Harish Consul
Harish Consul | |
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| Born | November 15, 1965 Tripoli, Libya |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Citizenship | Canada |
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| Children | 2 |
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| Website | ocgrowgroup |
Harish Consul (born November 15, 1965) is a Canadian businessman, investor, venture capitalist, and public speaker. He is best known for his role as founder and CEO of Ocgrow Group of Companies, a privately held investment group specializing in venture capital and real estate development.
Throughout his career, Consul has focused on identifying and supporting high-growth companies, particularly those led by founders, across various industry sectors, such as real estate and technology. He serves as a strategic advisor[1] for many growth companies across the globe and currently also holds positions on the boards and advisory councils of several global tech companies, including Viome, Platform Calgary,[2] Longevity Technology,[3] Connectomes,[4] Garuda Aerospace & several others. He’s currently also leading the Advisory Board of the Alberta/India Economic Corridor & also on Advisory Board of Alberta Tech & Innovation Panel.[5]
Consul is the founder of Pacific Century Group Ventures and Pacific Sun Properties in Vancouver. He is a keynote speaker at numerous investment and tech conferences worldwide.
Early life and education
Consul was born on November 15, 1965, in Tripoli, Libya, to Shakuntla and Prem Consul, originally from Uttar Pradesh, India. At a very young age, he relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where he spent his formative years. Consul developed an early interest in building and investing and began learning about real estate and various investment avenues during his teenage years. He purchased his first property at age 15 and has continued to expand his portfolio ever since.
Consul graduated from the University of Calgary with a degree in civil engineering. He achieved the distinction of becoming the youngest engineering graduate at age 20 from any Canadian university. Additionally, he attended the MBA program at the University of British Columbia and left this to become founder of his own company in Vancouver.
Career
After graduating, Consul started his career at Ellis-Don, where he became the Vice President for Western Canada. Subsequently, he joined Kingswood Capital as Director, moving to Vancouver in 1989.
In the early 1990s, Consul founded Pacific Sun Properties, a real estate development firm, and Pacific Century Group Ventures, marking his foray into the venture capital sector.
Between 1998 and 2005, Consul invested in and expanded several technology companies, contributing to the expansion of his private investment fund. During the internet boom of the mid-to-late 1990s, he emerged as an early investor in numerous high-tech enterprises, including an early investor in Amazon and Shopify.
In 2005, Consul returned to Calgary and founded Ocgrow Group of Companies,[6] a privately held investment group with interests in real estate and venture capital.[7]
Consul is the president and CEO of Ocgrow Group, Canada's largest fully integrated real estate development firm. Ocgrow Group is involved in commercial real estate ownership, development, and management across Western Canada. Its portfolio includes a diverse range of commercial and residential properties, comprising existing income properties and ongoing development projects such as multi-family condo complexes and retail and commercial centers. Notable among its projects is the Greystone community in Cochrane, Alberta, which encompasses nearly 500,000 square feet of new retail and commercial space alongside various multi-family developments.[8]
Consul also founded & is the president and CEO of Ocgrow Ventures, the venture capital arm of Ocgrow Group, which operates as a private venture capital fund with a global tech focus.[9] The fund targets early-stage high-growth verticals, particularly within technology, e-commerce, cloud computing, SaaS software, fintech, cleantech, healthcare, longevity, and other emerging sectors. Notable investments include Amazon, Shopify, Viome,[10] Fizz, Garuda, and Coupang. In recent years, Consul has targeted his investment efforts in India, recognizing the nation's potential for exponential growth and new venture opportunities.
Consul is an active keynote speaker at worldwide investment conferences, addressing topics related to tech innovation, team scalability, entrepreneurship, unicorn building, longevity and venture investment. He has delivered highly acclaimed speeches at investment and tech conferences across global hubs such as London, Abu Dhabi, and New Delhi. Notably, he was a keynote speaker at the AIM 2023 investment conference in Abu Dhabi. Consul frequently participates in interviews with global media outlets like CNBC and is in high demand for appearances at press events globally.
In addition to his speaking engagements, Consul holds positions on the boards and advisory boards of several growth tech companies and organizations, including Viome, Connecthomes, Garuda Aerospace,[11] Longevity Technology, Platform Calgary, and the Alberta government Tech Innovation Panel & Alberta/India Economic Growth initiative.
Personal life
Consul resides in Calgary, Alberta. He has two sons, Rakesh and Mohan.
Consul has a strong affinity for outdoor activities and has maintained an active lifestyle throughout his life. He is an avid athlete, participates in competitive tennis, is a certified Tennis Canada coach, and is an active runner and triathlete. He's also very passionate about health and longevity.
References
- ↑ "Harish Consul Strategic Advisor". emerge-commerce.com. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ "Partnership to Create New Investment Opportunities for Calgary's Tech Sector | Platform Calgary". www.platformcalgary.com. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ Sullivan, Danny (22 February 2024). "'Five years ago, nobody was talking about longevity – now the whole world is'". Longevity.Technology - Latest News, Opinions, Analysis and Research. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ "Company - Connectomes Inc". connectomes.net. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ Garth, Eleanor (29 February 2024). "First Human Enhancement Conference calls for enhancement ecosystem". Longevity.Technology - Latest News, Opinions, Analysis and Research. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ "Ocgrow, Amazon unveil Alexa alliance at SOLA condos". renx.ca. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ Rentsync, Team (2 November 2022). "The Key to Recession Proofing Your Real Estate Investments". www.rentsync.com. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ "Bootstrapped Ep.121 - The First 100 with Harish Consul, the founder of Ocgrow Group - The First 100 | How Founders Acquired their First 100 Customers | Product-Market Fit". thefirst100.buzzsprout.com. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ "Ocgrow Group of Companies Forms Strategic Alliance with Amazon to Deliver the Future of Condo Living in Canada". www.businesswire.com. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ "About Us". Viome Life Sciences. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ↑ Jose, Teena (5 May 2022). "Garuda Aerospace Raises Capital In Pre-Series A Funding". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 15 March 2024.