Ellen Farrell, Ph.D.

Ellen A. Farrell

CIBC Professor in Entrepreneurship and Venture Development

Associate Professor
Management

T (902) 420- 5693
F (902) 420-5119

Sobey Building 219
ellen.farrell@smu.ca

 

Dr. Farrell is the CIBC Professor in Entrepreneurship and Venture Development at the Sobey School of Business. She came to Saint Mary's via a career in the public and private industry and has contributed to building three firms. Dr. Farrell completed her doctoral studies at the University of Nottingham in the UK and is a leading entrepreneurship educator in the region. Her approachable manner with students has made her a popular professor, and she has coached many teams in national and international competitions.  Collectively, her students have won more than $150,000 in prizes. Dr. Farrell's research interests are in early-stage equity finance -- particularly informal and formal venture capital.  She is regularly invited to the Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference. Dr. Farrell has won the Commerce Students’ award of Professor of the Year, as well she was voted Best Professor Runner-up in The Coast’s “Best of Halifax 2010”.

Dr. Farrell also oversees the Informal Venture Capital Measurement Project which measures business angel activity in Canada.

RESEARCH

  • Dr. Farrell's research interests relate to the financing of entrepreneurial firms. In particular, her work focuses on formal and informal venture capital.
  • She has conducted a number of studies in the Atlantic region regarding business angels, their numbers and investment frequency as well as their successful investment qualities. The use of heuristics, motivations and various deal generation techniques are some of the key independent variables investigated to date.
  • Dr. Farrell has overseen the completion of a number of large studies for government and industry such as ACOA, Industry Canada and the Atlantic Provinces Chambers of Commerce.

COURSES

  • Venture Development (EMBA 6647)
  • New Venture Opportunities MGMT 6697/MGMT 4487
  • Strategic Management MGMT 4489
  • Structuring the Start-up MGMT 3389
  • Private Equity and Rapid Growth Firms MGMT 4492