Newsroom > Meet Matt Roberts: Managing Director, VC Coverage

Meet Matt Roberts: Managing Director, VC Coverage

Matt Roberts RBCx

Explain what you do, streeter-style.

I help people building tech companies get the funding, advice, and introductions they need to grow. Basically – part coach, part matchmaker, part financial translator.

What are the pivotal moments in your career?

  • JohnnyVoIP: The term sheet that died – We had a signed term sheet. Then the VC couldn’t call capital. Brutal timing. It taught me how fragile early-stage deals can be—and why founders need more reliable capital.
  • Leaving BDC for ScaleUP: From institution to startup fund. No brand, no buffer. It turned me from an investor into a builder.
  • Joining RBCx: A rare shot to fix the gaps in the ecosystem—this time, with real reach behind it.

Quick, what’s a hot take you have on investing in tech and innovation in Canada?

We’re losing founders before they start—too many believe Canada can’t support ambitious ideas from day one. And they’re not wrong. Our VC industry is still too dependent on government programs. Until private capital steps up at inception, we’ll keep bleeding ambition to other markets.

What excites you about tech and innovation in Canada?

We finally have a generation of founders, operators, and investors who’ve been through multiple cycles—and it shows. The talent is deeper, the ambition is bigger, and people are building global companies from here by default, not by accident. That’s a real shift.

Why RBCx?

Because it’s rare. RBCx has the scale of a bank, but thinks like a startup. We support founders with capital, banking, and advice—but we also back funds and think critically about how to help companies across the stack. It’s not just about deals—it’s about building the ecosystem properly.

If you were invited to do a podcast, what would you be talking about?

The real history of Canadian venture capital—who built it, where the money came from, and why it still works the way it does. Less myth, more truth. We talk a lot about the future, but you can’t fix what you don’t understand.

What’s the latest tech-related story or company you’re keeping an eye on?

I’m focused on how AI is advancing outside the U.S.—especially in the Middle East, the UAE, China, and parts of Europe. This isn’t just about technology; it’s a geopolitical race. The way these regions deploy capital, data, and infrastructure will have massive implications for global power and the future of innovation.

What do you do in the wild (i.e. outside of work)?

I spend most of my time with my wife Ami and our 3-year-old, usually watching him dance around the living room or invent new games. Outside that, I dig into obscure Canadian tech and economic history—it’s a weird niche, but it keeps me curious.

Share your current recommendations.

  • 📘 Book: The Shepherd’s Life by James Rebanks – A beautifully grounded story about place, work, and legacy.
  • 🎧 Podcast: The Rest is History – Smart, sharp, and actually fun.
  • 🎬 Film: The Brutalist – Produced by one of my childhood best friends.

Where can people connect with you?