Senior Advisor
Veteran Canadian investment banker with 40+ years of experience who has been directly or indirectly involved in funding over 600 companies and raising billions in capital for Canadian businesses. Former Executive Chairman of Alt5 Sigma, a cutting-edge fintech company providing blockchain-powered infrastructure to financial institutions.
Position
Senior Advisor
Experience
40+ Years in Finance & Technology
Specialties
Investment Banking, Capital Markets, IPOs, Fintech
Companies Funded
600+ Canadian & US Companies
Capital Raised
$4+ Billion Career Total
Recent Role
Former Executive Chairman, Alt5 Sigma (2021-2024)
Richard T. Groome brings over four decades of transformative financial and technology leadership to his current role as strategic advisor to Digital Landia. Most recently serving as Executive Chairman of Alt5 Sigma, a cutting-edge fintech company providing blockchain-powered infrastructure to financial institutions, Richard has been directly or indirectly involved in funding more than 600 Canadian and U.S. companies and raising approximately $4 billion for Canadian businesses throughout his distinguished career.
Richard's entrepreneurial journey spans founding multiple successful brokerage firms, leading major IPOs and private placements, and serving on the board of the CDNX Stock Exchange. His ventures include serving as Executive Chairman of Alt5 Sigma, founding Notre Dame Capital Inc., establishing Groome Capital Inc. which raised over $1 billion before being sold to Desjardins Securities, and co-founding Marleau Lemire, which generated over $30 million in sales by 1993.
Richard served as Executive Chairman of Alt5 Sigma, a cutting-edge fintech company providing enterprise-grade blockchain-powered infrastructure to financial institutions worldwide. At Alt5 Sigma, he led the growth and development of comprehensive fintech solutions that enable banks, fintechs, and institutions to seamlessly integrate digital asset capabilities including trading, clearing, settlement, payment, and custody solutions. This experience in building technology platforms that bridge traditional industries with transformative innovation directly parallels Digital Landia's mission of revolutionizing pet care through AI technology.
Richard founded Notre Dame Capital Inc. in 2005, a Montreal-based family office focused on companies with disruptive business models aimed at improving the environment, animal and human health, as well as using blockchain to eliminate waste and inefficiencies along with offering fractionalized products, especially gold and silver. Through Notre Dame Capital, Richard continues to mentor founders and guide businesses from startup phases to rapid growth and global expansion.
In 1995, Richard established his own firm, Groome Capital Inc., which became a leader in small-cap underwriting through the internet. In 1999 and 2000, Groome Capital raised over $1 billion, establishing itself as one of the most innovative brokerage houses in the country. In 2001, the firm was sold to Desjardins Securities, with the success attracting high-profile investors including CIBC Investment Bank and Canadian entrepreneur Jimmy Pattison.
As one of the founding partners of Marleau Lemire, a startup brokerage firm launched in 1989, Richard played a pivotal role in the company's remarkable growth. By 1993, Marleau Lemire was generating over $30 million in sales and $5 million in after-tax profits. The firm quickly became a leading player in the Canadian small-cap market, raising $40 million in equity through partnerships with Wood Gundy and Gordon Capital, and eventually going public on the Toronto Stock Exchange. During his tenure, Richard was instrumental in raising approximately $4 billion for Canadian companies.
During his time at Levesque Beaubien and Geffrion Leclerc, Richard was a key figure in the IPOs and private placements of several major companies, including Dorel Industries, Alimentation Couche-Tard, Bombardier, CGI Group, Franco Nevada, and Biochem Pharma, establishing his reputation as a leading institutional sales professional.
BCE Emergis (Mpact Immedia Inc.): Richard was very active in multiple rounds of funding for BCE Emergis, which became one of Canada's leading internet companies with a market capitalization of $20 billion plus and was eventually sold to Telus Inc.
Sun Opta Inc.: Richard led multiple financing rounds for Sun Opta, raising over $81 million CAD. Sun Opta has since grown to become the largest organic soy company globally, with a market capitalization of over $1.2 billion CAD.
Cott Beverages: Richard identified and initiated coverage of Cott Beverages, raising $10 million in funding. Today, Cott, now Primo Water Corp., is a global leader in private-label beverages with over $2 billion in sales and a market cap of $5.4 billion CAD.
North West Company: Richard led the underwriting of the North West Company's $30 million TSX listing. Today, the company generates over $2.4 billion in sales and has a market capitalization exceeding $2.3 billion CAD.
Canstar Sports Inc.: Richard was part of the team that reorganized and financed Canstar Sports, parent company of Bauer and the first to introduce inline skates. The company was sold to Nike in 1994 for $550 million CAD.
Richard's contribution to the financial landscape has been widely recognized, including accolades for the rapid growth and innovation of his ventures. At Alt5 Sigma, he led enterprise-grade fintech platform development, at Groome Capital he was honoured as the "Most Unique and Innovative Financial Services Company in Quebec" in 1999, and at Marleau Lemire, he received national recognition for the company's success.
Richard also served as a board member of the CDNX Stock Exchange, which was acquired by the TSX Group in 2001 to form the TSX Venture Exchange, widely regarded as the most successful public venture capital market globally. This role positioned him at the forefront of Canada's venture capital ecosystem development.
Richard began his career in 1984 on the Montreal Stock Exchange floor, gaining hands-on experience during the era when orders were manually communicated with pink and blue tickets and traders physically interacted with market makers. Starting as a trainee for a small regional brokerage firm on a modest salary of $100 per month, he earned his securities license within six months and transitioned to institutional trading where he honed his skills in research and institutional sales, working with three different securities firms in the late 1980s.
Through Notre Dame Capital, Richard continues to focus on companies with disruptive business models aimed at improving environmental outcomes, animal and human health, and leveraging blockchain technology to eliminate inefficiencies. His experience leading Alt5 Sigma's enterprise-grade fintech platform, combined with his deep understanding of capital markets, makes him an invaluable advisor to Digital Landia's mission of revolutionizing AI-powered pet care solutions through innovative technology platforms.