| Website | microsoft.com |
| Blog | blogs.msdn.com/ma... |
| @mrelph | |
| Birthplace | Toronto |
A 14 year veteran of Microsoft, Mark provides his senior leadership to Microsoft’s startup & venture capital evangelism work. He leads the Startup & VC Engagement Team which focuses on working with directly with young high-potential startups, building relationships with the venture capital community and providing an “ear to the ground” for Microsoft on key trends in the startup market.
In Silicon Valley and beyond, Mark and his team work directly with startups companies to help them adopt Microsoft technologies, broker discussions with internal Microsoft groups, showcase their products and connect them to commercial opportunities. To support the highest potential startups, his team runs the “BizSpark One” premium tier of Microsoft’s BizSpark program. Mark’s team orchestrates Microsoft’s relationship with the Venture Capital and investor community through direct engagement and broader events and programs. Mark’s team also serves as a center of excellence for Microsoft product teams looking to engage with startups as part of their go-to-market plans.
Previous to this role, Mark led the Windows Ecosystem & Developer Team whose mission was to build a rich ecosystem of hardware and software partners for Windows. Key to this was demonstrating that hardware and software innovation is a differentiating asset of the Windows franchise. Mark was also focused on ensuring developers embrace Windows as long term bet for their success.
Before moving to the US, Mark was Vice President of the Developer & Platform (DPE) Group for Microsoft Canada. In this role, Mark was focused on enhancing Canada’s technology economy & ecosystem. His organization engaged with developers and IT professionals across Canada with an emphasis on building their skills and enriching their careers. Mark was focused on stimulating the early adoption of key aspects of the Microsoft platform.
Outside of Microsoft, Mark is a Charter Member of the C100, a non-profit, member-driven organization dedicated to supporting Canadian technology entrepreneurship and investment. He is also a member of the board of the Neil Squire Society, a national not-for-profit organization in Canada that empowers Canadians with physical disabilities through the use of computer-based assistive technologies, research and development, and various employment programs.
Mark is originally from Toronto, Canada. He is a father of 2, an avid snowboarder, aspiring photographer and rabid hockey fan.
