Founder Name:Eva Lau
Today when you hear the word entrepreneur, what commonly comes to mind is when a founder pitches their startup, scurries to earn funding, and making a company out of nothing. The thing is that the world of innovation does not only require founders. It requires individuals interested in the founders, individuals that create the ecosystem in which small ideas turn to become international businesses.
Eva Lau, who can be termed as the Builder of Builders, is one of the most significant people to do the same in Canada. She cannot be called a typical exemplar of a startup founder but there is no doubt that her presence in the Canadian entrepreneurship world is considerable. Eva is the Managing Partner at Two Small Fish Ventures, and as such, she has emerged as a motivating factor of the evolution of the startups in Canada. She invests in young entrepreneurs, guides them and supports them in converting the bravest of ideas to sustainable businesses, which can grow at scale.
Her contribution has defined her as an intermediary between passion and practicality, creativity and implementation, the chaos of early states and the success of long-term structures.
Early Life and Background
To understand Eva Lau’s role today, it helps to look at her journey. Before stepping into the venture capital world, Eva had a strong background in operations and management. She spent years working with fast-growing companies, learning what it takes to scale teams, balance resources, and create systems that allow businesses to grow without losing their culture.
Most notably, she played an important role at Wattpad, the global storytelling platform co-founded by her husband, Allen Lau. At Wattpad, Eva worked on scaling the company from a small startup into a community of millions of users. Her time at Wattpad gave her firsthand experience in navigating the challenges of growth, fundraising, and building a global brand out of a Canadian idea.
That experience became the foundation for her later role as an investor and mentor. She saw the struggles early-stage founders go through, and she understood that while funding is critical, what entrepreneurs often need even more is guidance.
The birth of two small coops or fish Adventures
Eva Lau and Allen Lau also co-founded the Toronto based venture capital fund Two Small Fish Ventures in 2014. Even the name itself has a story behind it, founded as it were on the notion that two small fish can make a bigger impression than the one they might generate by themselves. It signifies the ideology back that little starts can result in international affect when mended by the right hands.
Two Small Fish Ventures was founded unlike larger venture capital funds, that follow late-stage companies, with a purpose, to target Canadian startups to support promising corporations at an early stage of development and help them become future international success stories.
More than money, the fund soon gained a reputation. Entrepreneurs who partnered with Eva could frequently be heard saying that her guidance and advice around operations was invaluable as compared to the amount of money invested. Not only did she invest in startups but she would collaborate with them and join entrepreneurs in the process of having to make tough choices.
Why She’s Called “The Builder of Builders”
The phrase “Builder of Builders” captures Eva Lau’s philosophy perfectly. Unlike many investors who see their role as financial backers, Eva sees herself as a mentor, teacher, and ecosystem builder.
Startups often face similar hurdles:
- turn a great idea into a business model that works?
- How balance the pressure of scaling with the risk of burning out?
- How do you hire the right people while preserving company culture?
- expand from Canada into international markets?
Eva helps founders answer these questions. She bridges the gap between vision and execution, offering practical advice based on her experience at Wattpad and her deep understanding of startup growth.
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This approach has made her one of the most respected figures in Canada’s startup world. Many founders see her not only as an investor but as a trusted mentor who truly cares about their journey.
The Canadian Startup Ecosystem and Eva’s Role
Canada has never lacked talent and creativity, however, over the past years a host of startups have struggled to scale internationally. The challenges commonly encountered by founders basically include fundraising, mentorship and international expansion.
Eva Lau was aware of the existence of this gap. As part of the Two Small Fish Ventures, she has been trying to provide a connection between the bases of founders in Canada and the international stage. She is boosting Canadian innovation by ensuring that it does not remain local only but competes globally through funding, mentorship and strategic linkages.
The result of her captivating work is particularly significant today in Toronto that is regarded as one of the most rapid-growing centers of tech and entrepreneurial activity in North America. Together with other ecosystem developers, Eva has led Toronto to become a place where start-can be developed and be known in other countries.
Case Study: Wattpad’s Global Success
Probably one of the most obvious ways in which Eva had an impact is her experience at Wattpad. She was not the founder, although her contribution to the development of operations and the growth of a company was immense. The Wattpad was a start-up company founded in Toronto, consisting of the idea of letting people write and share any story on the internet.
Under the appropriate guidance, vision, and dedication, Wattpad became a story-sharing platform with over 90-million users all over the world. It was later bought by Naver of South Korea at a price of more than 600 million.
Experience with Wattpad made Eva credible and an insight source that today she imparts to the founders she advises. She knows personally that start ups in Canada can be turned into an international startup.
Women in Venture Capital – Breaking Barriers
Eva Lau’s role is also significant because she represents women in venture capital, a field still dominated by men. As a woman investor and mentor, she brings a unique perspective that resonates with many founders, especially female entrepreneurs.
She has spoken openly about the importance of diversity in startups and venture capital. By supporting women-led companies and promoting inclusivity, Eva is helping reshape what the Canadian entrepreneurial landscape looks like.
Building Beyond Funding – Mentorship and Guidance
In the case of Eva, she writes a cheque but that is only the beginning. She does not only invest in companies that she believes in but does invest her time and knowledge. She assists the founders to be strategic in their approach, prepare them to meet their board members, and come up with difficult scaling decisions.
It is this practical mentorship that makes her the opposite of the traditional investor. The success of Three Small Fish Ventures that helped several of the start ups survive and grow is not only attributed to the financial support but also the advice they got through Eva.
Long-Term Vision – From Startups to Scale-Ups
The focus of Eva Lau has always been on the aspect of being sustainable rather than fast. Most of the startups fail due to expansion without laying a strong foundation. Eva assists entrepreneurs in developing the systems, processes, and culture through which they can competently achieve success over a long period of time.
Her vision of Canadian startup ecosystem is bold: she would like to see companies developed in Canada succeed not only on the local market but be competitive worldwide. And she is aware that this is only possible that the founders at the early stages fall under the optimal mentorship and access the resources.
Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Eva Lau
Entrepreneurs looking at Eva Lau’s journey can learn several lessons:
- Build for the long term. Don’t chase quick wins; focus on sustainable growth.
- Mentorship matters. Having the right guidance can save years of mistakes.
- Ecosystems need builders. Success doesn’t just come from founders but also from those who support them.
- Diversity drives innovation. More inclusive teams build better products.
- Small beginnings can grow global. Two small fish, with the right strategy, can indeed make a big impact.
Eva Lau’s Legacy – Shaping the Future of Canadian Innovation
Eva Lau’s influence continues to grow. As more startups backed by Two Small Fish Ventures succeed, her reputation as a “Builder of Builders” only strengthens.
But perhaps her biggest contribution is not the companies she invests in, but the mindset she instills in Canadian entrepreneurs. She shows them that success is not just about raising capital or scaling quickly. It’s about building strong foundations, thinking globally, and staying true to the mission.
In this way, Eva Lau is not just shaping companies. She is shaping the future of Canada’s role in global innovation.
Final Thoughts
Eva Lau perhaps is not your usual founder in a startup but the impact she creates cannot be underestimated. Her advice in her publications and her work in Two Small Fish Ventures, her mentorship and her support of diversity and inclusion has made her a staple of a supportive Canadian startup ecosystem.
Having enabled early-stage founders to parlay tiny ideas into global companies, she truly has been called, The Builder of Builders.
The tale of her life serves as the reminder that starting your own business is not the only thing that constitutes entrepreneurship. In some cases success of others is more effective than lack of ability to achieve it. And through it you end up creating not just one but a business but you create a legacy.
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