David is a start-up entrepreneur with a corporate finance background focusing on the technology sector. David’s transaction experience helps focus companies on the milestones required to build corporate value for the next transaction and the ultimate exit.
Most recently, David co-founded CodeZero in 2018, a modern Kubernetes platform that allows teams to collaboratively develop and debug microservices locally and in-cluster resulting in developer productivity improvements of over 10x. Happy developers - happy users - happy companies.
About the company name: CodeZero
The cloud infrastructure world has embraced Kubernetes as its guiding operating system. The name "Kubernetes" itself derives from the Greek word meaning "helmsman" or "pilot" - an apt metaphor for its role in orchestrating and managing containerized applications. Just as containers revolutionized cargo transportation, Kubernetes streamlines handling large-scale cloud applications. Kubernetes acts as the "captain," steering and coordinating the "containers" (applications) on their digital journey, akin to a ship's captain navigating a vessel laden with cargo containers. Unsurprisingly, many tech companies in this space have adopted nautical nomenclature, like Docker, Helm, and Kraken.
When sailors want their boat to achieve peak speeds, they typically aim for a true wind angle between 90 and 135 degrees, and hoist a specialized "Code Zero" sail. The development of these asymmetric Code Zero sails revolutionized the thinking around optimized sail shapes for different wind angles and transformed how racers and offshore cruisers tune their boats to unlock maximum speed and efficiency. Hoisting a Code Zero sail often brings broad smiles to crews' faces, as they leave competitors in their wake and experience the pure joy of high-performance sailing.
Just as Code Zero sails have changed the way sailors optimize performance, CodeZero.io changes the way developers can accelerate their velocity, comply with security protocols without friction and leave competition in their wake with broad smiles on the teams' faces.
Prior to CodeZero, David co-founded Moj.io in 2012, the leading platform for connecting cars with over 1 million monthly subscribers in 8 countries and growing. As Mojio’s CFO, he led multiple financings totaling over $75M and resulting in a current post-money valuation of over $200M. Initially, he also led operations, admin, HR, legal and governance.
Prior to Mojio, David was a partner in the Vancouver-based investment bank, Stirling Mercantile, focusing on M&A, debt and equity financings, and venture financings for early-stage software companies. David was also a founding independent board member and chair of the investment committee for BC Advantage Funds, a Vancouver Venture Capital fund focusing on Life Science and IT, winner of the Canadian Venture Capital Association “Deal of the Year” in 2006. He has been a mentor of New Ventures BC since its inception in 2001, was a long time chair of the jury and is currently on the board. He also advises a number of early stage software companies, primarily on raising capital while building value towards an eventual exit.
David has 40 years of sailing experience, having won in class every Vancouver based race at least once, including the Victoria to Maui international regatta. He’s sailed to Hawaii twice and back once, chaired the Vancouver Area Racing Council for a couple of high growth years and founded the False Creek Yacht Club Racing program. David has represented Canada in both rowing and rugby and paid his way through university by teaching water skiing in Ontario.