Any man who dominates an industry at the highest level and then has the courage to start over in a completely new arena—earns our respect. At Fello, we have a deep admiration for people who reinvent themselves, especially when that reinvention happens inside the fast-paced world of startups.

Jake Gardiner did just that. After ten years playing defense in the NHL, he stepped off the ice and went straight into the trenches of venture-backed business. Now, he’s helping founders across Canada scale capital-intensive companies through Camber Road’s innovative equipment financing model—an approach that’s changing how early-stage companies grow without giving up equity.

We sat down with Jake to dig into his transition, mindset, and the hard-earned lessons from the rink that now guide him in the startup world.

Hardware, Hustle & Reinvention: A Q&A with Jake Gardiner

You quipped that after ten years playing defense in the NHL, you’re “going on offense” in your business career — what does an offensive mindset look like for you as you build Camber Road’s presence in Ontario, and how has your sports background shaped the way you attack challenges in the startup world?

After ten years in the NHL, I’d spent my life protecting the blue line. Moving into business felt like it was finally my turn to push the play forward. An offensive mindset for me means being proactive, spotting openings, taking shots, and not waiting for things to happen. At Camber Road, that means getting out there, talking to founders and VCs across Canada, and figuring out how we can help capital-heavy startups that banks often overlook. Hockey taught me to stay calm under pressure and trust my team, and honestly, startup life feels the same.

Many athletes struggle with their sense of identity after leaving pro sports. How did you redefine yourself when you hung up your skates and moved into the venture-backed business arena, and what routines or disciplines from your NHL days have you carried over (or had to unlearn) to succeed at Camber Road?

Leaving hockey was a big shift. For most of my life, I was Jake the hockey player. That’s really all I was focused on. Stepping away forced me to figure out who I am without skates on. I leaned on structure, the same routines I had in the NHL but swapped practices for investor calls and founder meetings. What I had to learn was patience. In hockey, a great shift can change the game instantly. In business, you can work for months before you see a win.

In establishing Camber Road’s foothold in Ontario, how have you hustled to introduce a venture-focused equipment financing model into a market that hasn’t really seen it before, and was there a specific moment that made you realize this approach is catching on with local founders and VCs?

When I started Camber Road’s Ontario presence, venture-focused equipment financing wasn’t really on anyone’s radar. Most people thought in terms of equity rounds or bank loans, not leasing specialized gear without giving up ownership. I have spent a lot of time educating and hustling, dropping into incubators, chatting with founders, and walking through how we can help them scale faster.

Hard-tech startups often face steep capital requirements early on. How are you helping these founders scale faster through non-dilutive equipment leasing, and what have you learned about growing capital-intensive ventures that might surprise someone from a traditional software startup background?

Hardware startups hit a cash crunch fast. They need expensive machines and lab gear way before the revenue starts rolling in. Equity is expensive early, and venture debt isn’t always flexible. We help them get the gear without giving up ownership. I’ve learned that in hardware, timing is everything, if you miss a testing or production window because you don’t have the right equipment, it can set you back months. Coming from the outside, I didn’t realize just how hands-on these companies are. Sometimes getting a machine in the lab quickly is the difference between a stalled runway and a Series A.

In hockey, trust is built on the ice through performance; in startups it’s earned by delivering value and being in the trenches with founders. How have you approached relationship-building with venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in the Canadian startup scene, and can you share a time when a connection you forged made a pivotal difference for Camber Road or one of the companies you support?

In hockey, trust comes from showing up and performing when it counts. In startups, it’s no different, you earn trust by adding real value and being there when founders need you. I like to get out of the office and spend time in the lab or shop floor, really understanding what’s slowing a team down. One of my favorite moments was helping a Canadian logistics company that didn’t even know we existed. I got connected through another prospect, and that introduction made all the difference. Building meaningful relationships and meeting people face to face has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey so far.

Fello's Thoughts.

Jake’s story is a reminder that grit, discipline, and a team-first mentality translate far beyond the arena. At Fello, we work with companies at the edge of innovation, and we know how crucial the right capital partner is—especially in capital-intensive spaces like robotics, medtech, and advanced manufacturing.

Camber Road’s approach is one we deeply respect: supporting builders without diluting them, solving real problems, and showing up where it counts. As Jake puts it, “It’s about being in the trenches.”

Whether you’re a founder scaling your next big thing or a venture fund looking to support hardware breakthroughs, there’s a lesson here: sometimes the best offense is having the right teammate beside you.