Real Ventures has announced that Andrew Sider, former CEO of Toronto-based VarageSale, has joined as the VC firm’s entrepreneur in residence in Toronto.
In a blog post, Real Ventures’ said Sider has been a part of the Real Ventures community since 2010. Sider was initially the CEO of Bunch, a discussion app for interest-based groups, which was acquired by the online marketplace VarageSale. Sider then served as vice president of marketing at VarageSale until he became the company’s CEO in 2016.
VarageSale was acquired by Toronto-based VerticalScope in November 2017. Before that, the company raised a $34 million Series B in April 2015 and appointed Kijiji founder and Real Ventures partner Janet Bannister to its board last year, a few months before its acquisition.
“Every founder has to earn his or her stripes and there are some typical learning curves that early-stage entrepreneurs have to go through.”
“Every founder has to earn his or her stripes and there are some typical learning curves that early-stage entrepreneurs have to go through,” said Sider. “My hope is that I can help to get them up that learning curve faster — be a trusted operational and tactical advisor, roll up my sleeves and help entrepreneurs skip or at least hyperspeed through some of those typical learning steps, which are painful the first time.”
As an entrepreneur in residence, Sider will work closely with Real Ventures’ portfolio companies in the areas of marketplaces, B2C businesses, and growth marketing. He will also help analyze new investment opportunities and help Real Ventures accelerate its impact on the entrepreneurs it works with.
Real Ventures said it will support Sider as he explores starting or joining his next startup.
“I had the pleasure of working closely with Andrew when he was CEO of VarageSale,” said Bannister. “His integrity, leadership and strong work ethic have always impressed me. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with him again, this time in a different context.”