Michael Mitgang, co-founder and Managing Director of WGD Capital, has over 25 years experience advising and investing in growth companies. Michael began focusing on the legal cannabis sector in 2016 after seeing firsthand the benefit of its use for chronic pain. Since then, he has invested in multiple cannabis companies including cultivation, retail dispensaries, lab testing, branded products, and software in the US and Canada, partnering with Sam Znaimer on several individual investments. Michael has also acted as an advisor to several cannabis companies.

Michael has invested in, raised over $500 million of private capital for, and driven the successful sale process for numerous emerging-growth companies both within and outside the technology industry. He brings the perspective of an advisor and investor to his work, having executed merger, acquisition, advisory and public and private financing assignments for domestic and international clients.

Previously, Michael was Managing Director and Head of Private Placements at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray and was also on its private investment fund committee. Michael started his investment banking career at BMO Nesbitt in Toronto before joining Salomon Smith Barney’s (Citi) investment banking group in New York.

Michael served on the executive board of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and was appointed Vice Chair for the Business Leadership Council. Michael was also a C100 charter member. He holds a BASc. in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo, an MBA from Columbia Business School and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. He holds Series 7, 79 and 63 securities licenses.

Michael is an avid sailor having sailed the Pacific Ocean (from California to Australia) for over two years with his family aboard their catamaran, Whatcha Gonna Do. He also enjoys spending time mountain biking and practicing yoga.