Jim Orlando

At the beginning of each year, Jim Orlando looks backwards and forwards on trends shaping the Canadian technology startup industry. With time on his hands prior to starting his new job at Wittington Investments, Orlando decided to revisit the multiple fearless forecasts he made for 2019 in January, including the state of Canada's startup financing environment, emerging technology trends, and trends at the international level. In a PE Hub Canada feature article, he reviews his prior thinking and awards positive grades in some areas and less positive ones in others.

At the beginning of each year, I look backwards and forwards on trends shaping the Canadian technology startup industry. It is mid-year, and I have a bit of recharging time before I start my new role at Wittington Investments, so I thought I would review how my technology startup predictions from six months ago are […]

Jim Orlando has recently had a bit of recharging time before starting his new role at Wittington Investments, so he thought he’d review how his Canadian venture capital and startup predictions from the beginning of 2019 are shaping up. He concludes that one area in the landscape he clearly misjudged was the pace and magnitude of exits that we would see in 2019. In a PE Hub Canada feature article, Orlando explains why a series of major Canadian, venture-backed liquidity events in the first half, totalling US$2.2 billion in value, suggest this year may prove to be one of the best — if not the best — on record.

It is mid-year and I have a bit of recharging time before I start my new role at Wittington Investments, so I thought I’d review how my Canadian venture capital and startup predictions from the beginning of 2019 are shaping up. Well, as I read through what I wrote six months ago, one area in […]

Jim Orlando, managing partner at OMERS Ventures, has pulled out his crystal ball and made predictions about Canadian venture capital and startup trends in the year ahead. In a PE Hub Canada feature article, Orlando presents a number of fearless forecasts about the 2019 financing environment for local innovative companies, funding sources, and the focus of dealmaking. He also provides insight into a wide range of emerging technology sectors that will likely shape investment activity in the Canadian market. With OMERS Ventures' growing activity in the United States and Europe, he also has a few predictions about trends at the international level.

For the fifth year running, I am following up my review of my 2018 Canadian tech predictions with a look forward to the funding environment and technology trends within the Canadian startup ecosystem in 2019. I have a few non-Canadian thoughts as well given that I led three OMERS Ventures‘ investments in Europe and the […]

Jim Orlando, managing director at OMERS Ventures, has pulled out his crystal ball and made predictions about Canadian startup and venture capital trends in 2018. In a PE Hub Canada feature article, Jim presents ten fearless forecasts. They include declining investment in Canada's IT sectors due to few large rounds; the opportunity for some major exits; durable crypto values; a longer wait for autonomous vehicles; augmented and virtual reality that mostly entertains, and; VC's next big things: augmented humanity and space.

It’s time to roll out my ten predictions for the Canadian technology ecosystem for 2018. As with past predictions, I will review them in a year’s time to see how I did. Hopefully, I can beat my 5 out of 10 score for 2017. 1(a) Canada’s technology ecosystem will continue to thrive, but 1(b) overall VC investment will decline, […]

In an exclusive PE Hub Canada feature article, OMERS Ventures Managing Director Jim Orlando poses the question of why investors should pay closer attention to Canada's venture capital asset class. He answers the question with evidence of improving Canadian venture returns and opportunities based on an increasingly self-sustaining ecosystem, more risk-taking entrepreneurs and better-capitalized funds.

OMERS Ventures Managing Director Jim Orlando is well known for making insightful predictions about what's in store for Canadian startups and venture capital in the year head. He again offers his forecast for 2017 in a PE Hub Canada feature article. Among other things, Orlando expects to see moderate pull-back on the part of the VC industry, a tech IPO revival, and several new innovative trends of interest.