- Panelist
Christiana Manzocco is the Director of Investments at AEC where she invests in venture capital funds to drive Alberta’s tech industry growth. Her notable contributions at AEC include being the Founding Executive Director of the Start Alberta Platform and leading the Alberta Tech Deal Flow Study, experience which she leveraged during her time in Lisbon and Amsterdam, as Dealroom.co’s Director of Government Marketing.
A two-time University of Calgary alumna (B.Comm and MBA), Christiana was part of the inaugural CDL – Rockies cohort, and served as the VP Finance with the Graduate Students Association (GSA). She holds accreditation from UC Berkeley Haas Venture Capital Executive Program and completed ILPA Institute courses accredited by the University of Chicago Booth. Christiana was selected to participate in the MIT’s Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration (REAP) program on behalf of Edmonton (graduating 2026).
Christiana’s career has spanned industries from financial services to fashion, chiefly as a management consultant on strategic planning, marketing strategies and international expansion projects. In 2024, she was recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 in Edmonton by Edify Magazine.
Christiana is a Director with the Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) Board, as well as a VMS Advisory Board Member and Mentor. Previously, Christiana was a member of the Hunter Hub Executive Team Advisory Committee, Group Leader within the C100 Fellows Selection Committee, and member of the VCAA Board and CVCA Invest Canada Planning Committee.
With global experience in Amsterdam, London, Vienna, San Francisco, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Northern Italy, and Lisbon, Christiana has cultivated an impressive international network. She has been engaged as a panelist and speaker at conferences across Canada and the US, Milan, Barcelona, and Lisbon, on topics such as applied AI / ML, Health Tech and Life Sciences, LP and VC Investing, Venture Capital, Investment Readiness, and Financial Industry Trends.