Core Team
Louis P. Desmarais
Co-founder and Managing Director
desmarais@garagecanada.com
Louis is a co-founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures Canada. He has worked with literally hundreds of entrepreneurs during his more than 20 years in the financial services and early stage venture capital industry. Prior to starting Garage Technology Ventures Canada, Louis was a general partner in Skypoint Capital Corporation’s second fund. He led Skypoint’s fundraising efforts and ran the fund’s Quebec operations. Prior to this, Louis was a Partner of Wynnchurch Capital, a $200 million private equity firm based in Chicago and Montreal, where he played a key role in sourcing and monitoring the fund’s early-stage ventures. Between 1987 and 1999, he managed Desmarais Capital Corporation, a family-owned financial advisory firm, assisting early-stage ventures in the technology, transportation and resources industries. Louis began his career as a chartered accountant at Deloitte & Touche, following which he studied law, earning both common and civil law degrees. In 1985, he was a law clerk of the Tax Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada. In 1986, he joined the law firm of McCarthy Tétrault (then Clarkson Tétrault) as a securities lawyer.
Louis holds a B. Comm from Carleton University, a Diploma in Public Accountancy from McGill University, and an LL.L. (magna cum laude) and LL.B. from University of Ottawa. He was a member of the Ordre des comptables agrées du Québec from 1981 – 2001 and a member of the Quebec Bar since 1986.
Tom Sweeney
Co-founder and Managing Director
sweeney@garagecanada.com
Tom is a co-founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures Canada. He was previously the Managing Director & CEO of Accel Ventures LP, a management consulting and venture capital advisory firm specialized in strategic consulting for emerging companies in the ITC, life sciences, advanced technology, energy and new media sectors. Prior to Accel Ventures, Tom was based in Toronto as the CEO of Classwave Wireless, a global innovator in the delivery of voice and data services to mobile devices through wireless access points. Tom was selected as a finalist for the Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2000. Prior to Classwave, he worked in San Francisco with Mitchell Madison Group - a global management consulting firm. As an innovator, Tom was the CEO and founder of Abilon Inc., a New-York and Montreal-based company that was amongst the first companies in North America to develop business-to-business IP-enabled applications. Highlights in his earlier career include business development activity in Europe as a Vice President at Teleglobe Inc. and a successful IPO following three years as the head of marketing for Eicon Technology, an international wide area networking company operating in 76 countries.
Tom’s career began with the Canadian air force in Europe leading tactical evaluations and as a NATO forces package lead. He also served as the Canadian representative to a high-level US intelligence and technology evaluation organization and as a NATO-certified command and control evaluations officer for air wing operations.
Tom is currently acting as co-Chair of Canada-US Venture Capital Working Group, Advisory Board of Red Herring Canada and Advisory Board of Sabanci University (Istanbul).
Tom graduated from Royal Military College with a Bachelors of Engineering and Management (summa cum laude).