Meet our team

Backed by decades of expertise and a portfolio of more than 40 companies, we empower founders to achieve lasting impact and deliver significant results.

Chris Erickson

Founder

  • Chris is the founding general partner of Pangaea Ventures and has helped entrepreneurs change the world for over 25 years. Chris is based in Phoenix and sits on the boards of several portfolio companies. Prior to starting Pangaea in 2000, Chris was a partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, specializing in environmental and corporate law. Chris has been on the board of the Canadian Venture Capital Association and several non-profit organizations.

    Chris has a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toronto and a B.Comm. from the University of Calgary.

    Outside of work, you will find Chris running trails on the west coast and in Arizona

    “In the morning, I am energized by all the little things that can make our world more sustainable, in addition the big, impactful things we see at Pangaea.”

Andrew Haughian

Partner

  • Andrew joined Pangaea Ventures in 2006 and since then has developed deep expertise in helping companies navigate the early growth stage as they work to prove product-market fit, build out high-performance teams, cultivate a culture of excellence, and optimize growth financing. He currently works closely with Aspect Biosystems, CarbonCure Technologies, Prime Roots and Hinalea and previously worked with companies such as Tidal Vision and ESS Inc. as they passed through the early growth stage.

    Andrew holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Mechanical Engineering) from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Business Administration degree from the University of British Columbia.

    When not investing, Andrew is happiest racing his road or gravel bike in the country roads of British Columbia.

Janelle Goulard

Partner

  • Janelle focuses on healthcare and agriculture investments at Pangaea. She brings over 15 years of experience spanning private capital, venture scaling, and management consulting most of it at GE Healthcare, where she collaborated with global teams across Europe and the U.S.

    Her entrepreneurial track record includes co-launching a population health technology platform that became a joint venture with Microsoft and GE. Today, she draws on deep networks across private capital and the public and private healthcare sectors to back innovations that improve how care is delivered.

    Janelle holds MBA from the University of British Columbia in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University.

    When she’s not investing, you can find Janelle on a sailboat in the Caribbean or west coast of Canada. She is a certified skipper.

    The best piece of advice she’s ever been given is "Build relationships, they will take you further. Identify ways you can help other people; maybe not today, or tomorrow or this year or the next 5 years, but those relationships will come around to support you".

Sarah Applebaum

Partner

  • Sarah brings more than a decade of venture capital and company building experience to the team. Sarah has cultivated expertise in building entrepreneurial teams, scaling early stage ventures, and venture financing. Sarah is an active mentor to early stage entrepreneurs and a startup community activator and advocate.

    Sarah works closely with Pangaea portfolio companies pH7, TruTag, ChEmpower, and Membrion. Sarah holds a BSc. From Dalhousie University and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business.

    Outside of work, you can find Sarah on the local trails with her dog, Indie, out on her road bike, or spending time with friends and family.

    “What I love most about venture capital is the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from the next generation of technology leaders and visionaries. I am constantly learning and building and rebuilding what I think our future looks like. I am so fortunate I get to help create a cleaner, healthier, and safer world for generations to come.”

David Weekes

Associate

  • Prior to joining Pangaea Ventures in 2022, David spent several years developing and implementing major research and technology translation initiatives at the University of British Columbia. His technical experience includes clean energy, quantum materials and devices, and chemistry, and he has published several technical and non-technical articles in these fields. David has mentored a number of early-stage ventures, and he continues to be an active member of the technology start-up community within British Columbia.

    David holds a Masters in Chemistry with Honours in French from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia.

    Outside of work, David can typically be found exploring the coast mountains of British Columbia, either on skis, on foot, or on a bike.

    “I love meeting and learning about the founders of a new venture, just as much as I love learning about their technology. You can learn so much from the “who” of a company, rather than just the “what!”

Kandai Yamashita

Associate

  • Prior to joining Pangaea in 2026, Kandai was part of the CVC team at Mitsubishi Corporation, where he managed investment initiatives within the mining and climate sectors. During this tenure, Kandai completed a two-year secondment at a venture capital firm, gaining deep operational experience in venture capital workflows and portfolio management. 

    He leverages this dual perspective to accelerate portfolio growth while driving strategic returns for Pangaea’s LPs. Based in Tokyo, he facilitates collaboration between Pangaea’s LPs and portfolio companies by leveraging his deep strategic and industrial expertise.

    Outside of work, Kandai enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and camping.

    "I aim to be a catalyst for growth within the Japanese innovation landscape, helping portfolio companies expand their global footprint while partnering with our LPs to drive new business creation through cutting-edge technologies."

Yuki Shirato

Senior Advisor

  • Yuki brings extensive cross-border legal and business expertise to Pangaea Ventures, aiding in fundraising, scaling and global expansion in the Japanese market. Yuki is currently the Managing Director of Techstars Japan, leading one of the country’s most active startup accelerators. He has a background as a serial entrepreneur, seasoned advisor, and angel investor in over 50 startups, including unicorns. Yuki also founded Yakumi, an international angel network. 

    Yuki is a qualified New York attorney and registered foreign attorney in Japan. He spent over a decade at top-tier global law firms, advising on over $100 billion in transactions, specializing in M&As, funds, and complex corporate deals.

    Prior to becoming a lawyer, his diverse career includes roles at Bain & Company and as a trade negotiator at the Japanese business federation, Keidanren. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto (J.D.), University of British Columbia and Duke University (M.B.A.), and the University of Tokyo (B.A.).

    Outside of work, he enjoys travel, art, antiquing, swimming, and being a plant parent to his moss collection in his tiny Tsuboniwa garden.

    "For decades, Japan has built a strong foundation in scientific and technical research, yet much of this potential remains untapped. My passion is to help hard tech founders unlock that potential and bridge the gap between Japanese corporations, startups and researchers and the global market."

Kay Enjoji

Senior Advisor

  • Kay brings extensive semiconductor innovation and CVC expertise to Pangaea Ventures and our Limited Partners. Most recently, Kay was President of TEL Venture Capital, Inc. Overseeing global CVC operations, he expanded the firm fivefold, investing in over 50 startups across 12 countries with a 70% success rate, facilitating 70+ collaborative projects. He further supported the formation of over ten additional CVCs worldwide.

    In addition to his CVC and semiconductor expertise, Kay brings significant business creation, M&A, and global strategy expertise through his diverse previous roles, including as VP of Corporate Marketing and Development for Tokyo Electron Ltd., where he led new business initiatives, acquisitions, and investor relations.

    Kay has served on nearly 30 company boards, has been recognized as a Top 50 Global CVC Leader for 12 years, and received the Game Changer Award. He has been instrumental in advancing Japan's venture ecosystem as the first CVC member of the Japan Venture Capital Association. He also founded Silicon Catalyst Japan to foster semiconductor and deep-tech startups in Asia. 

    Since retiring from Tokyo Electron, he has become a strategic investment consultant, outside director, and advisor. Today, Kay continues to champion innovation and global collaboration, leveraging his extensive experience to drive sustainable growth.

    Kay is a graduate of Keio University. Outside of work, Kay enjoys oil painting, driving, golf, playing with model trains, or with his dog.

Purnesh Seegopaul

Advisor

  • Purnesh has been involved in developing and commercializing advanced materials across diverse industries over the past 25 years. He has held leadership positions in both large enterprises and startup companies. He is now applying his entrepreneurial passion and well-honed skills to help build startup companies leveraging advanced materials innovation to make the world better by addressing global challenges, such as, climate change, energy, food, water, and health. Purnesh also shares his knowledgebase by providing mentoring and advisory services with groups promoting entrepreneurship and advanced materials commercialization.

    Purnesh received his B.Sc. (chemistry/biology), with distinction, from the University of Guyana, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia where he was a Commonwealth Scholar. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Delaware.

    When not investing, Purnesh is with his family, golfing with friends, gardening, and catching up on historical events.

    “The best part of my job is interacting with entrepreneurs to work on leading edge materials innovations to resolve big global challenges.”

Tracy Hedberg

Director, Finance & Admin

  • Tracy is a Chartered Accountant with a scientific background. She worked six years as Senior Securities Analyst, Corporate Finance, for the British Columbia Securities Commission. Tracy served as Controller for Lion One Metals Inc., a TSX-V listed company, before establishing her own practice and later joining Pangaea. Tracy has a BSc. with a double major in Biology and Environmental Science from the University of Victoria, as well as her CA designation.

Mitchell Ballentine

Marketing

  • Mitchell Ballentine brings over 13 years of experience in brand building and marketing to Pangaea Ventures, with a focus on ventures addressing planetary health. His background includes leading marketing initiatives across diverse sectors such as clean energy, synthetic fuels, and healthcare. Mitchell is passionate about leveraging strategy and execution to grow impactful brands and reach diverse audiences, driven by audience-centricity.

    Before joining Pangaea, Mitchell founded and scaled a marketing consultancy and co-founded a startup focused on in-house brand development. His experience includes brand development, messaging, content strategy, and brand marketing. Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Commerce with an Entrepreneurship Specialization from the University of Victoria.

    “Learning from and supporting the journeys of the founders and companies who are creating breakthrough technologies is what drives me. I'm inspired by the countless ventures and founders out there pushing the boundaries to support planetary health.”

Helen Sun

Analyst

  • Helen brings experience working at the intersection of technology, operations, and the built environment, supporting the evaluation, adoption, and scaling of emerging technology solutions within complex organizations. She has partnered with cross-functional stakeholders to assess technical capabilities, align solutions with operational needs, and drive implementation from early pilots through broader deployment. Her approach emphasizes analytical rigor, stakeholder engagement, and a practical understanding of how technology creates value in real-world, operational settings.

    She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Clean Energy Systems at Arizona State University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign with a minor in technology and management.

    Outside of work, you can find Helen exploring the outdoors all across Arizona and scouting out the best local eats.

    “Meaningful innovation requires a global mindset. I am motivated by the progress that happens when we bridge the gap between different cultures and unique ways of working.”