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SDTC Seed Funding expands investments in diverse technologies across Canada

April 25, 2022

April 25, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario 

Sustainable Development Technology Canada today announced seed funding of $2.6 million for 26 promising new companies across Canada. These companies are developing new technologies that will fight climate change, contribute to the circular economy and promote the well-being of people within their communities with the natural environment.  

SDTC’s latest round of seed funding recipients were nominated by over 20 accelerators across Canada.  This new cohort of SDTC-supported companies showcases the breadth of sustainable innovation happening across the country, as well as the growth of women-led firms which comprise 54% of the funded companies.  

The high-potential firms receiving funds today are developing technologies that span a variety of sectors, from designing smart batteries, AI-Powered automated traffic monitoring, to offering sustainable products for menstruation. 

SDTC Seed funding supports promising early-stage Canadian sustainable tech entrepreneurs by providing grants of $50,000 to $100,000 to innovative technology projects with the potential to generate economic and environmental benefits to Canada. Applicants for seed funding are nominated by SDTC’s partnership of Canadian accelerators, incubators and entrepreneurial service organizations. To learn more, click here.  

Quotes: 

“Canadian entrepreneurs are the driving force of innovation in our country, turning ideas into opportunities and leading us toward a more sustainable and prosperous future. With the support of SDTC’s Seed Fund program, we are standing side-by-side these innovative start-ups as they advance our position as a global leader in clean technology and ensure our success on the path to a net-zero carbon economy.” 

– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry 

“Supporting innovation at all stages is critical for Canada to seize the opportunities of the Net Zero economy. Today’s seed funding recipients give us a window on the kinds of technologies that global markets are looking for. SDTC is proud to support these entrepreneurs as they move on to the next stage of their journey.” 

– Leah Lawrence, President, and CEO of SDTC 

Companies approved for funding: 

Below are 26 Canadian companies approved by SDTC for seed funding during the second round of the 2021-22 fiscal year. The accelerator partner that nominated each company is also listed.  These companies are grouped according to SDTC’s three sustainability impact areas of focus: climate change, circular economy, and people, communities and nature.   

Climate Change:  

  1. Pulsenics (Ontario), supported by The Centre for Social Innovation, is developing non-invasive spectroscopy technology to extract critical performance indicators and evaluate the condition of electrochemical assets while they operate. 
  2. Nanode Battery Technologies (Alberta), supported by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre, designs and produces high-performance electrodes for Lithium and Sodium-ion batteries to help supercharge battery energy storage capabilities. 
  3. Latys Intelligence Inc. (Quebec), supported by TandemLaunchVentures, is leveraging groundbreaking research to create the world’s first non-reciprocal relay system for wireless communication infrastructure. 
  4. KorrAI (Nova Scotia), supported by Volta, combines AI, machine learning, drone surveys, and rapidly evolving satellite data to track and manage critical resources for the mining and environmental insurance sectors. 
  5. Electro Carbon Inc. (Quebec), supported by Esplanade, is converting carbon dioxide into high value specialty green chemicals using a CO2 electrochemical process converting CO2 and water into formate salts and formic acid (FA). 
  6. 3E8 Inc. (Quebec), supported by TandemLaunch Ventures, develops lightspeed photonic AI silicon, systems and software to achieve a 1000x leap in AI compute throughput and energy efficiency. 
  7. CACITH inc. (Tengiva) (Quebec), supported by Centech, provides a new digital platform enabling real-time sourcing in the textile supply chain to help reduce GHGs. 
  8. Growing Greener Innovations (Alberta), supported by Innovate Edmonton, is developing modular energy storage solutions to replace diesel generators.  
  9. Zen Electric Bikes Inc. (Nova Scotia), supported by Innovacorp, manufactures highly efficient, electric bikes with advanced, long-life batteries. 
  10. ARCA (British Columbia), supported by Entrepreneurship @UBC,develops technology to accelerate the natural process of atmospheric carbon mineralization, removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it permanently as rock utilizing mining tailings. 
  11. Galatea Technologies Inc. (Alberta), supported by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre, offers a technology platform that digitizes, optimizes and automates transportation workflows for the energy industry –enabling businesses with the data and tools necessary to maximize operational, financial and environmental performance. 
  12. Rimot.io Inc. (Nova Scotia), supported by Innovacorp, uses Industrial IoT (IIoT) and AI technologies to provide remote monitoring, control, and optimization solutions to help ensure that critical systems and teams are safe. 
  13. Moduly (Quebec), supported by Cycle Momentum, offers a virtual power plant service to utilities while creating a resilient nanogrid system for the electricity users through modular energy storage. 

Circular Economy:  

  1. The Owl Solutions (Ontario), supported by Waterloo Accelerator Centre, is a supply chain data analytics company that helps midsize business improve the performance of their operations by providing best-in-class visibility and expert support. 
  2. Hyon Software Inc. (Saskatchewan), supported by Cultivator powered by Conexus, is keeping corporate items (such as furniture) in circulation and out of landfills by creating internal and external marketplaces for assets. 

People, Communities and Nature:  

  1. Ecosystem Informatics Inc., (Ontario), is supported by RIC Centre, is an air quality/GHG monitoring and management solution offering mobile and fixed smart sensors powered by patent pending AI calibration algorithms. 
  2. Clean Air.ai Corp. (Ontario), is supported by RIC Centre, is working to significantly improve indoor air quality thorough design, development, and sales of smart air filters for residential and commercial HVAC systems.   
  3. Liven Proteins (Ontario), is supported by MaRS Discovery District, produces animal-free, functional protein ingredients through fermentation of food and agriculture industry by-products to create animal-free gelatin that helps plant-based meat and dairy alternatives to deliver texture, mouthfeel, and culinary performance. 
  4. Vivid Machines Inc. (Ontario), is supported by Bioenterprise, is helping fruit and vegetable farmers produce more food, providing growers with computer vision technology. 
  5. Opalia (BetterMilk, Inc.) (Quebec) Is supported by District 3, is making milk with mammary cells by offering the same taste and functionality of traditional milk without negative impacts on the environment. 
  6. Bluecity Technology Inc. (Quebec), supported by NextAI – Montreal, combines artificial intelligence and LiDAR sensors to provide accurate, real-time traffic data and create actionable road usage and safety information. 
  7. Airsset Technologies (British Columbia), supported by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre, provides data and insights that inform decision making to improve occupant wellness in buildings while improving energy efficiency. 
  8. Nyoka Design Labs (British Columbia), supported by The Alacrity Foundation of B.C., is using advanced, enzyme-based bioluminescence to provide sustainable solutions for the single-use lighting industry. 
  9. Pacific Ridge Corporation (Saskatchewan), supported by The Alacrity Foundation of B.C., is a regenerative farming cooperative, working to use bacterial strains to develop soil and seed treatments for pulse crops that ward off Aphanomyces (water moulds).  
  10. Joni (British Columbia), supported by UVic Coast Capital Innovation Centre, is innovating menstrual care products to make them healthier and more sustainable. They are bringing consumers pads that biodegrade in 12-months versus the 300+ years for conventional plastic options. 
  11. Viridis Research Inc. (British Columbia), supported by Entrepreneurship @UBC, offers VEOX regenerative filters that can be used both at scale in household appliances, textile manufacturing & commercial washing machine markets to remove microplastics from water.  

Learn more about these companies here. 

 

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