Updated:
Zen Capital & Mergers (Stow Family Office)
Zen Capital & Mergers was established in Langley, Canada, in 2015 as the dedicated investment office for the Stow family.
Zen Capital & Mergers (Stow Family Office)
Zen Capital & Mergers was established in Langley, Canada, in 2015 as the dedicated investment office for the Stow family. Its wealth originates from Stephen Stow, a former commercial lawyer in London and Hong Kong who built, and later exited, the fiber-optic network company 360networks. He subsequently cemented his expertise in precious metals through leadership roles at Lumina Gold, an experience now core to the family's portfolio construction. The office allocates across three principal sleeves: long-only precious metals funds, hedge funds, and select venture capital. Its managers are typically sourced through a decades-old personal network spanning Western Canada and Asia. Strategy documents show a preference for boutique managers who co-invest a large portion of their personal wealth. Direct investments target lower-middle-market companies requiring operational restructuring or succession planning, an approach the firm terms “Piloting Expertise.” These are not fund commitments; they are temporary, hands-on engagements. Confirmed geographic footprints include Canada, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Co-investors are invited informally through a practice the firm calls “Telephone Equity.” The firm is led by a small core team. Stephen Stow serves as Chairman, while his son, Daniel, operates as Chief Investment Officer, bringing institutional discipline from his tenure as a Portfolio Manager at Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. The office is not a fund; it does not manage external capital. It participates actively in the Canadian alternative investment community through membership in the Canadian Association of Alternative Strategies & Assets (CAASA). The family's philanthropic vehicle, Zen Capital and Mergers Philanthropy, funnels support to education and anti-poverty initiatives locally and in Kenya, Uganda, Myanmar, and the UK. What distinguishes Zen is its operational and advisory model. It is not a passive LP. Instead, it deploys capital into small and medium-sized enterprises in transition, often providing direct C-suite secondments. This blurs the line between allocator and operator, a structure rooted in the Stow family's direct experience as company builders in emerging Asian markets since 1984.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
2015
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
Canada
City
Langley
Corporate office
9260 222 St, Langley, BC, V1M 3T7, Canada
Principals
Stephen Stow
Founder and Chairman
Altss tracks 1 additional named team member for this firm — including direct investment leads, IR, and operating principals not listed on the public website.
Book a demoSector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Zen Capital & Mergers?
The Chief Investment Officer is Daniel Stow, who previously served as a Portfolio Manager at the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. His father, Stephen Stow, is the firm's founder and Chairman and also remains involved in investment and board-level strategy.
Where does the underlying wealth of the Stow family office come from?
The wealth originates primarily from Stephen Stow's role in founding 360networks, a fiber-optic telecommunications company, and his subsequent leadership positions in the precious-metals mining sector, including as a director at Lumina Gold.
Is Zen Capital & Mergers a venture capital fund that accepts outside money?
No. It is a single-family office that invests exclusively its own capital. The firm explicitly states on its website that it is "not a traditional Private Equity Fund" and does not manage external LP commitments.
Does Zen Capital & Mergers participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
It does both. The office allocates to external alternative asset managers, specifically in precious metals funds, hedge funds, and venture capital, while also making strategic direct investments in companies. Direct investments often involve operational support, which the firm calls "Piloting Expertise."
What is Zen Capital & Mergers' sourcing model for finding deals and managers?
The firm relies on a relationship-based model built over 25 years, particularly within Western Canada and Asia. It seeks managers recommended by members of its established network and often co-invests alongside trusted contacts via an informal arrangement it terms "Telephone Equity."
What is Zen's philanthropic structure?
The family office maintains Zen Capital and Mergers Philanthropy, which focuses on providing education, clean water, and shelter in British Columbia, the UK, Kenya, Uganda, and Myanmar. Notable local beneficiaries include Arts Umbrella and Covenant House Vancouver.
How does Zen Capital & Mergers approach direct operational involvement in a portfolio company?
The office uses a temporary operational engagement model called "Piloting Expertise." This involves Zen employees providing short-term C-suite support or secondments to address specific challenges, such as restructuring, succession planning, or a turnaround, rather than acting as a permanent operator.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on family offices?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: