NATIONAL BANK OF CANADA
Importance of ecosystem and partnerships Being part of a larger ecosystem is crucial for NAventures ’ success . Philippe emphasises : “ Corporate venture funds are always going to be smaller , so you need to nurture the ecosystem and spend a lot of time on them . That ’ s why we need a friendly environment to help us find the best solutions .”
To achieve this , NAventures collaborates with various partners to enhance its offerings and services . One such partner is CGI , a consulting firm based in Montreal , involved in strategic collaborations with NBC , especially in areas like open banking . Another partner is FlowX . AI , working on enhancing IT development speed and capabilities through AI and new technologies . Additionally , NAventures has developed strategies with investment firms like Sagard , which owns several funds , including Portage , a significant FinTech fund in Canada . These collaborations ensure that the bank stays at the forefront of market trends and technological advancements .
Philippe explains : “ We ’ ve been very good at connecting ourselves to the rest of the bank to really deliver that value , and the companies we invest in usually end up being useful inside the bank . The way I compare this to is a bit like gears . National Bank is the main gear , and we have all those small gears , which are all the FinTechs we have invested in . When National Bank gives them a contract , it makes the small gears turn very fast . If we only have one small gear turning , National Bank , the bigger gear , is not going to be turning . But we have 25 of them all turning superfast , you start moving that big wheel as well .” nbc . ca 15