Tyler Bradley

Tyler Bradley has stuck to his plan. When he finished his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2002, he knew he wanted to work in business development and financing. He hasn't veered from his path at all.

To get there, Bradley applied for the WestLink Technology Commercialization Program. His first placement was with Bradley's current employer, the Golden Opportunity Fund, Saskatchewan's first and largest provincial labour-sponsored venture capital corporation. During his eight-month placement he did due diligence on investment opportunities, financial modelling and learned his way around a venture capital company.

"I met a lot of interesting CEOs and entrepreneurs in dynamic industries," says Bradley. "And the business plans I saw ranged from biopharmaceutical, oil and gas, manufacturing and IT companies. It was exciting to see the opportunity for high return on investments for some of these businesses."

From there, the Saskatchewan-raised farm boy headed west to the University of Victoria's technology transfer office, Innovation and Development Corp. As a business incubator that housed IT and bio-tech start-ups, Bradley conducted market research and financial analyses for the fledgling companies. "It was interesting to be on the other side of the venture capital table," says Bradley.

Bradley then moved onto Saskatoon's Pyxis Genomics, a private company developing diagnostics and therapeutics in animal health. During his placement, he worked on raising venture capital as well as product development and securing partnerships with customers in the animal health industry. He liked his role there so much that he ended up staying on after his placement wrapped up.

"I liked the opportunity for growth and having an agricultural background, I liked being in that space," says Bradley, who grew up just outside Swift Current, Saskatchewan. "It was a small company where everyone was motivated and committed, so it was a good place to be."

Staying with the agricultural theme, Bradley moved to AgWest Bio Inc., where he was an investment analyst with a commercialization fund that invested in seed-stage biotechnology companies in Saskatchewan. His role involved managing the portfolio of 15 investments and evaluating business plans which led to three new investments in Saskatchewan biotechnology companies. Two years later, his first internship placement lured him back.

As an investment analyst with the Golden Opportunity Fund, Bradley is exactly where he projected he would be when he first started the internship program.

"In venture capital, you are shooting for above average returns on investment and you have to understand the risk and manage that risk," says Bradley. "You are dealing with very energetic and dynamic people—whether it is other venture capitalists or CEOs. I'm in a company that covers all kinds of fields and focus all over Saskatchewan and it's a good time for this economy."

Looking back, Bradley says there are two important factors that drew him to the WestLink program. As a new graduate, the wage subsidy made all the difference. "I don't know where else I would have had the three opportunities I did while making a little bit of money," says Bradley.

Networking also played a big role for Bradley, who still continues to cross paths with former WestLink colleagues in the same field as him. "Those two points are really important," he says. "They made a big impact."