Meet the visionary team behind Bioenterprise Canada
Discover the members of our advisory committees, board of directors, and dedicated staff driving innovation and growth.

Colin Farnum
Chairperson and Innovation Advisor
Read more +about Colin Farnum


Colin Farnum
Chairperson and Innovation Advisor
Previously the Senior Director, Innovation and New Technologies at Maple Leaf Foods, Colin is a seasoned food science/business professional with 40+ years of food experience. Having worked in multiple food categories he has led teams of 5 to 20 Food Scientists responsible for product and process development, cost containment and cost reduction. Since his retirement he has continued his involvement through a combination of consulting, mentoring and Bioenterprise Board work.


Olga Pawluczyk
Board Director
Read more +about Olga Pawluczyk

Olga Pawluczyk
Board Director
Olga Pawluczyk is the co-founder and CEO of P&P Optica (PPO), based in Waterloo, Ontario, part of Canada’s largest and fastest-growing tech community. Olga is an expert in medical imaging, with a technical background in systems engineering and deep knowledge of the science of spectroscopy. Under the leadership of Olga and her co-founder, her father Romek Pawluczyk, PPO launched in 2004 as a research company focused on developing high-end spectrometers. Olga assumed full leadership of the company in 2010 and has grown the company from a research-driven organization to focus on commercialization across different industries (oil and gas, space exploration, medical applications). Olga pivoted the company over the past 6 years to focus exclusively on building quality and safety solutions for the food processing industry. Olga is driven by the opportunity to combine emerging hardware and software technologies to significantly improve the nutritional quality, safety, and sustainability of our food.
Olga participates regularly as an advisory board member in both the meat industry and the Canadian tech sector, with organizations such as the Canadian Food Innovation Network and Bioenterprise. She is an active member of the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) Foreign Materials Committee.
Olga has a BASc (Engineering) from the University of Waterloo; an MSc (Medical BioPhysics) from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.


James Meddings
Board Director
Read more +about James Meddings

James Meddings
Board Director
James Meddings was in the federal public service for 32 years, and most recently served as the Deputy Minister of FedDev Ontario for the past five years. Previously, he held increasingly senior roles with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Privy Council Office, Human Resources Development Canada, Environment Canada, the Canada School of Public Service and Western Economic Diversification. Prior to his retirement, Meddings was a board member with Communitech Corporation and served on the Toronto Region Board of Trade Recovery Framework Steering Cabinet, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Advisory Council on Ontario’s Economic Future, the U.S-Canada Innovation Partnership and the federal government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector table. He also represented Canada on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Regional Development Policy Committee for the last six years.

Keith Thomas
Board Director
Read more +about Keith Thomas

Keith Thomas
Board Director
Keith is a proven entrepreneur with experience in leading and growing businesses across a variety of sectors. He is a Partner at Abbeywood Partners, an investment firm focused on mid-market private companies. He is the Chair and former CEO of Vive Crop Protection. He built and sold healthcare technology firm Vector Innovations to a Fortune 50 company. He has also led large-scale restructuring projects at New York-based Tandon Capital, managed strategy and operations projects at Booz Allen & Hamilton, and completed corporate finance transactions at Citibank. He is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), former board member of CropLife America, and former Chair of the University of Toronto Governing Council’s Business Board with board oversight of its operating and capital budget. He holds an M.B.A. from Columbia University, and an M.A. in Economics and B.A.Sc. in Engineering from the University of Toronto.

Lorelei Graham
Board Director
Read more +about Lorelei Graham

Lorelei Graham
Board Director
Lorelei Graham is a Partner at law firm Bennett Jones where she practises intellectual property law with a significant focus on clients in the food and agribusiness sectors. She has developed a practice that addresses all aspects of her food and agriculture clients’ intellectual property needs, from initial consultations regarding IP strategies to drafting, filing and prosecuting patents, trademarks, industrial designs and copyright in Canada, the United States and internationally. Graham has also written extensively on the growing role of precision agriculture in agribusiness.

Richard Cloutier
Board Director and Innovation Advisor
Read more +about Richard Cloutier

Richard Cloutier
Board Director and Innovation Advisor
Richard Cloutier brings nearly 40 years of expertise in the deployment of innovation, business start-ups and business development strategies, including managing partner of the Ecofuel Fund, a venture capital fund that invests in climate tech including agri-tech. He has also been President and CEO of the Centre québécois de valorisation des biotechnologies (CQVB), an organization dedicated to innovation and technology transfer in Quebec’s bio-industry sector, and was the founder, president and CEO of Gelkem, a private biopharmaceutical company involved in controlled drug delivery systems. Cloutier holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Sherbrooke University and an MBA from Laval University and is frequently consulted on innovation strategy development.


Joanne Fedeyko
Board Director
Read more +about Joanne Fedeyko

Joanne Fedeyko
Board Director
Joanne Fedeyko is the Founder & CEO at Connection Silicon Valley (CSV), an organization that helps accelerate Canadian startups from Seed to Scale, and the Founder of the Canadian Women’s Network (CWN). With over 800 members, CWN is the preeminent community that connects Canadian founders to an influential network of U.S. investors, mentors and executives to help them grow locally and scale globally. Fedeyko is the co-founder and general partner of Women’s Equity Lab Silicon Valley, an angel investment fund with the mission to increase the number of female investors in early-stage startups. She hails from Alberta and has lived in Silicon Valley since 1999.

Ted Bilyea
Board Director
Read more +about Ted Bilyea

Ted Bilyea
Board Director
Ted Bilyea is an agri-food consultant specializing in innovation with clients in both private and public sector and special advisor the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) after previously serving as its chair and Chief Strategy Officer. He retired from Maple Leaf Foods Inc. as Executive Vice-President after spending 35 years with the company, including as president of Maple Leaf Foods International, and has served on many boards, such as Paterson Global Foods Inc. and the Alberta Meat and Livestock Agency. Bilyea holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international relations from York University and was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2018.

Dr. Rickey Yada
Scientific Advisor to the Board
Read more +about Dr. Rickey Yada

Dr. Rickey Yada
Scientific Advisor to the Board
Dr. Rickey Yada is Professor and Dean, Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Life Sciences at the University of Alberta. From 2014 to 2024, he was Dean of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. Prior to UBC, Dr. Yada was at the University of Guelph where he held numerous leadership roles, including Chair, Department of Food Science, Assistant Vice President Research, Canada Research Chair in Food Protein Structure, and Scientific Director of the Advanced Foods and Materials Network (Networks of Centres of Excellence Canada).
Dr. Yada is a co-editor of Trends in Food Science and Technology and serves on the editorial boards of several journals. Aside from Bioenterprise Canada, he is an advisor to other Boards of research and industry organizations, such as the Canadian Food Innovation Network and Saltagen Ventures Limited (Hong Kong). Other positions include External Advisory Committee Member at Arrell Food Institute; Member of the Scientific Advisory Panels at Riddet Institute (New Zealand), AgResearch (New Zealand); and External Advisory Committee, Sydney Institute of Agriculture, The University of Sydney (Australia).
Dr. Yada is the Past President of the Deans Council of the Faculties of Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine in Canada; Past President and Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, and the International Academy of the International Union of Food Science and Technology; as well as a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, and Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society. Dr. Yada has an honorary DSc from the University of Guelph.


Nevin McDougall
Financial Advisor to the Board
Read more +about Nevin McDougall

Nevin McDougall
Financial Advisor to the Board
Nevin is an accomplished business executive, entrepreneur, and investor with 30 years experience in industry-leading, innovative agri-business organizations. He has led business operations for companies such as BASF in both North American and International markets with expertise in commercial operations, R&D, and executive management. He has also been involved as an investor, entrepreneur, and coach to several small and medium sized companies in the agri-food sector. He brings broad perspective and governance capability to the organization from past roles in industry associations, non-profit, public and private company boards.

Dave Smardon
President & CEO
Read more +about Dave Smardon

Dave Smardon
President & CEO
Since 2005, Dave Smardon has led the development of Bioenterprise Canada, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, the leading national accelerator focusing solely on food and agriculture technologies. Bioenterprise Canada delivers significant impact to Canada’s economy through Dave’s vision of supporting innovative, high-growth food and agriculture businesses through funding programs and mentorship that match their potential. Dave is advocating for a united agricultural ecosystem nationally, mirroring the collaboration and cross-regional knowledge-sharing that has made other top-performing countries global leaders in technology and commercialization.
His background in venture capital and corporate leadership includes Apple Computer Inc., and Texas Instruments, as well as angel investment and his own entrepreneurial pursuits. Dave is also an advisor for government, family offices, investment companies, and innovation centres nationally, where his leadership has influenced the progression of Canada’s agriculture industry; an industry which is at the forefront of global innovation and economic development. This balance of finance and corporate experience, coupled with public interest ensures a healthy relationship with government, private sector corporations, and multi-nationals. Dave’s leadership continues to educate the expanded agricultural ecosystem on the potential to adopt and expand emerging technologies in sustainability, digitization, and automation.


Bethany Deshpande
Innovation Advisor, Dairy Industry Tech Development
Read more +about Bethany Deshpande

Bethany Deshpande
Innovation Advisor, Dairy Industry Tech Development
Bethany is a seasoned Founder & CEO with a proven track record in entrepreneurship, innovation, and fundraising. She has raised over $20M in funding and has won more than $2M at pitch competitions. With 8 years of experience leading SomaDetect, a dairy technology startup, Bethany brings expertise in technology development and strategic planning. She holds an MSc and PhD in Biology from Université Laval and a Bilingual Honours BA in Mathematics and Environmental Studies from York University. Bethany also serves on the boards of the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network and Springboard Atlantic.

Doug Knox
Innovation Advisor, Agri-Food Equipment and Technology
Read more +about Doug Knox

Doug Knox
Innovation Advisor, Agri-Food Equipment and Technology
Doug is a senior executive with over 35 years experience establishing and managing international partnerships, technology licenses, acquisitions and strategic alliances. Doug has managed both large corporate product divisions and developed small technology-based businesses.
He was the senior analyst at Bioenterprise Corporation as VP Technology for over 14 years. Doug spent 11 years with Unisys Corp. in the program management group where he held worldwide responsibility for the Education Line of Business “Computers in the Classroom”.
Doug has been an advisor to a variety of technology companies including e-commerce, RF Wireless, RFID, 3-D graphics, internet software, underground radio, broadband on copper, internet training, precision laser manufacturing of electronics, cleantech and alternative energy, most recently with several sensor and precision agri-tech and food-tech companies.


Erik Landry
Innovation Advisor, Precision Indoor Agriculture, CEA
Read more +about Erik Landry

Erik Landry
Innovation Advisor, Precision Indoor Agriculture, CEA
Dr. Erik Landry is a Horticultural consultant specializing in precision indoor agriculture. He holds advanced degrees including a BSc in Horticulture, an MSc in Plant Physiology, and a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics. A certified project manager with experience combining the scientific method and continuous improvement principles to overcome roadblocks, he can rapidly iterate and ground truth ideas, as well as identify and mitigate risk through root cause analysis. Dr. Landry consults on conducting scientifically rigorous research trials to optimize processes or field test new products and is a guiding resource for emerging indoor ag-tech start-ups.

Dr. Murray McLaughlin
Innovation Advisor, Bioeconomy (Agriculture & Forestry)
Read more +about Dr. Murray McLaughlin

Dr. Murray McLaughlin
Innovation Advisor, Bioeconomy (Agriculture & Forestry)
Innovation Advisor, Bioeconomy (Agriculture & Forestry)
Dr. Murray McLaughlin is President of McLaughlin Consultants and an Advisor to Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) and to Forest Products Innovation (FPI). Experiences over the years; Sustainable Chemistry Alliance; Deputy Minister Agriculture, Saskatchewan; President AgWest Biotech. Others area of experience includes Canadian Light Source as Business Director; Managed FORAGEN,a Venture Capital Fund; Research and Marketing with ELANCO. Participate on several boards and advisory committees and recognized with several achievements over his career.
He is a graduate of NS Agricultural College, McGill (BSc) and Cornell (MSC/PhD). He has an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Dalhousie University and received several awards; LSO Community Service Award; the GoldLeaf award from BioteCanada and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal. He was recipient of the LSO Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 and recognized in the top 100 global leaders in the Advanced Bioeconomy at Biofuels Digest Conference in 2016.


Dr. Jody Dexter
Innovation Advisor, Technology Development & Intellectual Property
Read more +about Dr. Jody Dexter

Dr. Jody Dexter
Innovation Advisor, Technology Development & Intellectual Property
Jody is a highly motivated and performance-orientated professional who is driven by her passion for commercializing inventions and innovative ideas into practical applications for public use and benefit. Jody graduated with her PhD in Agriculture and Food Sciences from the University of Alberta and holds an MSc (Honors) from the University of Manitoba.
Since graduation, Jody has explored various career paths working in project management with Genome Canada, regulatory science with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and business development with Cangene Corporation. She currently works as a Technology Transfer Manager at the University of Manitoba and manages a large Intellectual Property and Research and Development portfolio focused on Health and Life Sciences, Med Tech, and Agriculture.
As a Business Consultant, Jody offers business advisory services for startup ventures in Agriculture and Food Sciences. She has over 3 years of experience consulting for the Manitoba Technology Accelerator Start-up-Visa program and has mentored over 45 companies looking to bring new products to the Canadian market. Jody’s background and areas of expertise lie in sustainable farming practices and genetically modified crops, vertical farming, SaaS, early-stage technology valuation, Intellectual Property, in and out-licensing, research and development, regulatory, market analysis, and strategic thinking.


Rodrigo Santana
Innovation Advisor, Agri-Food Business
Read more +about Rodrigo Santana

Rodrigo Santana
Innovation Advisor, Agri-Food Business
Rodrigo has over 25 years of executive and entrepreneurial experience within the agtech, cleantech and food processing sectors, among others. He has supported the scaleup of public and private fast-growing technology driven organizations such as Dow AgroSciences, CubicFarms, Sacre-Davey Engineering, HTEC and SGS.
Rodrigo has deep knowledge and extensive network within the global food and agtech ecosystem, including food processing across most food sectors, controlled environment agriculture, precision farming and plant genomics.
Currently, Rodrigo is the CEO of BeriTech, an agtech startup developing a solution to produce off-season locally grown premium blueberries and raspberries in Canada. He is also the Director of Food & Agribusiness for GHD in Western Canada, a global engineering consultant organization, and an angel investor with focus on the agtech and cleantech sectors.
Rodrigo holds a Bachelor of Agriculture Engineering and an MBA.


Frank Leffelaar
Innovation Advisor, Agritech & Foodtech, Go-to-Market, Investment, Sustainability
Read more +about Frank Leffelaar

Frank Leffelaar
Innovation Advisor, Agritech & Foodtech, Go-to-Market, Investment, Sustainability
Frank has been active in the Agrifood ecosystem and angel network as a mentor, advisor, and angel investor for over 10 years. He works closely with a wide range of innovative, early-stage companies across Canada. Frank advises founders on their business model and go-to-market strategy and helps them become investment-ready.
While Frank has experience with various industry sectors, his primary focus is on Agritech, Foodtech and Cleantech, bringing his broad expertise in technology and deep interest in agriculture, food & beverage. He is passionate about supporting innovation in soil, plant, animal and human health and the digital transformation of the agrifood value chain.
Frank has over 30 years of experience in marketing and product management with global software and manufacturing companies in Europe and Canada. He is also an entrepreneur and the founder of Crush Marketing Inc.


John Free
Innovation Advisor, Agri-Food AI and Enterprise Solutions
Read more +about John Free

John Free
Innovation Advisor, Agri-Food AI and Enterprise Solutions
With over 35 years of experience as a hands-on technologist, John has successfully tackled development challenges across various contexts, enjoying project roles that include software architect, senior developer, management consultant, technical lead, director, and CTO.
In the late 1990s, John served as VP of Global Risk Management Technology for Deutsche Bank in New York. For many years thereafter, he ran his own consultancy, providing technology services to investment banks in Europe and North America. On the vendor side, John has led development projects for Algorithmics, Scrittura, Sungard, GFT, Calypso, Infinity Financial, and NumeriX. For Publicis, the world’s largest digital agency, John designed and developed the firm’s hybrid cognitive/machine learning Artificial Intelligence platform and technical go-forward AI strategy.
John’s academic journey began with a four-year study of 20th-century music composition at the University of Waterloo, followed by several years working in the commercial music business. Then he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Toronto, graduating with distinction. Today, John provides CTO advisory services to an international client base.


Johanne Sévigny
Innovation Advisor, Startups, Investment & Business Strategies A+
Read more +about Johanne Sévigny

Johanne Sévigny
Innovation Advisor, Startups, Investment & Business Strategies A+
Johanne is Managing Partner of the Ecofuel Fund. She has over 30 years of experience in financing and managing businesses.
In addition to having been Vice-President, Companies for the Ecofuel Accelerator, Johanne was a Senior Director at the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). She was also Chief Financial Officer, Mergers & Acquisitions at Negotium, a technology solutions provider. Johanne was Portfolio Manager at Entrepia Capital, Innovatech Montreal and Multiple Capital, venture capital funds for start-ups based in Montreal. Her background includes the position of President and CEO of a RFID company in the video game industry. At the start of her career, she held Project Manager positions at SNC Lavalin and Dessau-Soprin. Johanne sits on the board of directors of several innovative technology companies.
Johanne holds a Bachelor’s degree in engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal and an MBA from HEC Montréal.


Steve Slater
Innovation Advisor, Agricultural Biotechnology
Read more +about Steve Slater

Steve Slater
Innovation Advisor, Agricultural Biotechnology
Steve Slater has over 30 years of experience in Ag Biotech. After completing postdoctoral work at Harvard University, he spent ten years with Monsanto company as a senior scientist focused on metabolic engineering of agricultural crops. He led teams focused on bacterial genomics and production of monoclonal antibodies and was appointed a Senior Monsanto Fellow. He spent the next ten years in Academia, First at Arizona State University and then at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 2014, he has focused on biotech startups in CSC and PDG roles, and as has been an independent advisor to many companies in the industry.


Mike Manion
Innovation Advisor, Agri-Business
Read more +about Mike Manion

Mike Manion
Innovation Advisor, Agri-Business
Mike has an extensive background in senior executive positions for a number of Canada’s largest corporate farming operations and as an owner operator. He has been directly involved in or responsible for mushroom farming operations in 6 of Canada’s 10 provinces.
Mike Manion has held senior leadership roles within Campbell Soup Co Ltd, Conagra, who at various times were among the largest mushroom growers in North America Moneys Mushrooms, and finally as a Senior Vice President helped Rolland Farms,” a family farm” to achieve National status and to be one of the largest corporate farming operations in Canada with sales in excess of $100 million, production of 1,000,000 lbs a week of mushrooms and over a 1000 employees.
Currently, Mike is CEO of Agrisco Supplies Inc an Agricultural Consulting Company. Within this consultancy Mike is an Executive in Residence with Foresight Cleantech Accelerator and occupies agriculture-focused advisory roles with organizations including the Pitt Meadows Agriculture Advisory, Metro Vancouver Agriculture Committee (current chair) and past Ministers Agricultural Advisory Council.
Mike currently is also a director of the Investment Agricultural Foundation of BC.


Terry Clark
Innovation Advisor, Animal Health Technology
Read more +about Terry Clark

Terry Clark
Innovation Advisor, Animal Health Technology
(Terry) A. Clark, founded Agri-Food Solutions Inc. in 2009 following a career with Eli Lilly and Company primarily in the Elanco Animal Health division. During that time, Terry held several positions in Canada, the U.S. and internationally in sales, marketing and general management including President, Elanco Animal Health Korea Ltd. Following his return to the U.S., Terry was appointed to Director, Global Corporate Affairs with primary responsibility for the Asia Pacific. This position involved working with industry colleagues, all members of the food chain and international governments on food safety issues. Agri-Food Solutions has since advised several animal health companies on product and market development opportunities both domestically and internationally.

Dr. Love-Ese Chile
Innovation Advisor, Biomaterials, Biowaste Recovery, and Circular Product Development
Read more +about Dr. Love-Ese Chile

Dr. Love-Ese Chile
Innovation Advisor, Biomaterials, Biowaste Recovery, and Circular Product Development
Dr. Love-Ese Chile is an accomplished researcher and consultant specializing in biomaterials, biowaste recovery, and circular product development. As the founder of Regenerative Waste Labs, a research consulting firm, she collaborated with diverse consumer product and packaging businesses to assess environmental impacts, optimize formulations, and align with sustainability regulations. Her work enabled companies to make informed decisions and deliver market-ready, sustainable products. Currently, Love-Ese leads the BC Agricultural Climate Action Network, managing a multi-institutional initiative designed to enhance the climate resilience of British Columbia’s agricultural sector.
With a PhD and extensive experience in renewable materials, systems, and product design, Dr. Chile excels at bridging the gap between research and commercialization. She brings a creative, solutions-focused mindset to every challenge, empowering emerging leaders to thrive in a field where resilience and iterative problem-solving are essential.


Mike Williams
Innovation Advisor, CPG Products and Specialty Pet Food
Read more +about Mike Williams

Mike Williams
Innovation Advisor, CPG Products and Specialty Pet Food
Mike Williams has enjoyed a varied and successful career in the CPG industry, and today has over 35 years of experience selling human food and pet food products. Mike has played a key role in developing brands for a variety of CPG companies including General Mills, JM Schneider’s, Merisant Sun Rype products, Meow Mix Company, US Pet Nutrition and Trouw Nutrition. Mike has also worked as Senior Business Development Manager at Oilseed Innovation Partners (OIP) since 2006, where he is responsible for developing and coordinating business and commercialization activities on behalf of the organization’s clients and their products and services.
Mike’s sector-specific knowledge spans multiple product categories including natural/organic, grocery, mass, drug, and pet specialty foods. Many of Mike’s roles have included consumer marketing, customer-facing sales and business development. He has also gained extensive experience throughout his career working with brokers, distributors, and direct sales forces. Mike has provided tailored coaching support to businesses at all developmental stages and has been instrumental in helping start-ups, SMEs, as well as global companies and brands achieve their goals.


Martin Yuill
Innovation Advisor, Technology & Research Commercialization, Pitching, Sales, New Business Development
Read more +about Martin Yuill

Martin Yuill
Innovation Advisor, Technology & Research Commercialization, Pitching, Sales, New Business Development
Martin Yuill is an accomplished entrepreneur, corporate executive, business mentor, and research commercialization and innovation advisor with specific expertise launching and growing companies, building high-performance sales and operations teams, operationalizing strategy, and driving revenues and growth.
Having cut his teeth in the veterinary pharmaceutical, animal health, natural human health, food services, industrial products, business consulting, and timber sectors, more recently Martin has built programming and infrastructure to support go-to-market strategies, the commercialization of new innovation, and access to funding for ventures in the IT, life sciences, animal health, food, agtech, and cleantech sectors.
For the past five years Martin has led the development of Cleantech Commons: an 85-acre research and innovation park and internationally-recognized “area of innovation” which is being developed as a hub that brings together cleantech companies with university faculty, researchers, students, and investors to develop and commercialize cutting-edge clean, green, sustainable, and low-carbon technologies that address global energy, environment, and climate challenges.
Martin holds an MBA degree from the University of South Africa. He is an I-Corps™ (USA)-accredited program instructor and venture mentor.


Henrique Dias
Innovation Advisor, Product Positioning, Go-To-Market Strategy
Read more +about Henrique Dias

Henrique Dias
Innovation Advisor, Product Positioning, Go-To-Market Strategy
Henrique is a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur currently running his 3rd startup. After just 3 years in the market, BudTrainer is available at over 200 retailers across North America, Australia, NZ, and Europe. He has also consulted and coached over 100 startups and businesses in various industries over the last 8 years, helping them generate millions of dollars. As a startup mentor, Henrique helps entrepreneurs understand their market and competition, and take their products to market through various sales and marketing strategies. His expertise includes Market Research, Competitor Analysis, Product Marketing, and B2B Sales Process.

Dara Djafarian
Innovation Advisor, Bioindustrial Scale-Up & Commercialization
Read more +about Dara Djafarian

Dara Djafarian
Innovation Advisor, Bioindustrial Scale-Up & Commercialization
Dara Djafarian is an operator and board member commercializing bio-industrial and agri-food technologies.
Dara is currently the CEO and Director of Melio Peptide Systems and a Director of Creatus Biosciences. Prior to this he was at Vanedge Capital, a $140mn venture capital fund focused on technology investments.
Most recently, Dara led Melio to a deal that is set to remove antibiotics from major industrial settings and target antibiotic resistance in the environment and human & animal health.
Dara has a background in operations, governance, technology development and fundraising. He is also experienced in IP asset development, having led filings of over 30 patents globally (with 8 currently granted), and has led deals involving extensive IP and patent portfolios.
Dara received his MSc from University College London (UCL) and BA&Sc from McGill University.


Sherin Jose
Innovation Advisor, Ag & Clean Technology
Read more +about Sherin Jose

Sherin Jose
Innovation Advisor, Ag & Clean Technology
Dr. Sherin Jose is a highly experienced professional with over 15 years of experience in Ag Biotech, holding an MSc in Biotechnology and a PhD in Plant Biology, complemented by postdoctoral research at Dalhousie University. Her broad expertise includes bio-stimulant and bioproduct development, controlled plant trials and bioassays, clean-tech innovations, and advanced genomics and metagenomics studies.
Dr. Jose has successfully guided numerous initiatives from conceptualization to practical applications in the life sciences and clean-tech sectors. She is committed to leveraging her interdisciplinary expertise to drive transformative advancements in agricultural science and technology.


Dave Shambrock
Innovation Advisor, Food & Beverage Development and Manufacturing
Read more +about Dave Shambrock

Dave Shambrock
Innovation Advisor, Food & Beverage Development and Manufacturing
Dave Shambrock has extensive experience in food and beverage R&D and technology. He has worked with over a hundred companies involved with food processing, ingredient manufacturing, functional foods, and bioactive compound fractionation and processing. Dave gained this experience working as an Industrial Technology Advisor for the National Research Council and as the Director for one of Canada’s food technology centres.
Dave is a consultant to industry and government clients. Areas of specialization include new product development, scale-up, business decision models, strategic planning, business plan development and feasibility studies. Consulting activities focus on clients in the agri-food and life sciences sectors with a particular emphasis on new business launches and expansions.
Dave holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Food Science and an MBA.


Robert Weese
Innovation Advisor, B2B Sales
Read more +about Robert Weese

Robert Weese
Innovation Advisor, B2B Sales
Robert J. Weese is a seasoned sales strategist with over 35 years of experience in B2B sales, specializing in helping startup founders build predictable, repeatable, and scalable sales processes. His expertise spans multiple industries, including AgTech, MedTech, FinTech, AI, and SaaS. For the past decade, he has worked with startups to develop national and international sales channels, equipping them with the strategies and tactics needed for sustained growth.
Beyond his work in sales, Robert is an author, former broadcaster, and award-winning speaker and facilitator. He has coached over 20 clients who have appeared on CBC’s Dragons’ Den, with four securing investment deals valued at over $2 million. A former competitive fencer, he is also the founder and head coach of the Ajax Fencing Club.


Paul Richards
Strategic Advisor
Read more +about Paul Richards

Paul Richards
Strategic Advisor
Paul Richards is the sector lead for Agri-technology for Innovacorp, a Nova Scotia Venture Capital organization. Paul focuses on enabling knowledge-based companies to accelerate the commercialization of their technology to create dynamic, high-growth venture grade companies and develop the entrepreneurial culture in the region.
Since taking on this role, Paul has worked to establish a growing ecosystem in Atlantic Canada for the agri-tech sector and has helped his companies raise over $75 million dollars.


Italo Cerra
Strategic Financial Advisor
Read more +about Italo Cerra

Italo Cerra
Strategic Financial Advisor
Italo Cerra is a seasoned financial executive with diverse experience in public and private sector companies and brings over 25 years experience in working with technology enterprises. His years in the technology sector have provided particular financial expertise in R&D financing, and operational reporting and controls.
After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, Italo spent 10 years with Deloitte and Touche in their audit practice. He then joined the telecommunications industry, as VP Finance with Teltone Limited, a large North American telecommunications corporation. Since that time Italo has held executive level responsibilities including Controller, VP Finance, Director of Finance and CFO at a variety of technology-based enterprises. In 1995, Italo orchestrated the Management Buy-Out and became the CFO and Partner in a leading service provider company. After five years of profitability, he subsequently arranged for the company to be acquired.
Italo is currently involved in raising investment capital for high-emerging businesses and in providing advice and counsel to high-net-worth investors.


Michael McGee
Director of Innovation and Investment Advisor
Read more +about Michael McGee

Michael McGee
Director of Innovation and Investment Advisor
Michael has been investing risk capital in small and medium enterprise businesses since the early 90’s, most recently as a Partner with Avrio Capital, a Calgary based fund focused on Agriculture and Food.
Prior to joining Avrio in 2012, Michael spent eight years in senior investment positions at two Calgary based family offices, most notably, as Managing Director – Investments with Werklund Capital Corp. and as Executive Vice President – Investments with Cavendish Investing Ltd.
Michael also has extensive institutional experience in Mezzanine / Sub-debt financing stemming from his seven years with Bank of Montreal Capital Corporation, where he was recruited at its genesis in 1996 and where as Managing Director, he launched its Western Canadian office in 1997. Michael was also a Vice President & Director – Toronto Dominion Bank Capital where he was involved with the launch of their subordinated debt initiative.
Michael has extensive board experience with both private and public companies, as well as with the Venture Capital Association of Alberta. He remains a Director of Durum Properties Ltd., Chairman of the Finance Committee of St. Michael Catholic Community and Treasurer of the Valley Ridge Community Association.
Michael has a Master of Finance degree from Loyola University, Maryland and an undergraduate degree from Western University.


Colin Jetha
Director of Finance
Read more +about Colin Jetha

Colin Jetha
Director of Finance
As Director of Finance, Colin is responsible for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of Bioenterprise’s financial systems. His extensive background as an accountant spans the agricultural and construction sectors, marked by years of expertise in business system implementation and integration.
Transitioning from public accounting, Colin moved on to the agricultural sector. There, he learned the intricacies of the industry, the challenges they face, and the innovations being made to meet those challenges head-on. His pivotal role expanded operations to the United States, introducing cutting-edge tracking systems and securing Research and Development grants. After 5 years of bringing his company to the forefront of their field, he ventured into other initiatives to replicate his impactful work.
After establishing his own consulting business in the construction industry for several years, Colin has aligned his expertise with Bioenterprise. He aims to help Bioenterprise drive innovation across the entire agricultural sector.


Alexis Dempsey
Director of Programs
Read more +about Alexis Dempsey

Alexis Dempsey
Director of Programs
As Director of Programs at Bioenterprise Canada, Alexis oversees the successful delivery of the organization’s various funding programs and initiatives. She is responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative programs that support start-ups and SMEs in the agricultural sectors on their pathway to commercialization. Working collaboratively with her team, Alexis develops new programs that align with the strategic direction of the organization and partners with the Marketing and Communications teams to advance communication initiatives.
Before joining Bioenterprise Canada, Alexis coordinated educational and marketing programs in the pharmaceutical and healthcare fields. She has also held positions in food and health-related organizations, focused on knowledge translation, and program development and evaluation. Alexis holds a Master’s degree in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences from the University of Guelph, where her studies centred on regulatory affairs, program development, and quantitative research in human health.


Liza Knill
Program Manager
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Liza Knill
Program Manager
As Program Manager, Liza plays an essential role in the execution of Bioenterprise’s funding and acceleration programming. This includes supporting program planning, delivery, maintenance, client management, and impact reporting. Liza collaborates with the Director of Programs to develop new initiatives that align with the organization’s strategic direction, ensuring stakeholder expectations are met.
Liza brings valuable experience in communications and event coordination. She excels in organizing program events, developing materials, and creating communication strategies, including program guides, communication plans, and social media content to increase awareness and engagement for Bioenterprise’s programs.
Previously, Liza worked as a Clinical Trial Recruiter, coordinating marketing, advertising, and web design activities. At the University of Guelph Research Innovation Office, she also planned and executed virtual and in-person events, including the annual Project SOY Plus competition. Liza holds an M.Sc. in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, focusing on people and project management, and knowledge mobilization.


Kasia Kowanda
Program Coordinator
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Kasia Kowanda
Program Coordinator
As Program Coordinator, Kasia supports Bioenterprise Canada’s execution of programs and delivery of funding. In her role, she assists the Programs team in planning, coordinating, and delivering our programs while successfully meeting stakeholders’ expectations and advancing company initiatives.
With a Master of Science in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, Kasia has cultivated a diverse skill set, excelling in communication, research, and knowledge transfer skills. In past work and volunteer experiences, such as her involvement with Nutri-S.M.A.R.T., Kasia has established her strength in project management and teamwork. With a growth oriented and lifelong learning mindset, Kasia has made a consistent effort to engage in the community, share knowledge, and empower the next generation in her experiences.


Laura Millson
Office Manager
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Laura Millson
Office Manager
As Bioenterprise’s Office Manager, Laura brings extensive professional administrative experience from both public and private industry. She plays an instrumental role supporting Bioenterprise’s team, managing and delivering impactful, results-oriented special projects. A sampling of these activities includes projects related to provincial funding programs, design, and administration of the enterprise database program, IT support collaboration and office management.
Laura’s exposure to high-performance environments, coupled with solid customer service experience emphasizes her value of being an accomplished, conscientious member of the team with proven discretion and rapport when dealing with all levels of an organization.
In her previous roles, Laura has been an active liaison for senior executives, board members, middle management, and support staff at organizations such as Canadian Bearings, Pavaco Plastics Inc. and the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO). These positions allowed her to meet and work with professional industry leaders and champion major projects and events.
Laura joined Bioenterprise in an executive support role and through the national growth of Bioenterprise, she has evolved into the role of Office Manager. Laura and her husband Murray live in Rockwood with their two daughters.


Carla Berquó
Director, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine
Read more +about Carla Berquó

Carla Berquó
Director, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine
As the Director of Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine at Bioenterprise, Carla is responsible for all facets of the Engine, including its development, implementation and management, strategic partnerships, and membership growth and engagement. She is committed to working with communities, governments, industry, and all related partners as a catalyst for establishing long-term relationships, connectivity and collaboration in the food, agri-tech and related sectors across Canada.
Carla and her team provide member companies with customized services for them to keep growing and achieving their goals. Offering a mix of marketing, communications, events and partnerships, they help members feel part of a larger community, while encouraging Engine Insiders to get involved.
Carla brings a well-established track record demonstrating strong business acumen, team building skills, project management and marketing at large scale organizations across many global regions and cultures, including the UK, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Her experience includes working with private sector, not-for-profit organizations, and various levels of government, leaving her perfectly positioned to lead Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine.


Braden Kemp
Manager, Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub
Read more +about Braden Kemp

Braden Kemp
Manager, Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub
With more than a decade of experience in Canada’s technology commercialization industry, Braden has held senior roles in both the public and private sectors. As an entrepreneur, Braden currently operates a consulting practice and co-founded a manufacturing & e-commerce company that was acquired in early 2023.
Braden has held various positions in growth companies and the organizations that support them – including Director of Operations at venture-backed startup National Prostaff and Director of Client Services at Spark Commercialization & Innovation Centre. As a volunteer, he served as the Vice Chair of Growth Management Strategy at the City of Kawartha Lakes.
In addition to Bioenterprise, Braden has worked as a consultant with organizations such as Durham College, NCFDC, 1855 Accelerator, Outdoorsponsors.com, Invest Barrie and others. Braden has been an advisor to a variety of technology companies in food-tech, 3D printing, agri-tech, military technology & training, influencer marketing, ecommerce, wearable tech, and more.
Braden holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics from the University of Guelph and is a graduate of the Ryerson DMZ Accelerator program.


Lori Grossett
Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub (GOAH) Coordinator
Read more +about Lori Grossett

Lori Grossett
Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub (GOAH) Coordinator
As the GOAH Coordinator, Lori supports the growth and engagement of the Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub Initiative, acting as a central contact for client and partner relationships. Lori’s role encompasses coordinating schedules and communications, and fostering relationships with Initiative members, Innovation Advisors, and service partners. She actively facilitates networking opportunities for members, supports the tracking and achievement of key project milestones, and leads planning and coordination for trade shows to boost the Initiative’s visibility and success.
Lori’s background includes experience in fundraising and community outreach with The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital. Previously, as an Assistant Project Coordinator at McLaughlin Library, University of Guelph, Lori contributed to workflow development, project proposals, and the appointment booking system migration. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Nutraceutical Sciences from the University of Guelph.


Amy Broderick
Membership Associate
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Amy Broderick
Membership Associate
As a Membership Associate, Amy assists the Membership Team and Innovation Advisors with providing membership services. She is also responsible for ensuring proper internal resource coordination for our members, monitoring project success, and utilizing project management software for timely data reporting. Amy communicates with colleagues regularly to develop positive member and stakeholder relations.
Throughout her employment, Amy has over 8 years of customer service experience and enjoys working within a collaborative environment. Prior to Bioenterprise, Amy has worked within the biotechnology industry during her time at Semex, as well as in Public Health at the Region of Waterloo. Amy graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University and holds an Honours Degree in Biology.


Aleshia Tomas
Online Community Coordinator
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Aleshia Tomas
Online Community Coordinator
Aleshia Tomas began her journey with Bioenterprise as an intern during her master’s program, where she discovered her passion for helping entrepreneurs access the support they need. Now, as the leader of Bioenterprise’s new online community, The Engine, Aleshia connects agri-tech and food innovators to the right people, resources, and opportunities that fuel their growth. Aleshia holds a BSc in Human Kinetics and Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences, and an MSc in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, combining strong academic and research expertise to support innovation within the agri-tech and food sectors.

Tabitha Caswell
Content and Grant Writer/Editor
Read more +about Tabitha Caswell

Tabitha Caswell
Content and Grant Writer/Editor
As a versatile professional writer and editor, Tabitha enhances relationship-building and marketing strategies through comprehensive content creation. She designs, writes, and edits content for the Bioenterprise blog and newsletters. Tabitha also strategizes and writes grant proposals and assists with various team communications.
A graduate of the Professional Writing and Communications post-graduate program from Centennial College – School of Communications, Media, Arts, and Design, Tabitha brings dynamic experience from roles in B2B sales and marketing, healthcare technology, and small business management. She champions thorough research and creative storytelling to produce deliverables that educate, bring value, and drive action.
Deeply committed to agriculture, food security, and sustainability, Tabitha studied permaculture design at Oregon State College and actively volunteers, sitting on the Board of Directors for both Eastern Canada Farm Writers Association (ECFWA) and Galt Horticultural Society (GHS).