Playmaker incubated
Relay incubates sports-media company Playmaker with CEO Jordan Gnat; it was later sold to Better Collective.
Venture Capital
Toronto pre-seed and seed VC (since 2008) focused on urbantech, proptech, fintech and sportstech, now investing from Relay Ventures V.
0 open roles0 deals2 people9 sources
Relay Ventures is a Toronto-headquartered early-stage venture firm founded in 2008 by John Albright and Kevin Talbot. It writes first cheques at pre-seed and seed and supports founders through later rounds. It invests mainly in North America, in urbantech, proptech, fintech and sportstech, from its current fund, Relay Ventures V. Past backings include ecobee, theScore, Kira Talent and Q9 Networks, and it incubated Playmaker, later sold to Better Collective. It has offices in Toronto, Calgary and San Francisco, but its website publishes no titles, team bios or student programs, so for candidates it is a small, relationship-driven shop.
No sourced figures yet
BSO only shows numbers it can attribute to a published source.
Initial investments at pre-seed and seed in North American companies, with continued support through later financings, from the current fund Relay Ventures V.
Four themes: urbantech (autonomy, robotics, mobility), proptech (the real-estate value chain), fintech (insurance, wealth, enterprise and consumer banking) and sportstech (how games are played, distributed and consumed).
Relay has incubated companies with founding CEOs. For example, it incubated Playmaker in 2020 and a Relay partner joined as COO; Playmaker was later acquired by Better Collective.
| Toronto | ON | headquarters |
| Calgary | AB | office |
San Francisco
Powered by
From the inside
Reasons that work in interviews
3 reasons for Relay Ventures
Venture interviews test sourcing and judgement rather than technicals. Bring a company they have not invested in and explain why you would back it, then name a portfolio company of theirs you find interesting and why. That does more than any structural reason.
Early-stage with a defined focus including sports and mobile technology, which is a narrower lane than most Canadian seed funds.
Toronto-based with US deal flow.
Small team.
Coming soon
We’re collecting the real technical and behavioural questions candidates were asked at Relay Ventures, by role and office, and how each round runs.
When they’re in, they’ll be part of BSO Pro, which already has candidate reports for dozens of firms.
Interviewing there sooner than that? Get in touch and we’ll help you prepare.
How juniors get in
Has hired full-time analysts in Toronto and Calgary with an undergraduate degree and under four years of experience, and associates from other investment roles; no published intern or MBA program.
Green: evidence it does. Struck through: evidence it doesn’t. Dashed: no public evidence either way.
Programs
Co-founder
Investment
Co-founded Relay Ventures in 2008 with Kevin Talbot and still appears on the firm's team page. The firm publishes no formal title or bio for him.
Co-founder
Investment
Co-founded Relay Ventures in 2008 with John Albright and still appears on the firm's team page. The firm publishes no formal title or bio for him.
Professional information only, drawn from official biographies and published reporting. BSO never lists private contact details.
Relay incubates sports-media company Playmaker with CEO Jordan Gnat; it was later sold to Better Collective.
John Albright and Kevin Talbot found the firm.
No sourced transactions or people moves for this firm. BSO publishes a fact only once it can attribute it to a named source, so these stay off the page rather than being filled in from inference. If you know something published that belongs here, it is the fastest way to get it added.
Tell us what we’re missing7
1
1
0
Alberta Enterprise Corporation · Nov 22, 2022 · alberta-enterprise.ca
Relay Ventures · Date unavailable · relay.vc
Relay Ventures · Date unavailable · relay.vc
Relay Ventures · Date unavailable · relay.vc
Relay Ventures · Date unavailable · relay.vc
Relay Ventures · Date unavailable · medium.com
BetaKit · Date unavailable · betakit.com
The Globe and Mail · Nov 3, 2016 · theglobeandmail.com
Bay Street Oracle · Oct 8, 2026 · intelligence.baystreetoracle.ca
Showing sources for the free preview. 0 further sources support the locked intelligence on this page.
Add your resume and BSO shows how you match Relay Ventures and the signals in your favour. BSO Pro adds how to position yourself, who to contact and the roles open at your level.
Get your planCo-op / Off-cycle intern · Canada
Seed funds take interns on a rolling basis rather than a cycle, and the work is sourcing and diligence rather than modelling. A company you would back, argued well, does more than a resume here. BSO has not confirmed a timetable for Relay Ventures on an official page: this records that the intake exists and what the category's cycle looks like, not a published date. Confirm with the firm before you plan around it.
Typical background
GuidanceNo prior finance experience required; a student investment fund or one relevant internship helps.
Large-cap platforms and global multi-strategy funds
Upper mid-market PE, infrastructure, the Maple 8 and large managers
Mid-market PE, mid-sized managers, domestic hedge funds and smaller pensions
Small-cap private equity, boutique managers and early-stage VC
Relay Ventures is hereWhere people go next
Guidance