Alain Bankier
Alain Bankier is an active investor, entrepreneur and advisor to a variety of companies in the legal cannabis, technology and food/tech industries.
Mr. Bankier is interim-CEO and a Director of publicly-traded, Intiva BioPharma Inc. (OTC: NTVA), which is focused on the development of cannabinoid-based medications for various medical conditions and disorders under US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory pathways. He is also a Partner in Ceylon Solutions, LLC, a leading enterprise software development company focused on the cannabis and ag-tech industries.
Mr. Bankier has been instrumental in helping companies achieve their business milestones and exits/liquidity events. He is the co-founder of the New York Angels, one of the leading investment groups in the US and he is also a member of ArcView. In the cannabis industry, he is involved in various capacities with publicly-held and privately-held companies, focused primarily on “high value added” activities, which include processing, brand development, technology and research.
Mr. Bankier was Co-President/CEO of The Manischewitz Company, which he acquired in 2008, through a merger with his operating company SFG. SFG’s strategy was to build value by acquiring companies that were in need of restructuring due to operational, branding and financial issues. The Manischewitz Company was sold to Bain Capital in 2014.
Prior to his career in the food industry, Alain was a founder of an international boutique investment bank, which he sold to BNP Paribas in 1989 and where he remained as the Co-Head of Corporate Finance/Mergers and Acquisitions - North America until 2001.
Mr. Bankier has a BS from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania. He also has an MBA from NYU Stern and from HEC Paris.
Scott Sozio
Mr. Sozio is the Chief Executive Officer of MTech Ascquisition, Corp., a Nasdaq-listed special purpose acquisition company. Mr. Sozio is also a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Hypur Ventures since 2016, where he sources, structures, negotiates and executes portfolio investments.
Since 2015, Mr. Sozio has been a Director of Hypur Inc., a financial technology firm focused on banking compliance, and since 2016, a Director of Simplifya Holdings, LLC, a cannabis compliance technology business, both portfolio companies of Hypur Ventures.
Mr. Sozio has also been a Partner at a family office investment firm, Van Dyke Holdings, since its inception in 2013. Since the founding of Van Dyke Holdings, Mr. Sozio has been responsible for its private investment portfolio. Prior to joining Van Dyke Holdings, Mr. Sozio was a Vice President of Bay Harbour Management L.C., a distressed-debt focused hedge fund.
He joined Bay Harbour in 2004 after working in the Financial Restructuring Advisory Group at CIBC World Markets. Mr. Sozio is the former Chairman of Island One, Inc., a timeshare company based in Florida (from 2011 to 2012), and acquired by Diamond Resorts as part of Diamond’s IPO, and a former Director of Great Destinations, Inc., a timeshare sales business based in California (from 2013 to 2016), and acquired by Interval International in 2016. Mr. Sozio holds a B.A. in Architecture from Columbia University.
Scott Lewin
Scott Lewin is a serial entrepreneur who has launched, grown and sold a number of technology companies. Currently, Scott is the Managing Director of SaleXcapital and is focused on advising startups and investing in early stage companies.
As Founder, President and Chief Executive officer of Invoiceware International, Scott was responsible for launching the company, developing the company's strategic vision, and defining the Latin American e-Invoicing Compliance solution platform. Invoiceware International was acquired by Sovos Compliance in 2016.
Previously, Scott had been President of Crossgate, Inc., a business integration technology company. Crossgate was acquired by SAP AG in November 2011.
Prior to joining Crossgate, Inc. Scott was the President and CEO of SEEBURGER, Inc., a business integration technology company. Scott has earned a BA from the University of Michigan and his MBA from University of Pittsburgh.
