# John Albright

> John Albright is a seed investor at Relay Ventures (Toronto) backing Software and Mobile. See 57 investments, check sizes, portfolio. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: Angel Investor
- Fund: [Relay Ventures](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/relay-ventures)
- Location: Toronto, Canada
- Total investments: 57
- Last investment: Aug 2025
- Lead investor: 35%
- Last updated: Aug 2026
- LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/johnlalbright
- X (Twitter): http://twitter.com/johnlalbright
- Website: http://www.relayventures.com
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RelayVentures

John Albright is a seed investor at Relay Ventures in Toronto focused on Software and Mobile. John is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Relay Ventures, an early stage venture fund exclusively focused on mobile connectivity. During his tenure in the venture capital business, John has gained extensive experience assisting entrepreneurs shape their vision and capital plans into successful long term growth programs which typically involved anaggressive financing strategy. John has a history of assisting entrepreneurial companies through significant growth and eventually to the public markets. His ability to work with and advise senior management of investee companies, as well as his skills in filling supporting roles where existing management lack the experience or skill set, has been vital to the success of past investments.John currently serves as a director of Nexage, Fuse, Digby, Achievers, ClearFit, Blue Ant Media, mDialog, InPowered, Difference Capital Funding, theScore, Touch Bistro and OCAD University. In addition, John serves as an advisor to The Next 36, Ryerson Digital Media Zone, and OCAD University’s Imagination Catalyst. John previously served on the board of: Aepona (Acquired by Intel May 2013), Fun Technology (IPO 2003, acquired by Liberty Media 2006), Q9 Networks (IPO 2004, acquired by Abry 2008, Bell 2012), Descartes (IPO 1997), Triple G (IPO 2001, acquired by General Electric 2003), QuickPlay Media (acquired by Madison Dearborn, 2012), Bioscrypt (IPO 2002, acquired by L-1 in 2008), Tribe HR(acquired by NetSuite in 2013) and Sirit (IPO 1998, acquired by Federal Signal 2010).John is a Chartered Financial Analyst and received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the Schulich School of Business at York University. John is based in our Toronto office.

## Investment focus

### Industry

| Industry | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Software | 10 | 18% |
| Mobile | 5 | 9% |
| SaaS | 4 | 7% |
| Sports | 4 | 7% |
| Advertising | 4 | 7% |

77 industries tracked in total.

### Stage

| Stage | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seed | 10 | 18% |
| Funding Round | 9 | 16% |
| Series B | 8 | 14% |
| Series A | 7 | 12% |
| Series C | 6 | 11% |

8 stages tracked in total.

### Country

| Country | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Canada | 17 | 30% |
| United States | 10 | 18% |
| United Kingdom | 1 | 2% |

## Investments

| Company | Description | Amount | Stage | Date | Website |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Friendlier | Friendlier is simplifying the world's transition from single-use to reusable packaging, starting with food service packaging. Our technology empowers brands to use and reuse circular packaging with individual tracking, supply chain data analytics, and sustainability impact tracking. | $3.3M | Seed | Aug 07, 2025 |  |
| ALT Sports Data | ALT Sports Data offers comprehensive solutions for modeling sports betting markets and provides an auto-manual trading platform for real-time betting data. The company focuses on developing a robust database and diverse league portfolio in alternative sports, which facilitates access for sports book operators. Through its innovative approach, ALTSports Data enhances the decision-making process for sales teams and sales development representatives by delivering accurate and timely information. The partnership with Formula 1 positions the company as a key player in the sports betting landscape, promoting engagement and growth in this sector. Overall, ALT Sports Data supports clients in navigating the complexities of sports betting with valuable insights and data-driven tools. | $5M | Seed | Apr 21, 2025 |  |
| The Curling Group | The Curling Group is a sports business venture that aims to revolutionize curling through strategic investments, innovation, and content development. | $5M | Seed | Sep 26, 2024 |  |
| Friendlier | Friendlier is simplifying the world's transition from single-use to reusable packaging, starting with food service packaging. Our technology empowers brands to use and reuse circular packaging with individual tracking, supply chain data analytics, and sustainability impact tracking. | $3.7M | Seed | Dec 12, 2023 |  |
| FanUp | FanUp gamifies sports and esports for every fan.FanUp is, Fantasy sports and esports re-imagined; with fun, interactive, and pop-culture styled contests. Our brands, prizes and social features, cater to causal fans and a younger demographic, ensuring we grow the entire market.We’re not a betting app, we’re far greater.Most apps focus on35-60-year-old middle-age men.FanUp was created for 18-34 year-old social fans and young professionals.Our users:- Love sports and esports gaming - Are 2.5x more likely to game and compete w/ social features - Are more diverse (43% are women) - Want to interact with pop-culture, brands and influencersOur mantra: Fans and innovation first, always.We’re leading a transformative shift in sports and culture.Squad up and compete year-round in contests for your fav sports & esports leagues.FanUp, and may the best fans win. | $4M | Seed | Dec 09, 2021 |  |
| Alate Partners | Alate Partners empowers entrepreneurs who are rethinking real estate. Founded through a partnership between Dream and Relay Ventures, Alate focuses on innovative technology companies that enhance how commercial, residential, and industrial real estate is designed, built, and managed. In addition to capital, Alate provides unique access to expertiseand customers through its network of influential real estate owners, operators, and managers. | $40M | Seed | Nov 13, 2018 |  |
| theScore | TheScore’s mission is to create highly-engaging digital products and content that empower the sports fan’s experience. Its flagship mobile app ‘theScore’ is one of the most popular multi-sport news and data apps in North America, serving millions of fans a month. The Company also creates innovative digital sports experiences through its web, socialand esports platforms. | $6.2M | Post-IPO Equity | Oct 30, 2018 |  |
| TouchBistro | TouchBistro is an iPad-based restaurant point-of-sale system enabling owners to manage reservations and take orders instantly. Instead of servers repeatedly moving between customers and terminals for order management, servers can remain with customers and instantly submit orders to the kitchen and bar. Servers no longer need to write down an orderand then enter it into a distant terminal. TouchBistro's single entry system reduces errors and increases efficiency. Menu items can be presented in vibrant color with every detail captured and can be quickly and easily updated and even published to the Web, providing more dynamic impact than a traditional menu can provide. | $51.6M | Series D | Jun 14, 2018 |  |
| ecobee | Ecobee is a provider of Wi-Fi enabled smart thermostats for residential and commercial applications, delivering energy conservation solutions. The company offers ecobee Smart Thermostat, a digital programmable thermostat that helps in customizing temperature settings. The thermostat connects the clients to their WiFi, and gives them remote accessto the thermostat settings from any computer and helps in energy conservation. Its products are used in single family homes, multi-family dwellings, and offices. The company accepts orders online. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Toronto, Canada. | $57.3M | Series C | Mar 07, 2018 |  |
| TouchBistro | TouchBistro is an iPad-based restaurant point-of-sale system enabling owners to manage reservations and take orders instantly. Instead of servers repeatedly moving between customers and terminals for order management, servers can remain with customers and instantly submit orders to the kitchen and bar. Servers no longer need to write down an orderand then enter it into a distant terminal. TouchBistro's single entry system reduces errors and increases efficiency. Menu items can be presented in vibrant color with every detail captured and can be quickly and easily updated and even published to the Web, providing more dynamic impact than a traditional menu can provide. | $11.7M | Series C | May 31, 2017 |  |

10 of 57 investments shown.

## Co-investors
- [GMP Securities](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/gmp-securities) — VC Fund, 4 deals together
- [GrandBanks Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/grandbanks-capital) — VC Fund, 4 deals together
- [Kensington Capital Partners Limited](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/kensington-capital) — VC Fund, 4 deals together
- [Amazon Alexa Fund](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/amazon-alexa-fund) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [General Catalyst](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/general-catalyst-partners) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [Laurence Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/laurence-capital) — VC Fund, 3 deals together

## About Relay Ventures

VC Fund · Toronto, Canada

Relay Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in start-ups, seed, early-stage, mid venture, late venture, and growth capital investments.It seeks to invest in the mobile computing industry with a focus on applications and services including mobile commerce such as payments, advertising, retailing, and consumer banking; vertical andhorizontal enterprise applications; communications; social networking; location-based and location-aware applications and services such as navigation and mapping; media and entertainment; commercial services and supplies; wireless application service providers; wireless devices software; wireless networking equipment; and lifestyle and personal productivity applications for the BlackBerry and other mobile platforms.Relay Ventures also focuses on investments in mobile-related software and services and mobile eco-system sectors. It seeks to invest in mobile technology with a focus on software for mobile devices and the connected Internet.John Albright and Kevin Talbot founded Relay Ventures on January 1, 2010. It has its headquarters in Toronto in Canada, with an additional office in San Francisco and Calgary.

5 contacts available at Relay Ventures.

| Name | Title | Profile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Alex Baker | Partner | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/alex-baker-2 |
| Chevonae Walcott | Analyst | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/chevonae-walcott |
| Irfhan Rawji | Venture Partner | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/irfhan-rawji |
| Jeannette Wiltse | Operating Partner & CFO | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/jeannette-wiltse |
| John Albright | Co-Founder & Managing Partner | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/john-albright |

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## FAQ

### What does John Albright invest in?

John Albright invests primarily in Software, Mobile and SaaS startups, most often at Seed and Funding Round stage. Most of the 57 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in Canada. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.

### When did John Albright last invest?

The most recent investment recorded for John Albright closed in Aug 2025. Shizune tracks 57 investments in total for this profile, including round sizes, stages and portfolio companies, all sourced from confirmed public funding rounds and refreshed monthly.

### Is Shizune's investor data accurate?

Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.

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