Colin Deacon lives in Nova Scotia, where he has played an important role in leading and fostering technology start-ups and businesses in the province and across Atlantic Canada.
During his career, he worked as a broker, helped found one of the largest life science venture funds in Canada, and commercialized technology that led to the creation of new job opportunities for Atlantic Canadians. In 2009, he founded BlueLight Analytics, a company that improved the quality of restorative dentistry using innovative technologies.
Mr. Deacon has used his entrepreneurial and business skills and experience as a volunteer in his community and province. From 1998 to 2006, he was the CEO of SpellRead, a provider of evidence-based reading instruction that became one of Atlantic Canada’s fastest-growing companies.
He is currently a board member and Vice Chair of the Kids Brain Health Network and serves on the board of the Halifax Assistance Fund, which helps those in need in his community.
Under Mr. Deacon’s leadership, SpellRead and BlueLight Analytics both received numerous awards and recognition, including being named one of Canada’s 50 Hottest Start-up companies by PROFIT Magazine and the fastest growing company by PROFIT and Progress magazines. His companies also received the Prince Edward Island Premier’s Export Award, and Startup Canada’s Innovation Award (Atlantic Region).