Crafting Your Leadership Success

We’re a founder-first team driven by purpose, strategy, and real-world experience, committed to helping BC tech CEOs scale with clarity, confidence, and connection.

Two men are engaged in conversation at a conference reception. The man on the left is smiling, has a beard, and is wearing a name tag that says Christopher. The background shows other attendees seated at tables in a warmly lit room.
Two men conversing in a lively, warmly lit restaurant or bar, with other patrons in the background, one with dark curly hair and a beard, the other with gray hair and glasses.
People sitting at a conference table, attentively listening, with notebooks and water pitchers in front.
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From Dinner Table
to Community

Our Story

Acetech began in the early 1990s when a small group of BC tech CEOs started meeting informally to solve problems and support each other’s growth. What began around a dinner table has evolved into BC’s most trusted leadership community, connecting founders through structured peer groups, strategic access, and shared ambition.

Our Mission

Scaling Tech CEOs
Faster Together

We help tech leaders scale faster in their own backyard. Through high-trust peer groups, curated learning, and founder-first support, Acetech accelerates leadership growth and business success.

Our Values

The Values That Drive Founders Forward

We partner with tech CEOs to build scalable, values-driven companies through strategic insight, peer learning, and real community. Everything we do is grounded in experience, not theory.

Ambitious

We don’t just aim high, we reset the standard. At Acetech, ambition means thinking bigger, leading better, and delivering real impact in the BC tech ecosystem.

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Committed

Our commitment runs deep. We stand shoulder to shoulder with every founder, helping them grow into the leaders their teams and the economy depend on.

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Entrepreneurial

We lead like founders because we are founders. We cut through noise, move fast, and focus on progress over perfection, just like the CEOs we support.

Illustration of a light bulb creatively split into a brain on one side and a lamp on the other, symbolizing ideas and innovation.

Our Team

The Brilliant Minds Powering Acetech


We're more than just a leadership organization; we're a team of passionate experts
dedicated to empowering tech CEOs and founders to scale with clarity, courage, and confidence.

  • Portrait of a smiling woman with straight dark brown hair, wearing a black top, against a dark background.

    Angela Robertson


    CEO

    Angela is a strategic growth leader with over 20 years of experience in scaling B2B companies. At Acetech, she champions bold leadership, peer learning, and clarity in decision-making guiding tech founders to navigate scale with confidence.

  • Chelsea Pedersen

    Chelsea Pedersen


    Operation Manager

    Chelsea brings operational excellence to the core of Acetech. With a background in program management and member success, she ensures every touchpoint is thoughtful, streamlined, and focused on delivering real value to our community.

  • John Diack

    John Diack


    Roundtable Facilitator

    John is a seasoned executive and mentor with deep experience in scaling tech companies. He facilitates peer discussions that challenge assumptions, encourage accountability, and unlock leadership growth.

  • Paulin Laberge

    Paulin Laberge

    Roundtable Facilitator

    Paulin is an accomplished entrepreneur and former CEO who brings both empathy and sharp insight to every roundtable. He empowers founders to tackle complex challenges with confidence and clarity.

  • Ken Lewis

    Ken Lewis

    Roundtable Facilitator

    Ken is a veteran sales leader with a talent for driving performance and team alignment. He helps CEOs refine their go-to-market strategy, scale revenue, and lead with purpose.


Board of Directors

The Visionaries Guiding Acetech’s Mission


Our Board of Directors is made up of seasoned leaders, founders, and innovators who bring deep experience, sharp insight, and bold vision. They don’t just advise, they help shape the future of Acetech and the BC tech ecosystem. Together, they ensure we stay founder-first, values-aligned, and relentlessly focused on supporting tech CEOs and scaling companies across British Columbia.

  • A woman with straight, dark brown hair smiling against a dark blue circular background.

    Angela Robertson


    CEO

    Angela is a strategic growth leader with over 20 years of experience in scaling B2B companies. At Acetech, she champions bold leadership, peer learning, and clarity in decision-making guiding tech founders to navigate scale with confidence.

  • Udi Daon

    Udi Daon


    Chair

    Udi is a purpose-driven health tech entrepreneur and Chair of Acetech, committed to accelerating innovation across BC’s tech ecosystem. As founder and CEO of DAANAA, he blends scientific insight with bold, systems-level thinking championing visionary founders and building companies that create meaningful global impact.

  • Barb Kinnaird

    Barb Kinnaird


    Past Chair

    Barb is a visionary biotech leader and Past Chair of Acetech, with decades of experience driving innovation in life sciences. As CEO of Quantum Edge, she brings scientific depth and strategic clarity to the forefront empowering founders to scale with purpose, resilience, and global ambition.

  • Rudolph Korompis

    Rudolph Korompis

    Treasurer

    Rudolph is a product and technology leader with a passion for turning bold ideas into scalable, human-centered solutions. As a startup advisor and former Head of Product at Microsoft Startups, he brings deep expertise in product strategy, growth, and innovation helping founders build what matters, faster.

  • Amin Yazdani

    Amin Yazdani

    Board Member

    Amin is a serial entrepreneur and the Co-founder & CEO of Craver, a fast-growing platform helping restaurants and franchises streamline mobile ordering and loyalty. With a background in computer engineering and a drive for customer-first innovation, he’s scaling solutions that power thousands of businesses across North America.

  • Darren Gibbons

    Darren Gibbons

    Board Member

    Darren is a tech entrepreneur and the Co-founder & CEO of SiteMax Systems, a construction SaaS platform built to simplify jobsite operations for contractors. With a strong focus on product-led growth and industry-driven innovation, Darren is helping modernize construction with tools that deliver real impact in the field.

  • Mehrsa Raeiszadeh

    Mehrsa Raeiszadeh


    Board Member

    Mehrsa is a dynamic tech operator and community builder, bringing deep experience in scaling startups and empowering founders. As Co-Founder of MintList and an active voice in BC’s innovation ecosystem, she combines operational excellence with a passion for inclusive growth—driving meaningful change as a board member at Acetech.

  • Antonio Zivanovic

    Antonio Zivanovic

    Board Member

    Antonio is a visionary clean tech entrepreneur and strategic advisor, focused on accelerating the global energy transition. As Founder and CEO of ELEKTRAFI, he’s building next-gen infrastructure to power the future of mobility bringing a bold, scalable mindset to his role as a board member at Acetech.


Acetech Fellows

Celebrating the Leaders Who’ve Shaped BC’s Tech Future

Acetech Fellows are a select group of respected leaders and trailblazers who’ve made significant contributions to BC’s tech community and the growth of Acetech. They bring decades of experience, bold vision, and
an unwavering commitment to supporting the next generation of tech founders.

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    Shannon Byrne Susko


    She is a bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, and leadership coach known for helping CEOs scale with clarity through her Metronomics growth system.

  • Tom O'Flaherty

    Tom O'Flaherty


    Veteran technology executive, investor, and trusted advisor in growth-stage strategy.

  • Phil Dubois

    Phil Dubois


    Visionary leader and former CEO with a passion for scaling SaaS businesses and guiding founders.

  • Paulin Laberge

    Paulin Laberge


    Tech executive and investor with deep expertise in product, operations, and leadership.

  • David Yoffie

    David Yoffie


    Harvard Business School professor, renowned author, and global expert in strategy and innovation.

  • Kathy Troupe

    Kathy Troupe


    Longtime advocate and connector in the BC tech ecosystem, known for her work supporting founders and scaling companies.

  • Morgan Sturdy

    Morgan Sturdy


    Accomplished entrepreneur, board member, and active mentor in the Canadian tech landscape.

  • David Sutcliffe

    David Sutcliffe


    Former CEO of Sierra Wireless, board director, and advisor to high-growth tech companies.

  • Ralph Turfus

    Ralph Turfus


    Founder of Class Software, investor, and champion of entrepreneurship and innovation at SFU and beyond.

Ready to Join BC’s
Sharpest Founder Network?

The room is curated. The conversations are real. The results speak for themselves.