Michael is an experienced venture investor, operator, and community builder based in Calgary, Canada. He is a staunch advocate for cutting-edge solutions that lie at the nexus of innovation, technology, and energy. As an investor, Michael gravitates towards antiquated and overlooked industries ripe for technology-driven transformation, with a particular emphasis on sustainable energy, agriculture, and the decarbonization of industrial processes.
As a Venture Partner at Antares Ventures, Michael is focused on supporting deep-tech startups in North America and helping them to navigate direct market access and scale opportunities across Asia Growth Markets. He brings a robust network, financial acumen, and a deep understanding of market dynamics, which were developed across roles as a venture investor at NGIF Capital, Founder and CEO at Hebert Financial, and Executive Director at the Venture Capital Association of Alberta.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Prior to joining Antares Ventures, Michael was a senior investor with NGIF Capital, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on cleantech solutions for industrial processes. Michael has deployed millions of dollars into category-defining companies, including Ekona Power, Ionomr Innovations, and CarboNet Nanotechnologies, which have gone on to raise more than a quarter of a billion dollars from top-tier co-investors such as Wing VC, Greylock Partners, Euclidean Capital, and Shell Ventures. Michael is an active investor that has represented the Fund at the board level for various portfolio companies.
Concurrent with this role at NGIF, Michael led the Venture Capital Association of Alberta as the Executive Director. While leading the organization, he helped build it into the second-largest industry association for venture capital and private equity funds in Canada.
Earlier in his career, Michael was an entrepreneur who founded his own advisory firm, Hebert Financial. He worked with a slate of clients, including investment banks, family offices, and startup companies, to advise them on corporate strategy and capital-raising mandates. Michael began his career at Wood Mackenzie, where he held various roles focusing on energy asset valuations and economic analysis of energy technologies.
Michael possesses deep experience at the intersection of technology, energy, and sustainability and is a recognized authority on venture investing in Canada and the United States. He has been a regular speaker at the Energy Technology Venture Forum at Rice University, the Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Conference and is a highly sought-after guest for several industry podcasts.
EDUCATION
Michael holds an M.Sc. in Energy, Trade, and Finance from Bayes Business School in London, England and a B.Mgmt in Finance from the University of British Columbia. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and has completed the Private Capital Governance Course from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
