One of the nation’s senior business-investment communications entrepreneurs, Lanis Anthony has a diverse background in the private and public sectors, as well as the non-profit arena. With direct experience as a leader in strategic business operations, she has founded several start-ups, established successful consultancies, and owned/operated a full-service advertising agency.
Her expertise in a diversity of business disciplines includes corporate communications and marketing, public-, media- and government-relations, as well as early-stage financing, fundraising and capital investment education/training. A unique asset is a particular interest, and demonstrated abilities, in social finance and impact investing.
Lanis' career has been trademarked by her commitment to finding innovative capital and communications solutions with a "human marketing" approach that is inclusive, equitable and beneficial for all involved.
She has been part of and led teams that have unscrambled complex economic issues, advocated beneficial tax reform, articulated corporate policy in plain language, promoted the benefits of a new business sector, established mechanisms for social change, supported and capitalized organizations and individuals in need, resolved cultural conflict, enlightened opposing interest groups, conveyed the long-term environmental impact of the draught crisis and expedited life-saving innovation. All this, and yet, she still feels she has much to accomplish - which is why she is honoured to be a founding member of Startup Canada.
With more than 25 years experience in a professional career, Lanis' skill set is comprised of equal parts creative invention and common knowledge, optimistic inspiration and pragmatic application. Her abilities have evolved over time to meet the ever-changing needs of a varied client base and volatile market conditions. And while she manages to keep up with the latest technology trends, tactics and tools, Lanis remains true to the fundamentals of good business disciplines and best practices.
Committed to helping innovative companies move forward, Lanis is part of a growing number of high net-worth individuals contributing time, effort and funding to establishing angel investment as a recognized asset class. Angel investment now eclipses funds deployed by venture capital firms, and accounts for billions of dollars distributed to innovative, high potential, seed- and early-stage companies. Lanis was one of the founding members of the board and is now Past-Chair of Saskatchewan Angel Investors Network (SAINT), the province's first formalized angel-entrepreneur organization. Lanis is a board member of the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) and is an associate of the Angel Capital Association (ACA) in the US.
To complement her work in angel investment, Lanis is equally dedicated to the movement to commercialize and globalize our most promising innovations. She was an expert panel member of the first round of the Canadian innovation Commercialization Program (CICP) through Public Works and Government Services Canada and Office of Small Medium Enterprises, a former member of the National Advisory Board for NRC-IRAP. She is presently a board member of the Alliance for Commercialization of Canadian Technologies (ACCT Canada), and a member of the Province of Saskatchewan's Enterprise and Innovation Entrepreneurship Council.
