TORONTO, Oct 27, 2014 /CNW/ - Peter Carrescia, a well-respected technology strategist and investor will be the new managing director of The Next 36, a national program for Canada's most exceptional young entrepreneurs. The appointment comes after an international search and is effective November 3rd, Reza Satchu and Tim Hodgson, Co-Chairs of The Next 36 announced today. Carrescia replaces executive director, Claudia Hepburn who is transitioning to the board of directors at the end of October.
Carrescia brings a wealth of investment and entrepreneurial expertise in the technology sector to The Next 36. He has served as managing director at OMERS Ventures, a general partner at VenGrowth Capital Partners and as a director at a number of technology companies. Previously, Peter gained valuable operational experience working in progressively senior roles at both IBM and Microsoft. He has also worked closely as a mentor and advisor to many Canadian entrepreneurs throughout his career.
"Peter has a unique perspective on the entrepreneurial landscape in Canada, and his passion for entrepreneurship and track record of venture creation and execution speaks for itself," said Satchu. "He is joining our organization at an exciting time of growth and promise, and we are confident that he will lead The Next 36 to the next level."
In five years, The Next 36 has become a compelling national brand for entrepreneurship education, with best-in-class academic partnerships and support from outstanding business champions. It is in the process of selecting the 2015 cohort for its flagship program and this year launched The Next Founders, a second program for technical founders of high-growth start-ups. It is supported by a nation-wide network of business leaders and innovators, including a powerhouse board of directors, three extraordinary Founding Patrons, academic partners from Vancouver to Halifax and a blue-chip list of corporate partners: EY, Osler, Rogers and TD Bank.
"I am thrilled to be joining such a dynamic and impactful organization and look forward to building on an incredible foundation of support," said Carrescia. "My goal, working with The Next 36 team, our partners and our alumni is to continue to enhance the opportunities for Canada's next leaders and businesses."
Alumni of The Next 36 and The Next Founders programs include the originators of such ventures as Bionym, WhatRunsWhere, Kira Talent, Seamless Mobile Health, Bridgit, 42 and Thalmic Labs. Alumni—who in the first three years include Y-Combinator graduates and a Rhodes Scholar, as well as numerous entrepreneurs—describe the program as "transformational" and "life-changing". Ninety-two percent of alumni are involved giving back to The Next 36 post-program and over half have made a personal financial donation.
The Next 36 is in the process of selecting its 2015 cohort. Applications are open until October 27th.
About Peter Carrescia
Combining over 20 years as both a technology executive and venture capitalist, Peter Carrescia has helped build and scale high growth companies by drawing on the experience he gained while in leadership roles at leading technology and venture capital firms.
Peter holds a Joint Honours Bachelor of Mathematics (B.Math.) in Computer Science and Business Administration from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Schulich School of Business at York University.
About The Next 36
The Next 36 addresses Canada's deficit of high impact entrepreneurship by providing resource-rich education programs to promising young entrepreneurs. It was founded by a small group of business leaders and academics and is championed by Founding Patrons W. Galen Weston, Paul Desmarais, Sr. and Jimmy Pattison. We believe that by fast-tracking the development of Canada's most talented young innovators, we will help create industry-changing businesses and grow Canada's long-term prosperity. The Next Founders is the second program from The Next 36 and is designed for young founders of tech start-ups looking to scale quickly.
For more information, please visit: www.thenext36.ca and www.thenextfounders.ca
SOURCE: The Next 36
Jon French, Director, Marketing & Communications, The Next 36, 647-259-8943 x101, [email protected]
Share this article