Katy Yam

Athlete, Care taker, Change Agent, Connector, Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Event planner, Finance professional, Foodie, Idea generator, Investor, Life mentor, Producer, Technologist, World traveler

I am the Indiana Jones of ideas. I am a natural connector of people and ideas in service of helping people with good intentions succeed. My life intention is to Be the River. To catalyze the extraordinary. My mission is to help founders cultivate their self-awareness, develop an antifragile mindset, and practice a #givegenerously mindset. I am a General Partner at Real Ventures and General Manager of FounderFuel (Canada’s longest running tech accelerator). I bring nearly 25 years of multilingual executive experience in managing high-performing teams in venture capital, artificial intelligence, gaming, consumer packaged goods, telecommunications, and nonprofits. I am ICD.D board-certified, a trained Integral Facilitator and an independent board member at Loto-Québec, Quantum Venture Studio, and Réseau Capital. As an early-stage investor, I sit on several startup boards as a member or observer. Previously, I worked 3 years at Element AI, which was co-founded by Yoshua Bengio, contributing to its global expansion from pre-Series A to becoming Canada’s biggest AI company before its acquisition by ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW). From 2013 to 2021, I also led TEDxMontréal to showcase Montreal-born ideas on the global TED stage. Beyond my professional pursuits, I am a guest lecturer, passionate volunteer, cultural explorer and triathlete. I enjoy reading historical fiction and like to run to unwind.

Building startups, integral facilitation, community building, connecting deeply with people, discovering new food experiences, travelling, having fun at work, celebrating small wins, installation art, the Beatles, volunteering.

Stay in the present moment with the help of mental rumble strips. Guilt, regret, and rumination indicate that your mind is in the past. Worry, doubt, and anxiety signal that your mind is in the future. Gentle awareness of these rumble strips can steer you back to being present. Presence is the only place where infinite possibilities truly exist.

Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence, Community Building, Deep Learning, Integral Facilitation, Marketing / Branding, People Development, Personal Development, Product / Marketing Development and Management, Startups, Talk Development, Venture Capital

I was diagnosed with cancer in the spring of 2006, while undergoing weekly chemo sessions for over a year, my mind was unable to concentrate for long periods of time on anything. I couldn't comprehend what I read or indulge my curiosity in my usual ways. Luckily for me, June 2006 was when the first 6 TED talks came online. Surprisingly, my mind was able to ingest 18 minutes of these captivating stories and teachings, satisfying my thirst for mental stimulation. And in 2012, after remission, I decided it was time to give back, and I chose to dedicate over a decade of my life force to elevating Montreal-born ideas onto the global TED stage by running TEDxMontreal and participating in the TEDx global community.

making risotto, making snow angels, blowing spit bubbles, moderating groups and panels.