AEPONYX is the leader in micro optical switch chips design and marketing for greener fiber optic access to the cloud.
“At AEPONYX, we believe in energy efficiency, and we create energy-efficient optical technologies for telecommunications. It is good for everyone. My advice for young entrepreneurs would be to make a deep and serious reflection on what really drives you … patience and faith. In my spare times, I love to travel, spend time with my grandchildren and NetflixGym (no TV without sweating!).” – Philippe Babin, CEO
Pyrowave’s technology uses microwave to convert plastics waste into chemicals reused to make new plastics.
“Pyrowave transforms plastic waste into its basic constituents. This keeps our precious resources in a circular and lower carbon production chain. Our technological platform, which uses microwaves, is a scientific breakthrough that paves the way for a new generation of industrial processes that is much more energy efficient. I advise young entrepreneurs to try to solve an important problem, and to make sure that there is a demand for their solution. Ten years ago, when no one was talking about plastic waste solutions, I saw it as a problem which now has become a global issue and our solution is ready to solve it! In my free time, I love to go biking.” – Jocelyn Doucet, CEO
GSTS is an Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics company that processes data from satellite and terrestrial sensors to save lives, energy and the environment in the maritime sector.
“GSTS has an impact on the global climate and environment in several ways including potential reduction of GHG emissions up to 200M tons annually through reduced emissions from ships through optimized vessel management, the avoidance of major tanker collisions or groundings such as the Exon Valdes and the prevention of the introduction of invasive species into the great lakes through improper ballast water exchange. The advice I would give to a young entrepreneur is to look at problems and solutions from a unique perspective, don’t just consider approaches or concepts that have been around for some time and be persistent. Outside work, I like hiking and reading.” – Richard Kolacz, Co-Founder and CEO
Chrysalabs is developing a portable, accurate and real-time soil fertility assessment solution for precision ag, enabling growers and agronomists to save time and money.
“ChrysaLabs enables agronomists and agricultural producers to better assess and manage the fertility of soils so that they apply only the necessary fertilizers in the right place, at the right time and in the right amount, thereby avoiding over-fertilization. To young entrepreneurs, I would suggest building a business that has a tangible impact on the environment which gives meaning to every minute and dollar invested. The market demands clean technology, so there is no better scenario to get involved and change the world. As the environment is something that unites the ChrysaLabs team, the outdoors is directly part of our DNA. Whether it is off-road skiing, water sports, biking, camping, sailing, hiking, ChrysaLabs runs on nature!” – Samuel Fournier, Co-Founder and CEO
Potloc offers hyper-targeted, geofenced, consumer research to improve loyalty, acquisition and customer experience.
“By surveying millions of people, Potloc allows many companies to tailor their offerings to consumers’ new environmental considerations. My advice to young entrepreneurs is resilience, resilience, resilience. I love everything in life and have an insatiable intellectual curiosity: music, the arts, technology, politics, economics, gastronomy, real estate, sports, etc. The list is long, and life is too short!” – Rodolphe Barrère, CEO
AecopaQ is a Quebec company in cleantech, the first of its kind in Canada. It specializes in the development, production and marketing of innovative and exclusive food packaging products that are biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable, using locally accessible natural fibers.
“AecopaQ’s food packaging products are much cleaner compared to Styrofoam currently used. They are biodegradable and compostable. To a young entrepreneur, I would suggest an in-depth feasibility study that allows you to understand the problems your company is seeking to solve, the quantitative and qualitative aspects at all levels. In my spare time, I like cooking, golf, yoga, long distance running and make music with my sons.” – Michel Aufoujal, CEO
ORA has developed nano-materials for high performance audio.
“Not only does Ora’s technology produce more energy efficient loudspeakers, we are also capturing carbon and reducing our reliance on polymers and energy intensive aluminum. To a young entrepreneur I would suggest focusing on what you love. Look for ways to improve the products or services that you enjoy. A great application is the first step to develop a new technology. In my spare times, I keep busy with my recreational soccer team. I also enjoy playing violin and of course listening to music.” – Robert-Eric Gaskell, VP Product, Co-founder
Electrobac, known for its innovative smartbin network, is an e-waste collection company specialized in small electronics. Electrobac also operates a Buybac service to help large organizations dispose of their corporate mobile devices.
“The equivalent of 4,500 Eiffel Towers worth of electronic waste is produced annually, of which only 20% is recycled. A startling finding that drives Electrobac to protect the environment by integrating elements of the circular economy in its proposal services. To young entrepreneurs, I would suggest identifying an important environmental problem, stay close to your customers to continually improve your services or products rather than worrying about the competition. In my spare times I enjoy skiing, biking, swimming, running and of course travelling when time permits!” – Philip Bénard, Founder & CEO
Axya enables the proximity supply chain for manufacturing.
INNO-3B designs, builds and installs automated vertical farming systems for growers and producers. This closed environment technology is a new production platform that can be adapted to a large variety of plants for food and pharmaceutical applications.
Haila develops a low power telecommunication platform for IoT.
“The primary effect of our technology on the environment is eliminating battery changes of Wi-Fi wireless sensors, secondary effects being scalability of wireless sensors to achieve unprecedented amounts of data that will allow actuators to be more optimized and efficient, reducing the overall power consumption of a building, person, or environment. Cross pollinating ideas and brainstorming with mentors and those with wealth of experiences is always the best advice I can give to a young entrepreneur. Being open minded and understanding that the more you know, the less you know, is the right mindset in my opinion to get the most of your experience. In my spare time, I love to connect with nature, backcountry camping, paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming, yoga, snowboarding, and any other adrenaline inducing activity outside.” – Charlotte Savage, CIO
Kourant’s Electro BioReactor (EBR) technology can significantly reduce carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals and other micropollutants below the most stringent limits, by merging electricity with biological processes within the existing wastewater treatment plant installation.
“Kourant offers a technology to improve water quality by removing contaminants such as nitrogen and phosphorus that are the root cause of algae blooms in our lakes and rivers. To a young entrepreneur, I would recommend, from the first hour of your entrepreneurial journey, to take the time to choose your technology wisely and to make sure to protect it. If I have worked for more than 30 years to improve the quality of the environment, it is so that I can fully enjoy in my spare time, in the summer and winter, hiking, skiing and cycling.” – Richard Painchaud, CEO
Nexus Robotics offers an autonomous robot combined with AI platform for weeding farmland. Reduces labor requirements and provides data on plant condition.
Rithmik Solutions increases uptime in mines with analytics that optimize maintenance, reduce emissions and extend equipment life.
“We leverage AI to provide early detection of failures and inefficiencies in mobile mining equipment, which leads to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. When you increase the reliability of a 300-ton mining haul truck by 15%, for example, you reduce its fuel burn by a roughly equivalent amount. That can end up working out to around 50,000 litres of fuel per machine every year. To a young entrepreneur, I would say, to quote my Dad, that persistence is a superpower. It can be a long and gruelling game, and it is worth it. Outside of work, I do meditation, reading, hiking and VR workouts.” – Amanda Truscott, CEO
OPA Technologies empowers private and public organizations for smart mobility with its innovative geospatial platform. OPA helps governments and private firms to plan, coordinate and communicate traffic obstructions and manage road mobility in real time.
“OPA helps cities avoid conflicts between construction sites and traffic detours and helps to communicate information to road users in real time. The GHG reduction impact is measurable thanks to ISO standards. To young entrepreneurs, I would suggest evaluating the minimum viable product by the clients and avoid waiting for everything to be perfect before launching. In my spare time, I like cycling and hiking in nature.” – Caroline Arnouk, Founder & CEO
Impactful Health R&D develops compostable active packaging to prolong shelf life of fresh foods starting with fish as an entry market.
“We develop sustainable active packaging to extend the shelf life of fresh foods, starting with fish. We are both diverting food from ending up in landfill, thus reducing methane production, and reducing reliance on traditional plastics by providing a compostable alternative. To young entrepreneurs, I would recommend spending time validating your product-market fit before developing the tech and doing your best to be as objective as possible throughout your entrepreneurial journey. In my spare time, I like listening to audiobooks/podcasts while running, reading with my 2-year-old son, and hanging out with family and friends.” – Mina Mekhail, Co-Founder and CEO
Calogy Solutions has developped a new thermal management technology for the Li-Ion batteries in electric vehicles.
“Through its innovative thermal battery management technology, Calogy addresses the main challenges facing the general adoption of electric vehicles including cost, safety, range and fast charging. To a young entrepreneur I would suggest to always focus on your technology, be patient and persistent. In my spare time, I like thinking about how the business can be successful on the bike and on the road!” – Mahmood Shirazy, Co-Founder and President
Maxwellian develops a universal optical sensing technology for harsh environment monitoring.
Biotechnologies Ulysse develops bacterial solutions for the treatment of plants.
Helios UAV develops and deploys high quality data acquisition solutions by Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV or drones) for mining, geophysics, geomatics, civil engineering, surveillance and environment industries.
BluWave-AI is an AI-based platform that optimizes the operation of smart grid and micro-grids.
MATERIUM has developed MATSPHERES®, an innovative patented silica based microsphere technology, providing 300% increase in water treatment fermentation and enzymes immobilization.
Repowered Batteries uses proprietary battery analysis and disassembly technologies to recondition end-of-life electric vehicle batteries and resell them as a storage system.
FTEX combines innovative high-efficiency powertrains with next-generation transmission systems that improve performance, increase range and enhance the driver experience of small electric vehicles.
Brilliant Matters has developed an eco-friendly production technology to manufacture a new generation of semiconductors used in electronics and solar cell technology.
“At Brilliant Matters, we believe that addressing the e-waste problem should come from a change in the materials used to fabricate electronic components. We put forward a new type of semiconductor with minimal impact on the environment. These new technologies are virtually free of rare metals and are produced at low cost by energy efficient printing processes. The first word that comes to mind for young entrepreneurs is perseverance. To break into a market requires considerable effort and consistency. Make sure to surround yourself with good people and validate your business approach continuously. Every project is unique, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. In my spare time, I try to keep a balanced routine by spending time with my family, being active and reading a good book.” – Jean-Rémi Pouliot, CEO
RailVision Analytics uses data already available on rail equipment and combines it with AI algorithms to provide insight into GHG emission reductions, fuel savings and safety improvements.