CEO for Venture-Backed &
High-Growth Technology Companies
An engineer who became a founder. A founder who builds companies that matter — at the intersection of AI, energy, and deep technology.
An engineer by training. A founder by conviction. A CEO who builds companies that move industries.
Originally from Vancouver, Canada, James Aein's path into technology and energy began with a question most executives never have to answer: how does the grid actually work? His Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (Power Systems) from the University of British Columbia — with a thesis conducted in direct partnership with BC Hydro on High Voltage DC Control — gave him a technical foundation that has defined every company he has built since.
Over two decades, James moved through the most demanding commercial environments in industry — building organizations for global OEM manufacturers, navigating long-cycle enterprise procurement, and developing the deep sector fluency that most founders never acquire. He learned not just how to win deals, but how industries work, how decisions get made at the enterprise level, and where the real leverage points are.
That foundation became the launchpad for Enerza — a VC-backed, globally distributed deep tech company developing autonomous AI-powered robotic inspection systems that predict grid failures and wildfire risks weeks before they occur. As Co-Founder and CEO, James built the entire commercial engine from scratch: closing over $5M in partnerships within the first three months, constructing a $50M+ enterprise pipeline in year one, and establishing an international team and footprint.
Now based in California, James is selectively available for the right next chapter — as CEO or Co-Founder of a venture-backed or PE-backed technology company where the mandate is to build, capture market, and create something that endures.
From full CEO mandates to advisory and fractional roles — James engages with companies at the stage where it matters most.
James is selectively available for the right CEO mandate — at the intersection of deep technology, enterprise markets, and mission-driven growth.
If your portfolio company needs a commercial reset, a new GTM architecture, or a CEO with the technical credibility to own a boardroom and the instinct to own a market — James is the rare profile that bridges both.
James is an active, selective candidate for senior executive roles at high-growth technology companies. He is authorized to work in the USA and Canada without sponsorship.
James's work at Enerza and his perspective on AI-driven grid modernization has been covered by major technology, business, and broadcast media internationally.
Engineering degrees from two of Canada's leading technical universities. The rigor that shapes how a CEO thinks about a problem — not just how they pitch one.
Whether you're a PE firm evaluating executive leadership, a recruiter with the right mandate, or a founder who needs a CEO who's already been there — the conversation starts here.