Managing Director at Lalotte Ventures
Sergio A. Escobar
Managing Director at Lalotte Ventures
Greater Montreal Metropolitan Area
Overview
Work Experience
CEO / Managing Director
2018 - Current
BCF Ventures is a Canadian Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) Fund investing at the seed/seed+ stage of technology-based startups mostly in the United States and Canada, and opportunistically in Europe/Israel. We invite founders to submit an application here: http://bcfventures.vc/ We are passionate about disruptive technologies and the business opportunities that these create. We are looking for innovation pioneers challenging the status quo in traditional sectors, or dramatically improving legacy processes. The companies we fund must have some type of key science or technological innovation leading to the development of intellectual property rights. We believe in the future of B2B Cloud & SaaS Enterprise startups leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Analytics and Security. While we invest across industries, we have a special attention to Finance, Healthcare, Education, Logistics & Supply Chain, Advanced Manufacturing, Transportation, and Aerospace. BCF Ventures is a spin-off of BCF Business Law Firm. Established in 1995, BCF Business Law Firm has, in just over 20 years, become the reference for all matters relating to business law in Québec. Deeply rooted in the business community as well as in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Québec, BCF and its professionals are recognized as being effective strategic consultants for their clients.
Managing Director
2021
Lalotte Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital fund, part of the "Mitch Garber & Anne-Marie Boucher" Family Office, investing and empowering entrepreneurs in emerging technologies across Sports, Media and Entertainment. We focus on startups across North America and Israel who have already successfully launched a product, have demonstrated early revenue and need further investments to pursue growth.
Associate at CDL Montreal | Streams in Artificial Intelligence & Supply Chain
2017
The Creative Destruction Lab Montreal is a seed-stage program for massively scalable, science-based ventures having a focus in Artificial Intelligence / Data Sciences. The program employs an objective based mentoring process with the goal of maximizing equity-value creation. The Lab is particularly suited to early stage companies with links to university research labs. Located in Montreal, a city with one of the largest concentrations of AI researchers in the world, HEC Montréal is a leading business school and has been at the forefront of data science research for 40 years. CDL-Montreal also offers an access to a database of cutting-edge research produced at Montreal’s Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO).
Director, Board of Directors
2022
Startup Canada is the gateway to Canada’s entrepreneurial ecosystem that points you in the right direction, eliminates barriers, and champions your needs to private and public sector partners. We connect you with support organizations and peers across the country with industry expertise, regional knowledge, and funding to help you start and build successful businesses.
Managing Director in Montreal - Venture Pre-Seed Accelerator
2013 - 2022
Passionate about building new businesses & helping those around them do the same. Helping to bring the Silicon Valley "born global / go big, go home" spirit to Canadian entrepreneurs. I'm always looking for talented and passionate entrepreneurs. Track record of coaching & training entrepreneurs build the most innovative and successful tech startups in Montreal. Portfolio of +30 startups. Named "Best Overall Director" worldwide in 2015. Received the "Most Innovate Startups" award worldwide in 2016, Best Canadian startup in 2017, Best Hardware startups worldwide in 2017. • Coaching and training founders shape their company vision, customer validation, MVP development, business and go-to-market strategy, fundraising, pitch, corporate deck • Fundraising with Angels and VC's • Significantly develop the local startup community in Montreal
Mentor | Global Facilitator, Startup Weekend | Curator, Startup Digest | Director, Startup Next
2012 - 2022
Techstars is a global ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs to bring new technologies to market wherever they choose to live. With dozens of mentorship-driven accelerator programs and thousands of community programs worldwide, Techstars exists to support the world’s most promising entrepreneurs throughout their lifelong journey, from inspiration to IPO. Techstars provides access to tens of thousands of community leaders, founders, mentors, investors, and corporate partners, allowing entrepreneurs to accelerate the pace of innovation and do more faster. Techstars supports every stage of the entrepreneurial journey – from early stage grassroots community development to more formal opportunities that provide education, experience, acceleration, funding, and beyond.
Strategic Advisor/Consultant | NEXT Artificial Intelligence - Montreal Accelerator
2018 - 2019
Next AI is an accelerator and founder development program for early or idea stage AI-enabled startups. It is delivered in two of Canada’s AI powerhouses: Montréal and Toronto. Up to $200k in funding. Next AI is for exceptional teams and individuals from around the world who are commercializing AI research and want to build global companies. Read more: https://www.nextcanada.com/next-ai
Innovation & Digital Entrepreneurship Programs (Incubation, Acceleration, Seed Funding) Specialist
2010 - 2018
Delivering entrepreneurial ecosystem solutions: public policies (financial incentives, employment, education), cluster strategies, technology transfer, growth-oriented technology entrepreneurship programs for startups in emerging and frontier markets through incubation, acceleration, and seed financing.
Managing Director
2010 - 2012
For 14 years, the Angel Investors Challenge has helped young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 40 to create or develop their own businesses by offering them an opportunity to present their projects to experienced businesspeople, convincing them to invest in these new businesses. The event is organized by the Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal (JCCM) in collaboration with Anges Québec, which is the largest network of private investors in the Province of Quebec. 2011 - 2012: Chairman. Lead 5 committee directors and +30 professional volunteers. 2010 - 2011: Deputy Director - Investors & VC Committee
Co-Founder, Investor
2005 - 2012
Investor and co-founder of a Meat Packing Plant in South America (Santa Cruz - Bolivia). Other investors include local Family Offices, private investors, local Cattle Producers Association and the largest Sugarcane Mill Industry. Board Director (2005 - 2008) representing a Family Office as well as a group of private investors - Member of the Strategic Committee. Participated in the acquisition process, plus in the investment for the plant modernization process. Acquired in 2013 by Guabira Sugarcane Mill Industry
Education
MBA (uncompleted)
2004 - 2006
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
2001 - 2002
B. Eng.
1995 - 1999
Certificate
1994 - 1995
CÉGEP
1989 - 1993