About Us
Xcelerate Impact is a venture studio built for the bold. We exist to catalyze the next generation of social impact founders and startups—those who aren’t just dreaming of a better world, but building it.
We bring together a curated team of seasoned strategists, marketers, and business builders to fast-track visionary ideas into market-ready, investment-worthy enterprises. From go-to-market strategy to capital readiness, from product innovation to storytelling that commands attention, we don’t just advise—we build alongside you.
At Xcelerate Impact, we’re not chasing trends. We’re backing the disruptors, the underestimated, and the unconventional problem-solvers who are redefining what's possible in impact. Whether you're tackling climate, equity, education, health, or the future of work, we help you architect bold moves, attract aligned capital, and scale with purpose.
Because the world doesn’t need more pitch decks.
It needs breakthroughs.
Aaron Bains
Capital Markets Partner
Bay Street Law Firm
Aird & Berlis LLP
Aaron Bains is a corporate lawyer specializing in venture capital financing, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic growth advisory for startups and emerging high-growth companies. With deep expertise in domestic and international transactions, he provides counsel to investors and founders navigating financing, joint ventures, and complex strategic partnerships.
Beyond his legal practice, Aaron brings extensive nonprofit leadership experience. He has served on numerous executive boards and advisory committees, including as President of the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto—the largest diversity legal association in Canada—and as President of the St. George’s Society of Toronto, the city’s oldest charity.
Aaron is also a board member of the Canadian International Council’s Toronto Chapter and a regional advisor to the World Sikh Organization of Canada, a national human rights organization.
Aaron’s work has been recognized nationally: in 2020, he was named a “Precedent Setter” by Precedent Magazine and listed among the “Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada” by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.
He holds a Master of Laws from Jean Moulin University in Lyon, a Juris Doctor from Queen’s University, an International Diploma from Sciences Po Paris, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia.
Aaron joined Xcelerate Impact to support visionary founders with legal strategies that power their growth, protect their innovations, and prepare them to scale globally. He believes legal insight should fuel progress—not slow it down.
Outside the boardroom, Aaron is an avid home cook and amateur classical Sikh hymn singer, keeping his creativity and culture alive in everyday life.
Alden Zecha
Founder & Managing Partner
Alden Zecha is a global corporate director, executive advisor, entrepreneur, angel investor, and educator. He has worked in over 35 countries, served on boards of private companies across four continents, and is National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Director Certified (NACD.DC).
Alden has advised numerous startups worldwide, with several securing millions of dollars in prizes and funding. He has spoken at the White House on international entrepreneurship and been quoted multiple times in the Wall Street Journal. He founded Sproxil, achieving profitability in seven countries, and served as CFO of Rethos until its acquisition by the publicly traded Engagement Labs.
Alden currently serves on the Board of the Angel Capital Association, where he chairs the Education & Smart Practices Committee. As managing director at SideCar Angels, Alden has invested in over 75 companies. He is also a Senior CASE Fellow at Duke University and holds MSE and BSE degrees with honors in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University.
Alden joined Xcelerate Impact to leverage his knowledge, experience, and network to improve early-stage companies and the ecosystems that support them. By combining his personal experiences as an entrepreneur and investor with insights gained from working in large corporations, academia, and government, Alden is dedicated to driving global progress.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Alden is an accomplished rowing coxswain, having won medals at both the PanAm and Goodwill Games. He continues to compete internationally at the masters level. An avid traveler, he has visited more than 70 countries.
Gemma Bulos
Founder & Managing Partner
Gemma Bulos is a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur, educator, strategist, and global keynote speaker. She founded three social enterprises in three continents, impacting over one million lives through solutions in water, education, and women’s leadership. She has earned global recognition, including the Tech Awards in Silicon Valley and being named Best Social Entrepreneur in Asia by the World Economic Forum.
Gemma founded The Reinventor Lab, helping founders, teams, and organizations navigate disruption to future-proof their impact. She has led accelerators and advised over 1,000 entrepreneurs in 50+ countries, helping them raise millions in early-stage capital through platforms like the Hult Prize, U.S. State Department, and other global innovation challenges.
A sought-after educator, Gemma has taught social entrepreneurship at Stanford University and top institutions worldwide. She has spoken at the United Nations, Clinton Global Initiative University, and U.S. Congress, sharing stages with Nobel Laureates, world leaders, and mission-driven celebrities.
Gemma co-founded Xcelerate Impact to champion reinvention as a core capacity for leadership and venture growth. In a world of disruption, the ability to adapt, anticipate, and evolve is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. By equipping founders with tools to navigate uncertainty, she helps them stay relevant, resilient, and radically impactful.
A lifelong creative, Gemma is also an award-winning filmmaker, singer, composer, producer, and actress. She led a global peace movement mobilizing people in over 100 cities in 60 countries to join, sparked by a song she wrote after 9/11. Her greatest and most humbling adventure was traveling the world non-stop for 10 years with just a backpack and a guitar.
Howard Lichtman
Partner & Co-founder
Ethnicity Matters
Howard Lichtman is a founding partner of Ethnicity Matters, Canada’s leading multicultural marketing agency. With a team of over 50 specialists, the agency delivers full-service campaigns—from research and strategy to media, creative, influencer, and experiential marketing—helping brands authentically engage diverse communities.
Prior to Ethnicity Matters, Howard led The Lightning Group, offering CMO services to events and ventures, including Canada’s largest street festival, Taste of the Danforth, which welcomed over 1.6 million attendees in a single weekend. He also served as CMO of Ethnic Channels Group, mastering multicultural media strategy.
As EVP of Marketing at Cineplex, Howard reimagined cinemas as media platforms, launching screen advertising, product sampling, and more. He also secured $15M in sponsorships for Phantom of the Opera, including the creation of American Express’s iconic “Front of the Line” program.
Howard is an angel investor and startup mentor with roles across ventures like Dot Health and NXM Labs. He serves as Expert in Residence for the Hult Prize, advisor to Schulich’s Global Management Program, and mentor in Start-Up India’s “Together Challenge.”
Howard sits on multiple college, nonprofit, and civic boards.
He brings his multicultural insight and marketing ingenuity to Xcelerate Impact to help founders scale with clarity and cultural intelligence. For him, success isn’t just about results—it’s about significance. Giving back, mentoring others, and building legacy are what truly drive him.
Offstage, he’s known for his wild stories and razor-sharp puns—a creative sparkplug who always delivers the best punchline!
Rodrigo de Alvarenga
Managing Partner + CEO
Hag.Group
Rodrigo de Alvarenga is a Board member (NED), advisory board member, senior advisor, venture builder, mentor, former jury at MIT Innovators under 35 Award EU&LATAM and EIR (expert in residence) at Hult Prize, speaker, and professor. Awarded the 10th Edition of the Aster Prize, ranked by Thinkers360 #13 in the Top 100 Thought Leaders & Influencers You Should Work With In 2025 – LATAM, and among the Top 50 Thought Leaders in Open Innovation, Startups, Entrepreneurship & M&A rankings for several consecutive years.
Rodrigo founded HAG Ventures & Partners and invested in +25 startups from USA, EU, LATAM & MENA, besides accelerating and helping hundreds of entrepreneurs worldwide as a mentor & advisor in acceleration programs in several countries (USA, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Denmark, Qatar, Taiwan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, LATAM and Brazil). Venture Building & Corporate Venture Capital expert. I teach venture building, innovation & entrepreneurship, digital & business transformation, and impact measurement.
In 2024, he was appointed Director of the Entrepreneurship Center at PBS – Porto Business School. Before that, I spent two years as the Head of Corporate Venture (CVC & CVB) at The Bakery LATAM.
Sofia Svanholt
Senior Strategic Client Executive
Microsoft
Sofia Svanholt is a globally recognized business leader with over 25 years of experience across the IT and energy sectors. A specialist in strategic foresight, transformational leadership, and sustainable innovation, she brings deep expertise in enterprise sales, marketing, and high-value dealmaking.
As a Senior Strategic Account Executive at Microsoft, Sofia leads complex, multi-million-dollar transactions, earning the Microsoft Gold Award in 2023 for business excellence. Her insights into megadeals exceeding $100 million were featured in the bestselling business book #Megadeals, highlighting her reputation as a force in global enterprise strategy.
Sofia is a vocal advocate for gender equity in tech and a mentor for social enterprises aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals through the Hult Prize Foundation.
Sofia also serves on the Executive Steering Committee of the Global Wealth Forum and is an Expert Member of the World Innovation Alliance, collaborating with global leaders on technology, education, and policy reform.
Sofia has been named to the “Global 200 Women Power Leaders” (2024) and “100 Global Power Leaders” (2025) lists.
Sofia joined Xcelerate Impact to co-create a future rooted in purpose, innovation, and trust. For her, it's more than business—it's a shared heartbeat of collaboration and ambition, fueled by a team she deeply respects.
Outside of work, Sofia finds renewal in nature as a hunter—a steward of the land who treasures the unspoken bond with her loyal dog. Each outing is an act of connection, humility, and reverence for the wild.
