AC/VC: Connecting capital, community, and founders
Better investment readiness starts with better investor insight.
That’s why the Accelerator Centre convenes AC/VC — a group of active investors who meet regularly to share perspectives, strengthen connections, and help shape how we prepare founders for fundraising.
AC/VC brings together local venture capitalists, angel investors, family offices, and other investment professionals who are actively evaluating opportunities and writing cheques into Ontario-based companies.
AC/VC is intended for active investors and investment professionals who are currently deploying capital. Expressions of interest are reviewed by the Accelerator Centre team.
AC/VC
A community of active investors meeting regularly in Waterloo Region
AC/VC is convened by the Accelerator Centre to bring together investors who are actively investing in Ontario’s technology ecosystem.
The group meets regularly to build relationships, exchange perspectives on the market, discuss the challenges and opportunities facing early-stage companies, and strengthen connections between investors and the broader innovation ecosystem.
These conversations also give the Accelerator Centre direct insight into what investors are seeing in the market and what founders need to be prepared for as they approach fundraising.
AC/VC discussions may explore topics such as:
Emerging investment and fundraising trends- Evolving investor expectations
- Common gaps investors are seeing in early-stage companies
- Changes in capital availability and investment activity
- Opportunities to strengthen founder investment readiness
- Developments across Ontario’s technology and innovation ecosystem
The goal is straightforward: bring active investors together regularly and use those relationships and insights to build a stronger environment for founders and investment.
Stronger founder support through investor collaboration
Preparing founders for the realities of raising capital
At the Accelerator Centre, we believe strong investment-readiness programming requires an ongoing connection to the people making investment decisions.
Through AC/VC and our broader relationships with the investment community, we hear directly from investors about what they are looking for, where founders commonly struggle, and how the fundraising environment is changing.
Those insights help us continuously strengthen our programming and coaching so founders aren't simply learning how fundraising works; they're preparing to engage meaningfully with investors.
The result is stronger companies, better-prepared entrepreneurs, and more productive investor-founder conversations.
Why join AC/VC?
Build relationships with other active investors
Investing is relationship-driven, and some of the most valuable conversations happen between investors themselves.
AC/VC creates a regular forum for active investors to connect with peers, exchange perspectives, deepen relationships across the local investment community, and stay closer to the companies and technologies developing in the region.
As part of AC/VC, members can:
- Meet regularly with other active investors
- Exchange perspectives on investment and market trends
- Build relationships across the local VC, angel, and investment community
Join AC/VC
Be part of Waterloo Region’s active investor community
Are you a founder looking for investment support?
Investment readiness starts with AC:Incubate
See investment activity across the AC community
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Frequently asked questions
1. What is the AC/VC Advisory Committee?
The AC/VC Advisory Committee is a group of active investors who meet to share perspectives, strengthen connections, and help shape how the AC prepares founders for fundraising.
AC/VC brings together venture capitalists, angel investors, and family offices who are actively evaluating investment opportunities and writing cheques into early-stage Ontario-based tech companies.
2. Can founders connect directly with members of the AC/VC Advisory Committee?
To encourage open and candid discussions within the AC/VC Advisory Committee, membership of the Committee is confidential, and committee lists are not available for direct outreach.
3. How can founders connect with investors; either members of the AC/VC Advisory Committee or other investors?
The AC prepares founders to be ready for investment and investor conversations through our Investment Readiness program, which is a part of our AC:Incubate program.
For founders that have worked closely with our Investment Readiness mentors to prepare themselves and their company for possible investment, the AC team will make curated introductions to investors when/if appropriate.
4. How do investors become part of the Accelerator Centre’s investor community?
We welcome applications from active angel investors, venture capital firms, and family offices who are interested in supporting early-stage technology companies, both financially and through mentorship and advice. In most cases, investors will need to have completed at least three investments in Ontario-based companies in the past 24 months to qualify to join.
To maintain the integrity of our investor network, all applications are reviewed to ensure suitability with the stage and focus of our founders.
5. What are the benefits of joining the investor community?
A major benefit of joining the AC/VC Advisory Committee is the opportunity to learn from your investor peers through curated discussions that are relevant to active investors in Ontario. Discussions include current trends in technology and/or investment mechanisms, changes in government or legal policy, economic or geopolitical climate impacts, and founder expectations.
Members of our investor community receive timely and relevant updates on Accelerator Centre programming, invitations to founder showcases and ecosystem events, and early opportunities to engage with founders as they progress through their entrepreneurial journey.
6. Does joining the investor community guarantee access to investment opportunities?
No. Our role is to help founders build investment-ready businesses and to create meaningful connections between founders and investors when the time is right.