CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) is one of Canada's Big Five banks, founded in 1961 through the merger of the Canadian Bank of Commerce and the Imperial Bank of Canada, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Through its CIBC Capital Markets, CIBC Innovation Banking, and CIBC Ventures arms, it provides growth-stage debt and equity financing to technology and life sciences companies across North America. CIBC Innovation Banking is particularly active in venture lending to VC-backed startups, competing with SVB-style financing for tech companies at Series A through pre-IPO stages. Notable relationships include financing hundreds of venture-backed companies in fintech, SaaS, and healthcare across Canada and the United States.