Manica Blain

Manica joined BrandProject as a Venture Partner in January 2021.  Manica plays a key role in deal flow generation for BrandProject, including industry outreach and overall marketing efforts for the Fund, and supports portfolio companies with fundraising.

Manica’s investing experience began in private equity with Toronto-based Onex, one of North America’s oldest and most successful private equity firms.  Manica started on the investment team for Onex’s mid-cap private equity platform, ONCAP (2010-2013), and then co-led fundraising efforts for Onex Partners (2013-2014), including fundraising for Onex Partners IV, which closed at $5.2 billion in May 2014.

Manica always had a passion for more early-stage businesses, and especially those within the consumer and retail industry.  This perpetuated her migration from private equity to venture capital, and led to her co-founding Campfire Capital in late 2014.  Manica led Campfire’s fundraising efforts, raising US$32 million to invest in early-stage consumer and retail businesses, with the financial backing of several current and former lululemon executives, and along with other successful industry executives across North America.

Previous to her experiences with Onex and Campfire, Manica spent five years in investment banking, including three years with Citigroup’s Global Consumer & Retail Investment Banking team based in London, UK (2007-2010).  During this time, Manica worked with some of the world’s largest consumer and retail companies, advising on numerous acquisition and financing deals.

Manica holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.) from the University of Toronto.  She lives in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver, Canada, with her husband Owen, her son Michael and their dog Billy Bob Blain, and they are expecting baby #2 in early June 2021.  Oh, and you probably already guessed it, but Manica is into yoga.