Phoenix Fire Fund

A national movement to increase the participation, leadership and prosperity of women in technology.

Phoenix Fire is an angel stage investment fund that applies a systematic, disciplined approach to investing in women entrepreneurs across Canada.

Our Mission

To invest in early-stage women entrepreneurs with high growth and revenue-generating potential by applying a systematic and disciplined approach to drive returns for angel investment in women-led teams:

  • Active portfolio management with experienced angel investors;
  • Extensive networks, support and mentors who share in the upside through participation in investments;
  • National partnerships to access and attract diverse deal flow.

Our Focus

Phoenix Fire focuses on seed-stage start-ups with strong, research and data-driven IP in:

Technology
Sustainability
Health Tech
Industry 4.0

Portfolio

The Phoenix Fire Team

Danielle Graham
General Partner

Danielle Graham is Managing Partner of Phoenix Fire and Co-Founder of The Firehood. She founded Communitech’s Fierce Founders, the first women-focused tech accelerator in Canada. Previously, Manager of Ontario Centres of Innovation’s Market Readiness fund, Principal at Sandpiper and Dream Maker Ventures and consulting at Deloitte.

Thealzel Lee
General Partner

Thealzel Lee is an experienced board member, entrepreneur and angel investor who advises companies on technology commercialization and developing achievable business strategies.  She has managed angel investor group meetings including the VANTEC Angel Network (VANTEC) and the Vancouver chapter of the Keiretsu Forum (Northwest Region). She also served on committees with the National Angel Capital Organization (Canada) and the Angel Capital Association (U.S.). Thealzel is co-founder and director of angel investment funds Nelsa Investment (VCC) Inc., the VANTEC Entrepreneurs (VCC) Fund Inc. dba eFund and the Montfort Capital Corporation (TSX.V:MONT) which provide equity and non-equity investments in these entrepreneurs.

Thealzel holds an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario and a BSc from the University of Alberta.

Claudette McGowan
General Partner

Claudette McGowan is a global information technology leader with more than 20 years of success leading digital transformations, optimizing infrastructure and designing new approaches that improve service and cybersecurity experiences. She has worked in the technology industry for several organizations such as Deloitte, Metropolitan Police Services, North York General Hospital, Bank of Montreal and TD Bank.

Claudette is the founder and CEO of Protexxa, a Canadian-based cybersecurity software and services company.

Claudette is an active member of the Canadian innovation ecosystem. She is the chair of the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR), a group of senior business leaders committed to fighting systemic racism within the innovation economy. Her commitment to community is evidenced by her multiple board seats for leading organizations such as MaRS Discovery District, SickKids Hospital Foundation, Black North, The Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR), Elevate Technology Festival, Northwind Professional Institute, and the U.S. Consul General of Toronto U.S-Canada Innovation Council.

Claudette completed her studies in Canada and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Lakehead University, a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University, and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Carleton University. Claudette is currently in the Computer Science PhD program at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Diane Wolfenden
General Partner

Diane Wolfenden is an active angel investor. Since 2009, she’s been a charter member of the Golden Triangle Angel Network (GTAN) and has twice been on its board. In 2016, she received GTAN’s David Borges Community Builder of the Year Award. Formerly an investor advisor with RBC Dominion Securities, she also gives back as a community volunteer. She sits on the board of Stratford Summer Music, and chairs the Community Aid Fund for the Kitchener Conestoga Rotary Club. She’s a former chair of Equation Angels, the board of Governors of the Grand River Hospital Foundation and the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.

Diane received both her MBA and MLS from McGill University.