Esplanade Ventures

Esplanade Ventures is a prominent Canadian venture capital firm specializing in early-stage and high-growth digital health technology companies. The firm focuses on reimagining healthcare by backing bold innovations, particularly those leveraging AI-enabled solutions that directly impact patients or healthcare professionals. They provide capital, hands-on guidance, commercial introductions, and go-to-market strategies to their portfolio companies, aiming to redefine healthcare delivery across North America.

The firm was founded in 2019 by Dr. Sheldon Elman and Stuart M. Elman. Dr. Sheldon Elman, a lifelong innovator, previously founded Medisys Health Group in 1987, which grew to become Canada's leading national private and corporate healthcare service provider. Both co-founders were also instrumental in establishing Persistence Capital Partners, recognized as Canada's largest healthcare-focused private equity firm, bringing decades of deep industry expertise to Esplanade Ventures.

Esplanade Ventures invests in companies commercializing in North America, with a global network extending to Europe and Israel. Their investment stages typically range from Seed to Series A rounds, with selective participation in Series B and follow-on investments. Notable companies within their portfolio include Wellth, BrainBox AI, No Barrier AI, Neura Health, Cerula Care, Tali AI, and Osteoboost, among others, all working to transform access, efficiency, and outcomes in healthcare.

The team at Esplanade Ventures comprises experienced healthcare operators, founders, and investors with over a century of collective experience in healthcare and healthtech. This real-world expertise and deep network across payer, provider, employer, and technology ecosystems enable them to offer true partnership and active support in business development and growth strategy to the innovative companies they back.