Chris Stairs

EIR at SFU VentureLabs and Venture Connection, Co-founder, Sales Primer, Financial Advisor at Volition

Chris has 20+ years of experience in strategic sales and operational start-ups, and has helped organizations position for market entry and streamline execution. A senior associate of CanadaStartUp.com, Chris supports ventures across a broad range of sectors including construction management software, e-learning, fintech, workplace hygiene, therapeutic apparel, industrial automation, event technologies, and anti-counterfeit authentication platforms. He is a mentor at SFU VentureConnection, SFU VentureLabs, and a finance advisor for Volition Advisors. Also a part-time instructor at SFU, BCIT, and Tamwood Global Startup School, Chris is a strong advocate of continued learning, and devotes his spare energies towards providing practical, no-nonsense training to young professionals and entrepreneurs who need easily compressed, essential lessons in a regularly changing business landscape.

Prior to his work in the venture space, Chris began his career in sports marketing and tourism-hospitality, working for such global brands as the NBA, Olympics, FIFA, and Vancouver Aquarium.