1 416 707 6630   [email protected]

This is What We Do


Strategic Advice To Management + Corp. Directorship

We like assisting management or directors to examine the opportunities for growth that may present themselves, and help articulate what gaps exist, and how those can be addressed. 

Capital Sourcing

We work with you to determine what is the appropriate size of funds required by a sources and uses analysis and help create a plan to achieve funding

M&A Execution

M&A projects may be stand alone targets or surface from a funding engagement.  We make sure you are ready for either option.

Canadian Local Partner for International Firms

We become your partners in Canada to assist in the exploration of what Capital Markets avenues may exist of your firm.  We conduct an analysis of your current operations and then work on a plan to quickly survey financial participants in Canada to see if there is interest in proceeding.

Who We Are


Our team background includes senior operating management experience as well as extensive investment experience. The principal of NorthCrest has been involved in a broad range of operating activities through a number of business cycles. In addition, our internal resources are enhanced by our network of relationships with operating executives and investment partners.

Mark Lawrence received his designation as a Chartered Financial Analyst in 1990 and has been a registered Professional Engineer since 1985. Mr. Lawrence previously worked in leading North American retail and institutional brokerage firms between 1987 and 1997, including being a Director of Loewen, Ondaatje, McCutcheon Ltd, a VP of Midland Walwyn Capital Inc., and the Senior Technology Analyst at Prudential-Bache Securities Inc.  Check Mark out on Linkedin.com.  

Mr. Lawrence has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Queens University and a Masters in Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business. He was also a Chairman of the MIT Enterprise Forum in Toronto.

  • Mr. Lawrence, has been, since 2007, a director of Stone Investment Group Ltd., a Mutual Fund company with about $600 million under administration.   He is also Chair of the Governance Committee of this non-listed reporting issuer.   https://www.stoneco.com/
  • Mark is also currently Vice-Chair, and Chair of Governance of Angel Investors Ontario, an umbrella organization assisting 14 not-for-profit Angel Investment Groups, comprising about 1400 accredited angel investors.   In 2016, those groups invested about $66 million into startup firms.   http://www.angelinvestorsontario.ca/about/board-of-directors

  • Mr. Lawrence became an industry leading software and hardware analyst in Canada. He has worked on cross-border public transactions (QLT), equity issues in excess of $2 billion (advised AGT (predecessor of Telus) on its IPO), and on private financings.
  • Since 1997, through CML Capital Ventures Inc., he has invested in, founded and operated several technology firms, and assisted many others. Some of these include Investors Source (wealth management software), Zacks Canada Inc., (consensus earnings database service), Classwave Wireless (Bluetooth software), USA.CA Corp., (investment research portal), CablesEdge Software (remote desktop access by voice), and Linmor Inc., (remote network management).
  • In addition, he was a founder of CPC BlueFyre One Inc., (which became Soltoro TSX-SOL on whose board he sat for 5 years), president of CPC Software Growth Inc., and York Ridge Lifetech Inc.   York Ridge completed a Qualifying Transaction with Acadian Energy.  He was Chairman of Axiotron Corp. (an Apple Tablet company formerly listed on the TSXV), and director of Mutual Fund Company Stone Investment Group with assets of approximately $600 million.  Mr. Lawrence was also Director of OneWorld Energy Inc., a private diversified renewable energy company.

Our Values


  • Our Mission

    To provide personalized capital markets assistance to boards and management who want to examine the options that may exist to increase growth, by looking at the readiness to access capital, acquire or sell assets to achieve a desired goal.   Such assistance may also be simpler short term discussions to do a health check of an organization, or the development of a long term strategy.

  • Our Vision

    A company has only one chance to impress an investor, acquirer or partner, we want to get you ready to put your best foot forward.

  • Our Strategy

    We will work with the board and/or management try to stress test your business plan, strategy and financials so that you have the due diligence answers that investors/acquirers will be looking for.

Our Clients


  • Recent clients include iWatchLife Inc., of Ottawa, a video surveillance-as-a-service company.
  • Cloudvisor Wealth Inc., offering a cloud- based RoboAdvisor platform for financial institutions.
  • MuzeLounge of Ottawa, a music tech company offering a proprietary universal midi device controller and community for musicians.  
  • Pond Biofuels of Toronto has produced technology to take advantage of stack gas. 
  • UltraGreen Packaging makes food service paper-like products from sugarcane and bamboo by-products. 
  •  Carribbean Television Networks, constructing a CNN like network for the Carribbean region. 
  •  Scyfix, a  Minneapolis based firm with a medical device for macular degeneration.  
  • SimexIwerks performing a refinancing for this  4D Entertainment Systems provider.   PressRelease
  • Next Energy LLC, a US oil exploration company.
  •  OneWorld Energy a renewable energy provider.   
  • Ennsolutions, an environmental stablilization product company.
  • Cimetec, a proprietary Air Filtration product company.
  • Moda Solutions, an e-billing solutions company sold to Western Union.  
  • Solena, a gasification technology company providing green gas to the Airline Industry. 

Mr. Lawrence has also provided capital markets assistance to the following firms while engaged at prior firms:

  • Cole and Partners – valuation opinions
  • Geac Computers
  • HomeBank Technologies
  • Teleglobe
  • Softkey Software Products

Value Add


  • Our team of professionals uniquely has both operational and capital markets experience covering finance, investment banking, marketing, research, mergers & acquisitions, and corporate development.

    Every client engagement is a partnership for us. In order to produce maximum results and identify the best plan of action, we incorporate the thoughts, ideas, vision, and brainpower of management and the company’s stakeholders.

  • We can be retained without the traditional disruption of big consulting firms that could have negative perception issues both internally and external to the company.

    With our experience, we can provide a very quick overview of a company’s situation, leading to a constructive plan of action for review by the corporate stakeholders.

  • NorthCrest is able to extend competitive bill rates to our clients.  We are able to provide quick workshops to educate management on an issue, or provide quick feedback on readiness to use capital markets.   Our engagements can have several elements, with a review at the junction to determine if the next phase is appropriate.