In my mind the capacity to raise money does not make one a role model. Nor does the capacity to make money. What makes a role model for me is someone with vision, a knack for making sense of chaos, compassion, raw ability and a track record to prove their mettle in making their ideas reality. I accept that this might be my own very narrow definition of a role model, (that which I seek and may never find), but in such a search it is senseless to generalize. (Perhaps someone on your list fits my description? I can’t say I am sufficiently familiar with them to judge.)

I refuse to fear bashing someone with whom I disagree. Of course Rocky is trying, and there is some nobility in that, but we need to get beyond mere championing and examine what it is we are championing. It is not enough to cheer for the sake of hearing one’s voice. You have to cheer because you truly believe.

I have not seen or met many people locally that have inspired me to that extent (yet). Yes there are plenty of congenial people on the tech scene here in Montreal, but that does not mean there are that special breed of “role model”.

Trust me, I suffer not from jealousy of any kind. I long for a Craig Newmark or a Marc Andreessen to emerge in Montreal. I would be the first one seated to hear them speak. To point out that we have no such bright lights here is not to be disparaging, it’s simply calling spades, spades.

@mat – I’ve never met Rocky Mirza, the founder of Weblo, and what I know of Weblo has not interested me much – but he has raised over $3Million for his business from VC’s that i’m sure aren’t complete idiots !

I don’t want to defend a business or a person that I don’t know – but I don’t see why you would want to bash someone for trying.

And as for “keep(ing) our trumpets ready” – what is the official definition of a successful person ? and can you confirm that none of the other people I have mentioned fit that definition ?

Your comments may be well intended but ,to me, as written it comes across as disparriging of the success that a number of Montreal entrepreneurs have already had … almost a touch of “Tall Poppy Syndrome” .

I think Weblo is a ridiculous pyramid scheme; I’m certainly not to inclined to consider its founder a role model.

As I’ve said elsewhere, I think all the right things are happening in Montreal for its own style of tech scene to take root. The pieces are coming together. Of course, more VC and angel funding would be nice – but you guys are working on that, and maybe it will never be a _huge_ scene. That’s OK. Let’s be patient and not force something whose emergent behaviour is beautiful in its own way. Most importantly, let’s be honest and accept that if we don’t have any really successful people to put up on the podium, we should keep our trumpets at the ready until one emerges, rather than championing a false idol.

now, you wrote about “Eric Boyko, Eric Aubertin, Joe Poulin, Chris Royne, Rocky Murza, Faysal Kalhoun…” but I haven’t met them. ok I am a newcomer to montréal and québec, but I don’t think many tech entrepreneurs know them too. We may need a hall of fame, or something more open to the general public than democamps (which might be too “geeky” to attract newcomers to tech entrepreneurship)