Who

Archangel20200309116 Colour

Randall Howard

Now an prominent early stage investor and an active philanthropist in the social sector, I started my career as a technologist building innovative products, moving on to building innovative companies based on technology. The common theme is a passion for working with great people to harness the power of technology to transform. Today, applying many of the same technologically-driven entrepreneurial approaches to the social sector holds exciting promise.

Right now, I’m building on my long term early stage success as General Partner at VERDEXUS, by helping drive two innovation early stage funds:

  • Founding General Parter at Adrenaline Fund which has innovated a unique rules-based, passive investment model to early stage investment and is part of Archangel Network of Funds.
  • Founding Principal at Cognition Fund which is building a unique venture platform to build the most advanced research and deep science, originating in key institutions like University of Waterloo, into companies.

a transatlantic boutique fusing a network of serial technology entrepreneurs with investment in a proactive and hands on methodology to build world leading, high growth technology organizations. I serve as “hands-on” Board Chair at VERDEXUS portfolio companies, like ExperFile and iotum. As well, I am CEO of Middlebrook Corporation.

From its May 2004 acquisition to April 2006, I was CEO of VERDEXUS portfolio company, Coreworx (acquired by xxx).

In 1984, I co-founded MKS (TSX: MKX) one of Canada’s leading enterprise software vendors and whose products optimize internal software development within large corporations. As Chairman and CEO I led growth to a public company with US$50 million revenue and 375 employees worldwide, including seven acquisitions.

I am a member of the Board of Directors of Gore Mutual Insurance Company, where I provide a strong background in bringing corporate innovation an digital transformation to one of Canada’s oldest companies. I also am a board member and advisor, having worked with many technology firms including Fiix Software (acquired by Rockwell Automation), Necho Systems Corp (acquired by Cybershift), GoodContacts (acquired by Reunion), Whitehill Technologies (acquired by Skywire Software), Waterloo Maple Software(acquired by Cybernet, Arise Technologies and Nanodesign (acquired by SignalGene).

In the social sector, my focus has and continues to be in the areas of the arts, the environment and entrepreneurship.

Aimed at shaping the innovation economy of tomorrow through entrepreneurship, I’m a member of the MaRS Wireless Advisory Panel, helping to launch Golden Triangle AngelNet as a Board member, member of the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Laurier School of Business and Economics and past service on the Communitech Board, which I helped to found.

In the area of arts, environment and social innovation:

I hold an Honours B.Math from University of Waterloo and was the 1997 High Technology Entrepreneur of the Year and the 2005 recipient of the Impact Award from Communitech.

The Why page gives more information on why I’m blogging.