Mark MacLeod Launches SurePath Capital Partners

May 5, 2015

Since 1999 Mark MacLeod has been helping fund, grow and exit venture-backed startups.

He’s spent time as a CFO for companies such as FreshBooks, Shopify, and Tungle. He’s spent time as a Venture Captialist with Real Ventures where he led investments in a number of SaaS and e-commerce companies including Unbounce and Frank & Oak.

He’s raised hundreds of millions in capital from investors in Canada, the US and Asia. And he’s sold companies to Airbnb, Blackberry, and Return Path.

Today he announced the next chapter in his career, SurePath Capital Partners. SurePath is not an investment bank, but rather a “strategic financial advisor”.

MacLeod told Techvibes that during his time as either a CFO, advisor or VC he saw two constant challenges that startups face – fundraising and exits. SurePath aims to address them both.

According to MacLeod, it’s ‘relatively’ easy to raise a startup’s first capital. The seed funding market has never been more liquid. However many companies struggle when it comes time to raise growth funding. “When you can’t sell the dream anymore and must sell a business where everything is working”.

SurePath will help companies prepare for the expectations of the growth funding market by getting them investor-ready and then lead them through the process to a successful close.

Many companies use the term ‘exit strategy’ but few have an actual strategy that they are deliberately working towards. So, their exit strategy is hope. They hope for some inbound interest that will result in a great deal. “In my experience, great exits are the result of deliberate actions that put the company in the best position to be sold to the right buyer, at the right price and at the right time,” MacLeod told Techvibes.

“Startup founders, management teams and investors face important questions that SurePath can help solve. How much should you raise? When? From whom? How do you balance building a big company with always being in the optimal position to be bought? On a personal level, I have sat on both sides of the table and worked across many sectors and stages,” MacLeod expanded.

SurePath Capital Partners is currently hiring.