Sidewalk Labs and Plaza Ventures planning Toronto-based venture fund focused on smart-city technology

Sidewalk Labs and Plaza Ventures plan to launch a venture capital fund focused on smart-city technology, The Logic has learned. Expected to be between $20 million and $30 million, it would focus on high-risk investments in early-stage companies with the goal of establishing Toronto as a “global centre” for smart-city tech — but is contingent on Waterfront Toronto moving ahead with Sidewalk as a partner in a controversial development on the city’s lakeshore. The Urban Technology Venture Fund would be led by Sidewalk’s director of investments, Nicole LeBlanc, and Plaza general partner Matthew Leibowitz, according to an investor presentation deck obtained by The Logic.