Who We Are
Founded in 2002, AyaWas Group is recognized as a top Seed Capital Firm in Canada. We are a private firm that offers private and "patient" capital to early-stage and mid-tier companies. We make our decision in collaboration with advisors, seasoned investors, experienced entrepreneurs & strong corporate experienced executives from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. We actively work with entrepreneurs & partners to help foster innovative ideas and execute take-to-market strategies into successful businesses. We are with you for the journey. To learn more about what we do here at AyaWas Group, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Investment Criterias
Market Potential
Investors assess the size and growth potential of the target market.
Traction
Evidence of market acceptance and user adoption.
Exit Strategy
Potential ways for investors to realize returns on their investment.
Team
A strong, capable, and experienced founding team is crucial for success.
Business Model
A clear and scalable plan for generating revenue.
Risks
A thorough understanding of potential challenges and how they will be mitigated.
Product/Service
The uniqueness and viability of the product or service offered.
Competitive Advantage
What sets the company apart from competitors?
Financials
Solid financial projections and a realistic budget
Sweet Spot
AyaWas Investment Group can invest up to $1.0M in each individual investment
AyaWas Group
Trust. Honesty. Experience. Results.
We’re AyaWas Group, and we’ve been involved in the investment scene since 2002. Our goal is to find promising startups and talented entrepreneurs with the potential to change the world. If you have a business proposition, please get in touch with us. We’re always on the lookout for the next great idea.
Meet The Team
Daniel Sawaya
Founder and General Partner
Daniel Sawaya is the Founder and General Partner of the AyaWas Group. He has extensive hands-on operational and strategy experience with some of the largest Global Corporations. He held a variety of senior executive positions spanning over 25 years with Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, The Cinram Group, CPC & Mega Brands.
He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of SCI logistics, Executive board member of Purolator Courier, Epost.ca and has held numerous early-stage board positions.
He completed a degree from Harvard Business School’s advanced management program, holds a graduate degree from the University of Ottawa and has attended several programs at INSEAD business school in Europe.
Sacha Sawaya
Senior Partner / Financial Analyst
Sacha Sawaya is a Senior Advisor / Financial Analyst at AIG and member of the investment committee.
Sacha advises across all aspects of the firm from transaction evaluation to portfolio company financial advising.
He is the co-founder and CFO of Litmus Automation, the modern edge platform for IIoT. He is a participant in several accelerators / incubators such as the Alchemist Accelerator, Mars Discovery District, Digital Media Zone, Ryerson Futures.
He currently leads all finance, fundraising efforts (multiple rounds from angel to institutional capital), investor relations, HR and heads the Canadian office of Litmus. In addition, he advises startups around financial and business strategies.
Sacha holds an MSc in Finance, Hedge Funds & Private Equity from the University of Monaco and BSc in Finance from Western University.
George Carter
Senior Advisor / Analyst
George Carter is a Senior Advisor / Analyst at AIG and member of the investment committee.
George works across all aspects of the firm from transaction evaluation and execution to advising the portfolio companies in a variety of business areas.
Previously, he spent time working as an M&A and Strategy Consultant at Sandbox Group, a buy-and-build platform in the TMT space. In addition, he worked as an Investment Associate at Tenzing Private Equity, helping the PE close its successful acquisition of Market News International in 2022. Before completing his MBA, he spent over seven years working in senior strategy roles at BNY Mellon.
George holds an MBA from INSEAD and an MSc in Chemistry with first class honours from the University of Bristol.
Pascale Geoffrion
Finance Director
Pascale Geoffrion is the Finance Director at AIG.
She currently leads all accounting and administrative work.
She previously worked as Marketing manager at Costco (Club Price) in Canada.
Pascale holds a Bachelor degree in business from Ecole des Hautes Etudes commerciales.
Mitchell Butler
Senior Advisor / Technology
Mitchell Butler has more than a decade of experience building and leading product and technology teams at early-stage startups. He's helped to start several early ventures, including Mappedin, a platform responsible for more than 1B sq.ft. of realtime indoor mapping.
Mitch studied Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo and participated in the VeloCity incubator residence.
Investment Portfolio
Located in Orange County, California, pi-lit® (Pi Variables, Inc.) is a technology company applying radio connected, IoT devices to improve roadway safety. Active.
Pluvo is an AI driven Advanced FP&A planning tool for SMEs that puts you in the driver’s seat of your finances – data at your fingertips. Active.
NumberEight is a pioneering behavioral intelligence company that has reimagined identity without the use of identifiers. Their innovative on-device AI products empower publishers and ad platforms to enrich their ads with intelligent, ID-less data, enabling advertisers to reach target audiences in a future-proof, privacy-first manner, without compromising effectiveness. Active.
Our innovative and award-winning multi-bot picking solutions mean workers can do more work, easier, faster, and more accurately than ever before – within the same footprint. Locus brings the work to the worker, eliminating unproductive walking time to significantly improve productivity and lower cycle times. Locus also improves the workplace ergonomics and health safety, and also helps with worker recruiting and retention.
Active.
Marco is revolutionizing the access to international trade.
Our team of experts work tirelessly to provide the best tools and financing solutions for trading companies who didn’t have access before now. Active.
WELL Health Technology (TSX: WELL) aims to positively impact health outcomes by leveraging technology to empower and support patients and healthcare providers. Active.
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology. Active.
Starlink is the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more.
Leveraging advanced satellites and user hardware coupled with our deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations, Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world. Active.
Launched in 2013, Canva is an online design and visual communication platform with “a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere.” Active.
Visionable is a provider of a video conferencing platform designed to redefine business meeting by breaking down physical and virtual barriers between people and technology. Visionable combines next-generation video conferencing with unparalleled clinical imaging capabilities. Active.
Intelligent Lilli has built a powerful machine learning software platform that enables vulnerable people to live independently for longer and relieves pressure on dedicated care facilities and caregivers. The UK Company’s SaaS solution aims to transition the care industry from a reactive to a proactive approach using remote monitoring and AI technology, and to share insights and technology to impact the way vulnerable people are cared for all over the world. Active.
At Innoture, we customise the design and manufacture of our microneedle platform technology through 3D precision printing by altering their height, width, materials, and sharpness.
We are working in a range of therapy areas using our microneedle patches to deliver medicines, vaccines, and aesthetics through the skin. Active.
Bio Graphene Solutions is a sustainable manufacturer and supplier of graphene from non-graphite
based, renewable resources using proprietary nanotechnology. Our revolutionary, eco-friendly process relies on producing biochar (from wood waste!) to manufacture graphene for use across numerous industries with a primary focus on the concrete and asphalt industries. Active.
We make video ads for brands using the language, faces, and formats consumers already engage with. With 50k+ creators on our platform, our videos are more targeted and cost effective than traditional solutions.
SOLD position June 2022
Virica Biotech's exclusive Viral Sensitizer technology, was created to enhance the efficiency and reduce costs of manufacturing viral medicines and cell-based medicines.The Viral Sensitizer technology consists of a library of over one hundred small molecules that can safely overcome the natural immunological defences in the human and animal body that suppress effective viral medicines.
Up date September 2021 : Virica Biotech has successfully secured a $5M USD series A financing, led by Dynamk Capital. Active.
Virano Therapeutics has a vision to bring vastly improved and safer gene therapies to patients. We're building a pipeline of Vector Potentiators (VEPO™) and vector therapeutics for high unmet need diseases through in-house discovery and partnerships with global gene therapy players. Active.
Founded in 2014 in Silicon Valley, California, Litmus is a modern edge platform that provides the critical asset connectivity, data intelligence and application enablement needed to power Industrial IoT, Industry 4.0 and Digital Transformation.
Update August 2019 : Litmus Automation Secure $7 Million USD Series A financing from Mitsubishi Corporation, ranked 33 on the Global 500 list.
Update December 2020: Litmus Partners with Google Cloud to Enable Industrial Edge Computing with 5G and Cloud
Update September 2022 : Litmus closed a $30M Series B funding led by Belden.com.
Active.
Founded in 2012, Cluep is an artificially intelligent mobile advertising platform that targets people based on what they are sharing, how they are feeling and where they have been. With business in the U.S., Canada,UK, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and India, Cluep services a range of high profile national and global brands across industries.
As the first & largest angel investor and board member we assisted the company in its early and growth phase. The company was SOLD in 2018 to Impact Group a CI Capital Partners portfolio company.
Founded in 1978, Baylin Technologies (TSX: BYL), is a leading diversified global technology company. The Company focuses on the research, design, development, manufacture and sale of passive and active radio-frequency products, satellite communications products, and supporting services. It offers its products under the Galtronics, Advantech Wireless, Alga Microwave, and Mitec brands. It operates in the United States, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada, Taiwan, Russia, India, and internationally. Active.
Tiary is built on its proprietary e-commerce platform that enables consumers & business clients to create, ‘wear’ and share their unique jewelry. Using proprietary technology Tiary has created a unique user experience by combining 3D animation a powerful customization engine to deliver a stunning consumer experience. Active.
Verold Inc. operates an online visual editing platform that allows users to turn 3D content into interactive presentations on the Web. Its platform enables users to upload 3D content in various formats; customize scenes with material, environment, and lighting tools; add animation and interactivity to the scenes; and view and share interactive presentations that showcase product, artwork, and brand on the Web or other devices, such as mobiles, tablets, and desktops.
The team turnaround the company and it was SOLD in 2017 to NYSE:BOX.
Kinek, a PUDO (CSE: PDO; OTCQB: PDPTF) service, removes the last barrier to truly convenient online shopping. By partnering with local businesses in strategic areas across North America, Kinek has created a network of delivery locations. Kinek is e-tailer and courier agnostic, which means you can have your packages shipped from any website, retail outlet, or individual to your choice of KinekPoints across the U.S. and Canada.
SOLD to PUDO 2016
Lift provides clients with a full spectrum of incentive platform solutions, innovative loyalty and incentive solutions that are creative, engaging and measurable supported by outstanding technology, meaningful insights and social interactions. Active.
Novashare is a communications management and data analytics platform for companies and investors. Our platform provides companies with intelligence reporting, CRM and administrative support for investor relations and corporate governance research.
SOLD to GLOBAL GOVERNANCE ADVISORS - 2016
Ready to rethink, reimagine, reposition your place in the world?
That’s Trajectory Brands… brand crafters, storyliners, design and image foundry.
When you are ready to elevate your game, make it meaningful and smart.
SOLD in 2016 and bought back in 2017.
SOLD position in 2019
Be Nourished Inc. ("benourished"), the first Canadian company to distribute raw, vegan cold-pressed juices and superfood smoothies through the natural and grocery channels in Canada.
SOLD position in 2013
Launched in 2010, GaggleUp Inc. offers great "deals of the day" on a variety of products and services to match your lifestyle and interests.
SOLD in 2011
Word of Wisdom
If you are one day away from embarking into the world of early-stage companies just remember these key pillars:
Always,....always do and act in what is in the best interest of the company. Never put self-interest and greed ahead of the company.
« Cash is king » preserve and grow your cash position, as much as possible at all times. No cash - No business.
The day you take 1$ from an investor to fund the company your obligation and responsibility is now to the overall company & its shareholders. Small or large they have entrusted their hard-earned money to you and deserve attention and good governance of their investment.
No one ..... No one is indispensable.
Know your limits and seek advice as much as needed. Stand for what you now is right but compromise when required for the sake of the company. Don’t let anyone stand in your way of doing the right thing for the overall shareholders.
Fasten your seatbelt there will be up and downs in your management of the business but always remember a captain needs his crew to navigate and like a sailboat you need to chart the course.
What’s starts like an apple can end up looking like an orange. Pivot is the most challenging and tough decision for a leader to do. Navigating south to then switch to north to find a treasure is tough to do but it is sometimes necessary and unavoidable to save the journey.
Make mistakes, learn and don’t make the same ones again.
There is no better sense of accomplishment than when you do the work yourself to learn, adjust and move on to the next challenge.
Communicate, communicate, communicate with your team, your board, and especially shareholders to build trust, to prevent or solve problems, to provide clarity or direction or to create better relationships.
Contact Us
We have investments in Toronto - Montreal - New York - Miami - Santa Clara - London
