MaRS

Santa is from MaRS, Women are from Venus

With acknowledgment and sincere apologies to Clement Clark Moore…

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all throughout MaRS
Not a tenant was stirring, nor were the streetcars.
The stockings were hung by the elevators with care,
In hopes that investors soon would be there;
The entrepreneurs were nestled all snug in their bed sheets,
While visions of profits danced in their spreadsheets.

Ilse in her ‘kerchief, and John Evans in his cap,
Had just settled down for a long (and very, very well deserved) winter’s nap,
When out on College there arose such a clatter,
Every entrepreneur in the building sprang to see what was the matter.

Away to the windows they flew in a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash (somewhat to Randall and Nina’s consternation)
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When what to their wondering eyes should arise
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny advisors!
With a little old driver, so lively and quick
They new in a moment it must be St. Kevin.

More rapid than eagles his mentors they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
Now Peter, now Rob, now Elias, now Krista!
On Wendy, on John, on Greg and Veronica … and Ron and Dennis and James
To the top of the Atrium, to the top of the wall!
Cash away! Cash away! Cash away all!

So up to the rooftop the advisors they flew,
With the sleigh full of term sheets and St. Kevin too.
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The kvetching and complaining of advisors let loose.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around
Down the chimney the advisors all came with a bound.

They were all armed with market intelligence reports
All furnished by Usha and her gang of stalwarts.
An e-bundle of videos flung on their backs,
Courtesy Roz and all the AV techs.

Ahhhh – but their eyes – how they twinkled! Their dimples so merry!
Everyone was equipped with a brand new Blackberry.
They spread through the building, to every office and lab,
With gifts of wisdom, advice and just stopping to gab.

The entrepreneurs all exclaimed, “Oh now I understand –
My business plan sucks – I’m roadkill if I go on as planned.”
“Never fear” said the advisors, “We’ll show you the way.
We’ve got Charles and the whole BMEP team to assist,
And Don and his volunteers sure can’t be missed.

If you’ve got something green, or socially relevant
Allyson and Lisa will soon help you sell a bit. (that’s sell – a – bit, in case you misheard)
And once ready we’ll guide you through IAF’s process
Then fully funded you’ll bloom to a high-growth success.

And you’ll sell out for millions – amounts beyond contemplation;
Then Wendy’s gang will accost you for a generous donation.
Barbara’s team will first count it, then log it;
Then Linda and Cathy will publish and blog it.”

With a wink of their eyes and a twist of their heads,
The advisors told their clients, “There is nothing to dread.
Despite all of the challenges facing each venture
With the MaRS team behind you it’s a first class adventure.”

And laying their fingers aside of their noses,
They bid adieu to their clients and up the chimney they rose.
They sprang to their sleigh and St. Kevin gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard them exclaim, ‘ere they drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”