Owen Matthews
General Partner, Wesley Clover, Chairman, Alacrity Canada and Managing Partner, Emend Vision Fund
Owen is a successful technology entrepreneur and investor. He is a General Partner at Wesley Clover International, Chairman of Alacrity Canada and Managing Partner for the Emend Vision Fund.
Owen formed a company (Newheights) while studying computer sciences and psychology at the University of Victoria. Newheights grew into the publicly listed company, CounterPath, with over $12M USD in revenue and a peak market capitalization of $110M.
Upon leaving CounterPath management, he joined his Wesley Clover family office. Owen was tasked with creating a technology portfolio in western Canada with limited resources. He created the Alacrity model, where recent graduates received government grants to create technology companies. The recent graduates would work with the Wesley Clover team, partners, and existing portfolio companies to identify known quantifiable customer demand and rapidly develop products to meet that demand. The Alacrity Canada program has resulted in over $360 Million in inbound investment and $147 Million in export revenue for Canada.
Alacrity Canada has generated shareholder value in excess of a billion dollars. Alacrity Canada has expanded its approach and helped thousands of businesses in western Canada land customers, attract investment and connect with foreign markets.
The innovative program created by Owen has been expanded, by Wesley Clover, into regional funds around the world. The UK, France, India, Mexico, and Turkey all have programs based on the Alacrity model. More are in the works.
Owen’s current board positions are: Intlabs, HYAS, Quantotech and Revela. Owen has previously served on the Board of Directors for the Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council, Victoria’s one-stop hub connecting people, knowledge, and resources to grow and promote the local technology sector. He was previously a Board member of the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island.
Owen is an active and charitable contributor in the community. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Invictus Games to be held in Vancouver and Whistler in 2025. The Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event, for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women.
Owen is also active on the board of advisors for the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria. He is the former chairman of the Board of Governors for Power to Be Adventure Therapy Society, a non-profit organization that empowers people to explore their limitless abilities through inclusive adventures rooted in nature.