Allen & Connie Eaves
For five decades, Drs. Connie and Allen Eaves have been at the forefront of cancer and stem cell research, leading to groundbreaking discoveries and advances. Their journey at BC Cancer began in the 1970s as they helped establish its initial research program and continued into the early 1980s as they co-founded BC Cancer’s Terry Fox Laboratory. In 1993 they founded STEMCELL Technologies, Canada’s largest biotechnology company, employs over 2300 people globally, 1800 of them in BC. The Eaves are both Officers of the Order of Canada, hold numerous patents and cumulatively have published over 700 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Ray Walia
With decades of experience in the entertainment, real estate, and technology sectors, Ray Walia, FCPA, FCMA is a serial entrepreneur, investor and co-founder of Launch Academy, Western Canada’s leading entrepreneurship facility. Ray has invested in over 30+ startups, co-founded TractionConf.io a global network of startup leaders, and received multiple honours and awards, including recognition as one of 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in Vancouver 2021, 2022 & 2023, BIV Top Forty Under 40, G20 Young Entrepreneur, and as BC Tech Person of The Year Finalist 2018.

Boris Wertz
Boris is the founding partner of Version One and one of the top tech early-stage investors in North America. Born in Germany and based in Vancouver, he is a former board partner with Andreessen Horowitz. Before becoming an investor, Boris built an online marketplace for used and out-of-print books in 1999, selling the business to AbeBooks.com where he became COO and led a team of 60 people. After AbeBooks.com was sold to Amazon, he moved into investing, first as an angel and now with Version One.