Michael Hyatt

Early life

After spending four years studying Biochemistry at Western University, Michael ultimately entered the world of entrepreneurship, deciding that he was better suited to business than the sciences. He became a self made millionaire by the age of 25, and by 33, he was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. 

Career

Hyatt co-founded the software development and technology companies BlueCat and Dyadem, acting as the CEO of the former until both companies were acquired by American firms. The acquisition deals reportedly netted one billion dollars, which led to Michael Hyatt and his brother Richard Hyatt to buy DataStealth, a cybersecurity company. 

Hyatt currently acts as a senior advisor at Northleaf Capital Partners, a global private market investment firm (which supported BlueCat in the past), and routinely invests in a variety of venture capital firms including Kensington Capital Partners, and Georgian partners, as well as startups. He has been named the Entrepreneur in Residence at Blakes, one of Canada’s top lawfirms. 

In 2015, Hyatt joined the CBC Dragon’s Den digital spinoff, Next Gen Den, where, as a “Dragon,” he heard pitches from hopeful CEOs. He also routinely joins CBC’s Business News as an analyst and commentator, offering his views on investments and the market. 

Hyatt is also known for investing in the podcast, The Pitch, a show that puts founders in front of investors and offers insights into the world of what goes into financing a startup. In 2021, Hyatt started hosting his own podcast, Business Unplanned, where he chats with local entrepreneurs about the ups and downs of owning a business, offering advice and learning lessons to listeners on how to grow their own companies. 

As a philanthropist, Hyatt acts as the chair of the Hyatt Family Foundation, centering around women’s health and exploring how science and technology can change the future of healthcare. In a unique move, Hyatt partnered with Toronto’s SickKids Hospital in 2019 to fund research that would hopefully become profitable in the future. Hyatt referred to the bid as “venture philanthropy,” to the Financial Post in 2019.  

Hyatt was one of the founding partners of the Creative Destruction Lab at the Rotman School of Business, first started in 2012. The Lab was founded with the aim of creating expandable business opportunities with science-based ventures, connecting local startups with backing from students at the Rotman School of Management as well as venture capital firms. 

In 2019, Hyatt was the recipient of the “Power Partner Award” for his allyship and contributions to the support of female entrepreneurs in Canada and globally. The award was given by the Women of Inspiration Awards as part of the Universal Women’s Network, which supports and connects female business leaders and CEO’s around the world. 

In 2020, Hyatt became a Fellowship Champion at the Black Innovation Fellowship, an initiative to support Black entrepreneurs and founders in the tech sphere.  

Net Worth

Michael Hyatt’s estimated net worth is CAD$16.9 million