A new Partner for Cycle Capital

Mrs. Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Managing Partner of Cycle Capital Management (Cycle Capital) is pleased to announce the arrival of Roger Tambay in her team. Roger joins Cycle Capital’s team as Partner. “I am very proud of Roger Tambay’s arrival. The synergy between his academic trainings and his twenty years of professional experience are an undeniable asset for Cycle Capital, said Ms. Méthot.

Roger has 20 years of international multi-disciplinary experience with small, medium and large corporations, in a wide variety of highly competitive industrial sectors. In addition to his extensive hands-on turn around experience, he has created and developed over ten new materials and systems, thereby displacing competitive products or opening new markets. He held several positions at Eastman Chemical in Canada and United States and, more recently, he was responsible for Business development and operations for Balcan Plastics.

Roger holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, a MBA, and a bachelor’s degree of both civil and common laws. He is a member of the Quebec Bar association.

¨I enjoy working with entrepreneurs to help them build solid companies that are founded on privileged relationships with customers, employees, suppliers, financial partners and governmental agents. Accordingly, I am honored to join the talented and dynamic Cycle Capital Management team.¨

About Cycle Capital Management
A pioneer among Canadian venture capital funds focused on the cleantech sector, Cycle Capital invests in companies developing and commercializing clean technologies and striving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing resource use, and improving process efficiency throughout a product’s life cycle.

With assets under management of $230 million, Cycle Capital invests in Quebec and northeastern North America. Cycle Capital is composed of experienced investment professionals, strategic advisors, and industrial partners with in-depth knowledge of the sector. Cycle Capital has a special relationship with its strategic partners, notably Brookfield Renewable Energy, Rio Tinto Alcan, Cascades, Master Group, Lonza, Gaz Métro, Systemex Énergies, Aluminerie Alouette, and Hydro-Québec.

Cycle Capital expands its team

Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Managing Partner of Cycle Capital Management (Cycle Capital) is pleased to announce that two new strategic collaborators are joining its team, Claude Champagne and Louis Carbonneau, who bring added skills to an already accomplished team.

Entrepreneur-in-residence

Claude Champagne joins the Cycle Capital group as Entrepreneur-in-Residence. The practice of naming an entrepreneur-in-residence is popular in the United States and gradually being introduced in Canada. “I am pleased to welcome this very successful entrepreneur to our team as Entrepreneur-in-Residence. I am delighted that Claude Champagne will be sharing his vast operational experience with us,” said Ms. Méthot.

Mr. Champagne began his distinguished career in high-tech development, marketing, and corporate leadership at Nortel Networks. He founded Positron Fiber Systems Corp, a leading company in its sector, which grew rapidly and had a successful initial public offering (IPO). He has also held executive management positions at RELTEC Corp and Marconi PLC. In addition to serving on various boards and committees, he has worked in strategic advisory and mentoring roles in various high-tech companies including LxDATA, for which he became CEO.

Exclusive agreement for Canada

Currently a strategic advisor on Cycle Capital’s team, Louis Carbonneau will now devote his services in the field of clean technologies exclusively to Cycle Capital for Canada. Cycle Capital’s agreement will give the organization the advice of this internationally renowned expert in intellectual property. “The cornerstone of our clean technology investment strategy is intellectual property. This is why we are very proud to have succeeded in retaining Mr. Carbonneau’s exclusive services. I view this partnership as the key to our future success in the field,” added Ms. Méthot.

Louis Carbonneau is very familiar with all the legal aspects of intellectual property. He has 25 years of international experience in the field and was General Manager of Intellectual Property Licensing & IP Ventures at Microsoft, where he worked for 15 years. This native Quebecer began his legal career in Montreal in 1988, and became general counsel for Softimage in 1995. Since 2011, he has been CEO of Tangible IP, LLC, a patent brokering and strategic IP advisory firm that he founded. For the second consecutive year, Mr. Carbonneau recently earned the prestige of being named one of the World’s Leading Intellectual Property Strategists, an honour attributed to only 300 individuals worldwide by the British publication Intellectual Asset Management (IAM).

About Cycle Capital Management

A pioneer among Canadian venture capital funds focused on the cleantech sector, Cycle Capital invests in companies developing and commercializing clean technologies and striving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing resource use, and improving process efficiency throughout a product’s life cycle.

With assets under management of $230 million, Cycle Capital invests in Quebec and northeastern North America. Cycle Capital is composed of experienced investment professionals, strategic advisors, and industrial partners with in-depth knowledge of the sector. Cycle Capital has a special relationship with its strategic partners, notably Brookfield Renewable Energy, Rio Tinto Alcan, Cascades, Master Group, Lonza, Gaz Métro, Systemex Énergies, Aluminerie Alouette, and Hydro-Québec.

Information:

Andrée-Lise Méthot

514-865-3620

Cycle Capital Management capitalizes more than $100 million for its investment platform’s third fund

Cycle Capital Management (CCM) today announced the launch of Cycle Capital Fund III L.P. (Fund III), a new venture capital fund in the clean technology sector, which targets companies at the commercialization stage. The announcement was made by Andrée-Lise Méthot,
Founder and Managing Partner of Cycle Capital, accompanied by Quebec Premier Pauline Marois and Minister of Finance and the Economy Nicolas Marceau.

The Cycle Capital Fund III will invest in sectors involving energy efficiency, green agriculture and chemistry, industrial applications, transportation, clean energy and fuels, and waste upgrading and transformation. Cycle Capital favours projects with the highest performance that help improve process efficiency.

Thanks to the participation of the Government of Quebec, which is contributing $50 million through its authorized representative, Investissement Québec, and several committed partners, including Teralys Capital, Hydro-Québec, Aluminerie Alouette, Fondaction CSN, Cascades, Gaz Métro, and Cycle Capital associates, this fund has reached a total of $108 million.

“We are proud to once again succeed in bringing together partners from the institutional and industrial sectors to create Fund III. We are thrilled by the renewed confidence of our partners and the outstanding contribution of the Government of Quebec, which have encouraged us to pursue our investment efforts,” said Andrée-Lise Méthot.

“As the data on world venture capital shows, the clean technology sector is one of the most promising. Quebec is not being left behind, because it is also participating in this international movement and helping build solid businesses, prepared to confront the world challenges that await us,” concluded Méthot.

“Thanks to this new fund, added to the two existing funds, Cycle Capital now offers the most comprehensive financing in Quebec to effectively support the launch of innovative companies in the clean technology sector. We are pleased to support this major partner in the development of a sector that will help determine the success of Quebec in the long term,” added Jacques Bernier, Managing Partner at Teralys Capital.

Claude Vachet joins Cycle Capital as Managing Partner

Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Managing Partner of Cycle Capital Management (Cycle Capital) is pleased to announce that Claude Vachet has joined her team as Managing Partner.

Claude Vachet has over 22 years of experience in operations in  Venture Capital and in fund management. Having managed numerous investments and exits during his career, Claude has a solid track record. He has, among others, been part of successful teams at  both Kirchner and Multiple Capital. He has also worked at Innovatech Montreal as Vice President Information Technology and Communication. In this capacity, he was responsible for 44 start-up companies and 5 Venture Capital Funds. From April 2004 to March 2005, he participated in the sale of Innovatech Montreal’s portfolio, the second largest transaction in a Venture Capital portfolio in Canada with its 15 funds and 108 companies.
“I am very happy and very proud to welcome Claude to Cycle Capital’s team. I am confident that he will perform perfectly in his assigned responsibilities. The team members are already benefiting from his experience, professionalism and enthusiasm, said Ms. Andrée-Lise Méthot. Claude graduated from the École Polytechnique in Chemical Engineering and holds an MBA from HEC Montreal.
 
About Cycle Capital Management (CCM) Inc.
Cycle Capital is a pioneer among Canadian venture capital funds focused on the cleantech sector. The fund invests in companies developing and commercializing clean technologies and projects in renewable energy generation that are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing resources use, and decreasing impacts over their entire life cycle.With nearly $125 million under management, Cycle Capital invests primarily in Northeastern North America. The fund has assembled a team of investment professionals, advisors and strategic partners, internationally respected for their combined experience in building, nurturing and growing world-class companies. Cycle Capital benefits from a privileged relationship with its strategic partners including Brookfield Renewable Power, Rio Tinto Alcan, Cascades, The Master Group L.P, Lonza, Gaz Métro, Systemex Energies and the Centre d’excellence en efficacité énergétique C3E.

Women Business personality: Andrée-Lise Methot

Les Affaires in partnership with Desjardins Group launch “Women Business Personality.”

This is a series that puts forward the course leaders who are not in the limelight but whose accomplishments are no less exceptional.

Discover this week Andrée-Lise Methot, founder and principal partner, Cycle Capital Management.

Lufa Farms Inc. — A new company in the Cycle-C3E portfolio

Cycle Capital Management (CCM) has announced a new investment for Seed Fund Cycle-C3E, LP: $1.3 million in Lufa Farms Inc., an urban farming company.

This new company, headed by a dynamic young entrepreneur who has captured the interest of angel investors in Canada, New Zealand and the U.S., favourably meets the business model sought by Cycle Capital. For Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Senior Partner of Cycle Capital Management (CCM) Inc., “This decision represents an innovative investment that will have significant impact as it changes the way in which we produce and consume in a sector as vital as the food industry. The future of technologies also depends on solutions that will make it possible to feed large urban centres by efficiently using local and cutting-edge production methods, and that’s what Lufa Farms offers.”

The company is building two additional farms in the Montreal area and is planning more in Toronto, Boston, New York, and Chicago. “Our new facilities will clearly establish us as the strongest and most advanced fresh-food farm operator in the urban agriculture arena by putting well over 200,000 square feet of rooftops under cultivation,” said Mohammed Hage, CEO of Lufa Farms. “When we’ve completed this round, more than 5,000 families will be buying freshly harvested, high-quality fruits, vegetables and herbs from Lufa Farms every week.”

Moreover, for Dave Furneaux, cofounder, chairman of the board and investor in Lufa Farms through Furneaux Capital, LLC, “Producing food in urban centres is a big idea with massive positive benefits to the world. After spending two years learning about the state of the urban farming and food production movement, it became clear to me that Lufa Farms has the lead and the most advanced and innovative food production platform, the right business model, and a vision for future global expansion.”

Ms. Élaine Zakaïb, Minister for Industrial Policy and the Banque de développement économique du Québec, was also excited by this news. “I firmly believe in economic development that respects the fundamental principles of sustainable development, and I intend to carry this vision forward. The Lufa Farms project is completely in line with our government’s strategy. It is an innovative initiative that’s part of the current urban farming trend. Lufa Farms’ executives clearly show that it is possible to create economic growth with a responsible, green approach. It’s now up to us to export this technology worldwide,” said Ms. Zakaïb.

About Lufa Farms

Lufa Farms is a Quebec-based urban farming enterprise that grows fresh vegetables in rooftop greenhouses located in cities. The company created the world’s first commercial-scale rooftop greenhouse farm in 2010 on the roof of a commercial office building in Montreal’s Ahuntsic-Cartierville area. In its first year of operation, the farm produced more than 250 tons of fresh, herbicide-free, pesticide-free and fungicide-free fresh produce. The vegetables grown by Lufa Farms are harvested daily and delivered directly to area consumers.

About Cycle Capital Management (CCM) Inc.

Cycle Capital is a pioneer among Canadian venture capital funds focused on the cleantech sector. The fund invests in companies developing and commercializing clean technologies and projects in renewable energy generation that are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing resources use, and decreasing impacts over their entire life cycle.

With nearly $125 million under management, Cycle Capital invests primarily in Northeastern North America. The fund has assembled a team of investment professionals, advisors and strategic partners, internationally respected for their combined experience in building, nurturing and growing world-class companies. Cycle Capital benefits from a privileged relationship with its strategic partners including Brookfield Renewable Power, Rio Tinto Alcan, Cascades, The Master Group L.P., Lonza, Gaz Métro, Systemex Energies and the Center of Excellence in Energy Efficiency (C3E).

Launch Pad Cycle-C3E’, a new source of financing for early stage companies developing clean technologies

At the annual meeting of Anges Québec, Cycle Capital Management (CCM) Inc. announced the new Launch Pad Program, as part of the Cycle-C3E Seed Fund’s activities. This measure allows Cycle-C3E to invest, under certain conditions, an initial amount of up to $ 75,000 in a business that has submitted a Cleantech project demonstrating commercial potential but does not yet qualify for a more significant investment. The program’s main objective is to support third party validation of the technology and intellectual property. In some situations, this approach could enable Cycle Capital to participate in angel investor rounds which are commonplace for businesses at this stage.

“By investing smaller amounts prior to more exhaustive analysis, this new approach allows Cycle Capital to shorten the time to complete an investment in promising files and increase the supply of readily available capital. For a seed stage company, the due diligence process is often too long for both entrepreneurs and angel investors who support them” said Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Managing partner of Cycle Capital Management (CCM) inc.
Because angel investors play an active role in helping entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses, Mr. François Gilbert, President of Anges Québec, welcomed this news. “Cleantech is a very important sector for our angel investors to participate in and this initiative will make it easier to position ourselves for the future.’
The Cycle-C3E Cleantech fund began its operations in January 2011.  The fund’s mandate is to invest in companies at the seed stage, i.e. that are not yet generating significant revenues from their technology, and require funding to complete development and commercial roll-out of their products and services.
About Cycle Capital Management (CCM) Inc.
Cycle Capital is a pioneer among Canadian venture capital funds focused on the cleantech sector. The fund invests in companies developing and commercializing clean technologies and projects in renewable energy generation that are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing resources use, and decreasing impacts over their entire life cycle.
With nearly $125 million under management, Cycle Capital invests primarily in Northeastern North America. The fund has assembled a team of investment professionals, advisors and strategic partners, internationally respected for their combined experience in building, nurturing and growing world-class companies. Cycle Capital benefits from a privileged relationship with its strategic partners including Brookfield Renewable Power, Rio Tinto Alcan, Cascades, The Master Group L.P, Lonza, Gaz Métro, Systemex Energies and the Centre d’excellence en efficacité énergétique C3E
– 30 –
Information :    Andrée-Lise Méthot, 514 495-1022, [email protected]

A third fund for Cycle Capital

Ms. Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Senior Partner of Cycle Capital Management (Cycle Capital) welcomes the Government of Quebec’s contribution of $50 million for the Cycle Capital Fund III, a new venture capital fund in the clean technology (cleantech) sector, which targets companies at the commercialization stage. The announcement was made yesterday during the presentation of the Quebec budget by the Minister of Finance, Minister of Revenue and Minister responsible for the Montréal region, Mr. Raymond Bachand.
“This investment is a real vote of confidence for Cycle Capital and the cleantech sector. It will enable companies to continue their growth and to become leaders in their respective markets. It’s a very encouraging sign, as it sends a strong message to our entrepreneurs,” said Ms. Méthot.
Thanks to the contributions of the Government of Quebec and several committed partners such as Teralys Capital, Fondaction: the CSN’s investment fund for cooperation and employment, as well as Cascades and Gaz Métro, Cycle Capital can already count on more than $85 million for the creation of its new fund. The fund will have a minimum capitalization of $100 million and the Québec government’s equity interest in the fund will be made through its mandatary, Investissement Québec. In addition, according to a principle whereby a government contribution of $1 is matched by a contribution of $1 from industrial investors, The Québec government may contribute another $25 million, possibly raising its total equity interest in the fund to $75 million.
 
Since 2009, Cycle Capital, with nearly $125 million under management, has invested in a dozen companies in the cleantech sector. Furthermore, Cycle Capital’s investments have made it possible to attract local and international co-investors, generating a leverage effect six times the value of its investments.
According to Ms. Méthot, this new fund will contribute to finance innovative technologies for companies at the development stage looking to capture the global market. The opening of these new markets, as well as the significant leveraging of co-investments, will certainly result in significant economic benefits for Quebec. In addition, the Government of Quebec’s economic initiatives for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the development of Northern Quebec offer companies opportunities to improve their competitiveness in addition to their environmental performance.
Note: This press release does not constitute a solicitation to invest in the Cycle Capital Fund III or any other Funds managed by Cycle Capital.

A first investment for Seed Fund Cycle-C3E, LP

PRESS RELEASE

UNDER EMBARGO : Friday, December 16, 2011 9:00 AM

Cycle Capital Management (CCM) Inc. today announced a $1.250 million Seed Fund Cycle-C3E, LP first investment in YWire Technologies Inc. a Montreal based clean-tech manufacturer of energy saving control products.

Ms. Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Senior partner of Cycle Capital Management (Cycle Capital) Inc., is very pleased with this first investment for the Seed Fund Cycle-C3E, LP. “This is an important step for us today. The Seed Fund invests in companies at the early stage of their life that have yet to establish business activities generating significant revenues. These companies require funding to conceptualize, develop and market their product. We are proud to finance this young company who is already a leader in environmentally friendly lighting control systems.”

“This key investment by Cycle Capital Management will allow us to generate a dozen new jobs in Montreal, as we develop our second generation of energy efficiency control products,” said YWire President and CEO, Omar Tabba. “Already, our products can improve lighting energy efficiency by up to 75 per cent in a standard commercial building for the same cost as installing a regular light switch.”

About YWire Technologies Inc.
YwireIncorporated in 2009, YWire Technologies Inc. is the first manufacturer to implement Broadband over Powerline (BPL) data networks into building systems. YWire has embedded BPL technology into a simple to use, attractive light switch that is up to 80 per cent lower in installation costs than existing systems on the market.  YWire’s clients include several Fortune 500 companies as well as various schools, colleges and commercial office buildings.

About Cycle Capital Management (CCM) Inc.
Cycle Capital is a pioneer among Canadian venture capital funds focused on the cleantech sector. The fund invests in companies developing and commercializing clean technologies and projects in renewable energy generation that are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing resources use, and decreasing impacts over their entire life cycle.

With nearly $125 million under management, Cycle Capital invests primarily in Northeastern North America. The fund has assembled a team of investment professionals, advisors and strategic partners, internationally respected for their combined experience in building, nurturing and growing world-class companies. Cycle Capital benefits from a privileged relationship with its strategic partners including Brookfield Renewable Power, Rio Tinto Alcan, Cascades, The Master Group L.P, Lonza, Gaz Métro, Systemex Energies and the Centre d’excellence en efficacité énergétique C3E.

– 30 –

For more information:
Isabelle Perras, (514) 282-4630,
[email protected]