Engineer. Investor. Mentor: Mac grad Scott Pelton is Fueling Canada’s Deep Tech Future

Long before Scott Pelton ’95 was writing venture cheques, he was hopping the GO Train to Toronto between classes—consulting, coding, and quietly laying the foundation for a career that would help reshape Canada’s deep tech investment landscape.

Three decades after graduating from McMaster’s Computer Engineering and Management program, Pelton is still deeply connected to the university that sparked it all.

“There’s a special place in my heart for McMaster,” says Pelton, cofounder of RiSC Capital, a Toronto-based venture firm investing in early-stage Canadian deep tech companies.

His ties to the university go beyond sentiment—his firm has invested in two McMaster startups, and he serves on the McMaster Seed Fund Investment Committee.

“While I didn’t know it at the time, it’s where my journey into venture capital quietly began.”

Back in the early ’90s, Pelton wasn’t just keeping up with his coursework—he was running a consulting company to help pay for school, working up to three days a week.

That early entrepreneurial initiative would eventually become a launchpad into venture capital. Today, that same spirit drives RiSC Capital, which backs technologies that take scientific risks—especially those that fall through the cracks of traditional funding models.

“We invest where others don’t,” Pelton says. “When grant money dries up and equity capital is needed, that’s when we show up.”

Being a part of McMaster’s growing entrepreneurial scene, Pelton has seen firsthand how much things have evolved.

“It’s kind of wild to see how far things have come,” he says. “When I talk to other VCs, they’re often impressed by how McMaster professors and students are encouraged to commercialize their research—and that support is paying off.”

Case in point: RiSC Capital’s investments in McMaster startups—EECOMOBILITY and MesoMat.

EECOMOBILITY, founded by engineering professor Saeid Habibi, uses AI for predictive battery diagnostics. “We led that round,” says Pelton. “We even brought in three U.S.-based investors, including two corporate VCs. That was a big moment.”

MesoMat, co-founded by physics professor Kari Dalnoki-Veress and physics grad Paul Fowler, develops tire-mounted sensors to improve vehicle efficiency and safety. RiSC was the only Canadian VC at the table.

“And that’s a problem,” Pelton explains. “When American investors don’t see Canadian capital involved, they assume something’s wrong with the company. Canada needs home-town capital to validate our innovations.”

Despite these challenges, Pelton is optimistic about Canada’s innovation potential—and McMaster’s role within it. He mentors young founders, advises new funds, and supports local initiatives in Brant County—where he was born—and Hamilton.

“There’s a time in your life—usually undergrad—where it’s okay to take risky swings,” he says. “Even if you find out you aren’t an entrepreneur, that’s a lesson worth learning early. And if you are? That’s when you have the freedom to make the bold bets.”

His current portfolio includes 11 companies—three of them based in Hamilton.

Asked about Hamilton’s innovation capacity: “Brains are the same,” says Pelton. “Sometimes it’s even easier to stay focused when you’re outside the GTA. I encourage it, whenever I can.”

Whether he’s volunteering in Brantford, sitting on investment committees, or evaluating early-stage pitches, Pelton is looking for something specific.

“I want to feel the energy,” he says. “The ‘I’m in this to win this’ vibe. Because it’s not just about being smart—plenty of smart people out there. But only a fraction of the population has that real entrepreneurial gene.”

For Pelton, McMaster wasn’t just the start of a career—it was the beginning of a mindset. One that still fuels his work today: take risks, back bold ideas, and mentor those ready to take the leap.