Dragons’ Den’s Michael Wekerle Buys Former BlackBerry Building in Waterloo, Snags First Tenant

Michael Wekerle of Difference Capital is the driving force behind a $200 million venture capital focused on Waterloo startups that will soon be unveiled, according to The Waterloo Record.

Wekerle, who recently replaced Kevin O’Leary on CBC’s hit reality show Dragons’ Den, also bought a former BlackBerry building. The 50,000-square-foot office space, located at Columbia and Phillip streets, already has its first tenant: Auvik Networks. Avuik, which was founded in 2012 by Marc Morin, David Yach, and Alex Hoff, currently has close to 30 employees and is hiring.

Wekerle made his fortune investing in tech and media companies. Wekerle’s rise to success began at the age of 18, where he honed his talents on the Toronto Stock Exchange trading floor before ascending the ranks to become a Bay Street pack leader. He has been described as a “heavily tattooed single dad to six children, who loves fast cars, rock music and living a lavish lifestyle.”