About Praveen
Praveen has been a principal of Varshney Capital Corp., a Vancouver-based family office, since 1991. He's also a Founding Director of Pyfera Growth Capital & a Founding Director of Humanitas Smart Planet Fund, both with a social impact focus. Mr. Varshney obtained his UBC Sauder BComm in 1987 and is a FCPA, FCA.
He has been a Co-Founder, Director or Officer of many publicly traded companies over the years including one of Canada's largest fintech companies, Mogo Inc. (NASDAQ: MOGO & TSX: MOGO), NEXE Innovations & Little Kitchen Academy. He’s also on four charity boards
such as The Vancouver Foundation & Foundations for Social Change.
Praveen is also a recipient of Business in Vancouver's 40 Under 40 Awards, the 2020 Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Wendy McDonald Diversity Awards Outstanding Mentor and 2021 inaugural, 2022 & 2023 Business in Vancouver Top 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in BC (Banking & Finance - Private Equity, Venture Capital & Hedge Funds category).
Awards & Recognition
2021 & 2022
BC500 – inaugural list of the 500 most influential business leaders in BC (Banking & Finance – Private Equity, Venture Capital & Hedge Funds).
2020
Diversity Award, in the category of Outstanding Mentor or Sponsor.
2020
Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) Wendy McDonald.
2019
100 Year Journey Leadership Network, Founding Member.
2017
UBC Alumni Builder Award – to mark association’s 100th anniversary.
2009
FWE Forum for Women Entrepreneurs.
1997
Business in Vancouver’s 40 Under 40.
Presentation & Speaker Engagements
2022 - Tallbridge Investments Corp. Fireside Chat
2022 - UBC Financial Literacy “Splitting the Equity Pie” Panel
2021 - Founder Institute Finance Panel
2021 - Jr.Achievement Albania Pitch Panelist
2021 - Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Leaders of Tomorrow Discovery Series: Lessons on Leadership panel
2020 - BC Tech Association Funding panellist
2020 - Swisscontact Entrepreneurship panellist
2019 - Forum for Women Entrepreneurs E-Series Power Pitch speaker
2019 - Social Venture Partners inaugural Failure Chat series panellist
2019 - TechExit.io conference M&A speaker panellist
2018 - VanFUNDING Conference INVESTOR PERSPECTIVES: Hot Sector Developments, Innovations and Opportunities panel
2018 - EO Expert Panel "Life Lessons We Wish We Knew Years Ago"
2018 - BCIT Student Assoc. “Seed Capital & Early-Stage Funding: Ask An Expert Panel”
2018 - Startup City: Fostering Innovation in Vancouver Panel
2018 - Panelist for Vancouver EO Accelerator Day
2018 - Jigme Love Dream Factory Mastermind Series
2018 - Forum for Women Entrepreneurs E-Series speaker
2018 - Keela “Capacity” Conference “The Donor Panel”
2017 - Social Venture Partners “The Donor Panel – Why Donors Give & Keep Giving”
2017 - Founder Institute “Hotseat Pitch” Panel
2017 - Founder Institute Finance Panel
2017 - SOAR Summit Fireside Chat
2017 - BrainStation’s Fintech Panel Moderator
2017 - Social Impact Talk with Sandeep Gupta & Peter Holgate to ESADE Alumni
2017 - Fireside chat with Ray Muzyka & Host Cam Good for EO Canadian GSEA Finals
2016 - Panelist for 2nd annual VanFUNDING Conference pitch contest
2016 - Panelist for SFU Interfaith Centre and the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions Sustainable Business event
2016 - NACO Impact Investing panelist
2016 - Panelist for Board of Change “My Favorite Social Investment”
2016 - Panelist twice at World Entrepreneur Forum at Bear Mountain Resort, BC
2016 - Panelist for SFU’s Tech e@SFU Final Presentations
2016 - Panelist for Vinetta Showcase
2016 - Panelist for Ernst & Young’s Accelerating Growth Through Strategic Financing Roundtable
2015 - Panelist for Vancouver EO Chapter’s 2nd GSEA competition
2015 - Panelist for Vancouver EO Accelerator Day
2016 - TiE’s TYE Program speaker
2016 - Panelist for Toniic’s Big Path, Palo Alto
2016 - Panelist for UBC’s Inaugural Social Enterprise Conference
2016 - Panelist for Vancouver Impact Investment Forum
2015 - Panelist (“Capital Raising & Liquidity for Private Companies”) for TSX Private Markets Conference
2015 - Panelist for Tribe of Zero Capital Advantage Conference
2015 - UBC Sauder Centre for Social Innovation & Impact Investing Propelling Social Ventures Conference, Panel Member on Entrepreneurship
2015 - Panelist for Spring Activator’s Equity Crowdfunding Panel
2012 - Panelist for the League Assets Summits August 2012 & August 2013 in Victoria, BC
2013 - UBC Finance Club “10 Maxims of Investing”
2013 - Ismaili Entrepreneurship Conference, Panel Member on Venture Capital & Financing workshop
2014 - UBC Finance Club “Careers Exploration”
2012 - Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Round Table Host at Citizenship Ceremony
2012 - Panelist for the “Embracing Awards” event jointly hosted by the Professional Women's Network, Association of
Women in Finance, Women's Enterprise Centre, Women Business Owners and Forum for Women Entrepreneurs.
2007 - SFU ACE's "BDC Enterprize Business Plan Competition - 'Minding Your Own Business' " participated and shared experiences in Roundtable Discussions about the keys to business success and the pitfalls to avoid.
2007 - Sauder School of Business, UBC - BDC Enterprize 2007 at the interactive workshop competition "Venture Capital Financing", was a presenter and judge.
2006 - Interview by John Assaraf of www.onecoach.com. "Expert Interview Call - Growth Financing: Where the Money Is & How to Get It"
2005 - Sauder School of Business, UBC - Enterprize panel discussion on funding your business and entrepreneurship; and business plan workshop presenter.
2004 - TSX Venture Exchange Venture Success Campaign - Accessing Public Venture Capital ("PVC") Workshop - Case study on Carmanah Technologies Corporation's experience going public
2003 - 3rd Annual TiE / Monte Jade Entrepreneur Workshop Expert Panel Discussion providing a unique
opportunity for 1-2 members of 8 companies to present and participate in a closed-door workshop
entirely focused on improving their company's business strategy.
2003 - KPMG's "Thought Leadership Series" Expert Panel Discussion explained how a properly executed
financing strategy may help avoid some of the pitfalls of a taking a company public.
2001 - India Club Youth Society Careers Day Panel Discussion on "Careers of the Future: What It Takes To Be A Successful Entrepreneur"
2001 - The Young Entrepreneurs Organization (YEO) event, Panel Discussion on "Issues and Challenges
of Running A Public Company"
2001 - 5th Annual SOHO Small Business Conference Expert Panel Discussion on “Growth Financing: Where Is The Money & How Do I Get It!”
2001- The Vancouver Enterprise Forum's (VEF's) Going Public Financing- Presentation featuring Carmanah Technologies Corporation's experience with Dr. David Green, Chairman and Founder, and Praveen
Varshney, Director of Varshney Capital Corp.