Markham, ON – March 16, 2026 – ventureLAB today announced that Avinash Persaud, Vice President, Hardware Catalyst Initiative and Semiconductor Initiatives, has stepped down from his role on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Semiconductor Council (CSC). With CSC now firmly established as a national industry association serving Canada’s semiconductor sector, Persaud’s departure reflects a natural transition as ventureLAB continues its mission to support hardtech founders building globally competitive ventures that strengthen Canada’s knowledge-based economy.
ventureLAB incubated CSC as a founding ecosystem partner and has had a seat on its board since its inception in 2021. The decision was taken to spin off the organization in 2023 as an independent entity representing companies across Canada’s semiconductor ecosystem, reflecting both the continued growth and momentum of Canada’s semiconductor community and the maturation of the organization itself. Since then, we have seen CSC continue to successfully strengthen Canada’s semiconductor sector by advancing national coordination around talent, investment, and innovation while supporting the resilience and competitiveness of the country’s semiconductor supply chains.
“With CSC now firmly established as a national industry association serving Canada’s semiconductor sector, this is a natural time for me to put my focus and energy back on with ventureLAB’s mission,” said Persaud. “It has been rewarding to help build and support the Council in its early years, and I’m proud of the role ventureLAB has played in bringing the industry together. I wish CSC continued success as they continue working to strengthen Canada’s semiconductor ecosystem.”
Persaud will continue to lead ventureLAB’s Hardware Catalyst Initiative and semiconductor initiatives, focusing on supporting the growth of Canada’s next generation of hardtech companies and strengthening Canada’s position in the global innovation economy.
About ventureLAB
ventureLAB is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, ventureLAB is part of one of the biggest and most diverse tech communities in Canada. Our initiatives focused on raising capital, talent retention, commercializing technology and IP, and customer acquisition have enabled thousands of companies to create over 7,100 jobs and raise more than $480 million in investment capital. ventureLAB is powering hardtech founders to build and scale globally competitive ventures that advance Canada’s knowledge-based economy.
