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SDTC Seed Funding recipients showcase breadth of sustainable innovation across Canada

January 17, 2023

Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) announced Seed Funding of $2.5 million for 25 Canadian companies developing new technologies to fight the effects of climate change, contribute to the circular economy, and promote the well-being of people and the protection of nature.

This latest cohort showcases the scope of sustainable innovation in Canada across diverse sectorial industries – from agriculture to transport to healthcare – and the growth of women-led firms, which comprises nearly 50 percent of the funded companies.

These companies are developing impressive technology solutions that have the potential to deliver significant environmental benefits to Canada, from livestock protection software and mobile solar modules for vehicles to bio-ink for 3D tissue printing for medical research.

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 for Canada. Applicants for seed funding are nominated by SDTC’s partnership with Canadian accelerators, incubators, and entrepreneurial service organizations. To learn more, click here.

Quote:

“SDTC is privileged to work with and support entrepreneurs and their companies at every stage of development. Our unique seed funding stream allows us to invest in companies exploring bold new areas of innovation, enabling them to further prove their solutions, build their business, and create a pipeline of opportunities for Canadian IP creation for immediate and long-term sustainable technology solutions.”

– Zoë Kolbuc, Vice President, Ecosystems of SDTC

Companies approved for funding:

Below are the 25 seed funding recipients approved by  SDTC’s Board of Directors in November 2022, along with their nominating accelerators.

Expanding sustainable agriculture

  1. Farm Health Guardian (Ontario), supported by Cultivator powered by Conexus Credit Union, is helping farmers identify and stop disease in livestock before it spreads, resulting in a lower environmental footprint for our food.
  2. Genuine Taste (Québec), supported by District 3, is developing cultivated fat to improve the taste, texture, and nutrition of alternative protein products that better mimic conventional meat.
  3. Picketa Systems (New Brunswick), supported by Energia Ventures, is helping to advance precision agriculture by developing real-time plant tissue analysis combined with an online platform to measure crop nutrients and improve the use of field resources like fertilizer.
  4. Skaldyr Inc. (Nova Scotia), supported by Bioenterprise, upcycles marine waste through a sustainable technology platform that transforms 100% of seafood waste into useful ingredients for food, feed, and crop production sectors.
  5. Cattle Scan (Ontario), supported by Innovation Guelph Resource Centre, is working to improve the sustainability and health of cattle farming through the commercialization of an ingestible device that monitors and helps prevent the spread of disease in livestock.
  6. Agminded Research and Development Ltd. (Saskatchewan), supported by Broad Street Bulls, is modernizing agriculture grain storage through the world’s first mobile telescoping storage bins (T-BINTM) that is intended to replace the use of commercial plastic in storing grain.

Delivering low-carbon transportation

  1. Biome Renewables (Ontario), supported by MaRS Discovery District, is working to reduce global shipping and marine transportation emissions through novel propulsion advancements utilizing their flagship PowerCone® technology, enabling improved electric drivetrains in addition to enhanced propulsion for vessels from tankers and frigates, to fishing trawlers and ferries.
  2. Gamotech (Québec), supported by Accélérateur Mobis, have developed zero-emission electric and hydraulic portable power units for municipal and commercial work truck managers for their maintenance work on job sites reducing fuel consumption from all-day truck idling.
  3. LightLeaf Solar (Saskatchewan), supported by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre, is helping to develop low-carbon transportation solutions by developing mobile solar panels for small trailers and sailboats.

Advancing sustainable health and wellbeing

  1. AssistIQ (Québec), supported by Centech, is working to make healthcare more affordable and sustainable through digital supply management software to help healthcare providers and supply chain providers reduce waste in the clinical environment.
  2. Aurea Technologies (Nova Scotia), supported by Volta, has developed a portable power source in the form of a small wind turbine that fits in a backpack offering energy independence for outdoor enthusiasts when they are away from the grid and backup power for emergency preparedness.
  3. Axolotl Biosciences (British Columbia), supported by UVic Coast Capital Innovation Centre, is developing a novel, versatile and easy-to-use bio-ink for 3D printing tissue models to support medical research and reduce dependency on animal testing.
  4. Origen Air (British Columbia), supported by UVic Coast Capital Innovation Centre, is an innovative natural air purification company producing plant-based, IoT-connected air purifiers at a time when demand for safe indoor air is at an all-time high.
  5. UVX (British Columbia), supported by entrepreneurship@UBC, has developed the world’s first smart far-UVC ceiling device that automatically disinfects air and surfaces, reduces waste, and improves the health and safety of indoor settings.

Fostering low-carbon communities

  1. AI Shading (Alberta), supported by Platform Innovation Centre, has developed an intelligent window shading solution that helps property managers optimize building energy efficiency and has been successfully piloted at Canada’s top research institutions.
  2. Carbon Lock Tech (Manitoba), supported by North Forge Technology Exchange, is helping to remove carbon from the atmosphere through a biochar sequestration method that converts organic waste into a stable form of biocarbon for use in sustainable agriculture, construction, manufactured goods, and green infrastructure projects.
  3. Domely Technologies (Québec), supported by Quantino, is developing a new AI-powered technology that remotely monitor roofs to improve maintenance efficiency and interventions respond time, in a context where roof management have become increasingly complex due to climate change, labour shortages and aging infrastructure.
  4. FORM innovations Inc. (Alberta), supported by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre, is working to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings through highly insulated, easy-to-install energy-efficient wall systems.
  5. Maket Technologies Inc. (Québec), supported by District 3, is helping community architects, builders, and developers make smarter and faster decisions through their innovative AI platform to instantly generate thousands of architectural plans based on programming needs and environmental impacts.
  6. Smart Cocoon Inc. (Ontario), supported by Altitude Accelerator (Powered by RIC Centre), is is revolutionizing indoor climate control. Their AI-driven zoning platform connects through the cloud and syncs with the home’s central forced air HVAC system. This intelligent room-by-room temperature control system epitomizes green technology – lowering energy bills and helping save our planet.

 

Improving the environmental impacts of fossil fuels  

  1. CarbonGraph (Ontario), supported by The Centre for Social Innovation, is helping companies calculate the carbon footprint of fuel consumption of their consumer products from ‘cradle-to-gate’ through sustainable software which allows integration of multiple data sources that contribute to an overall carbon footprint.
  2. Drift Resource Technologies (Alberta), supported by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre, is working to improve the sustainability of oilsands mining through an auger-based approach that combines closed-loop hot water, carbon capture technology, and solar power.
  3. Innervision (Alberta), supported by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre, works to help clean up oil and gas wells through real-time, high-resolution 3D imaging that monitors wellbore issues such as steel and cement cracks, perforations, and corrosion.
  4. QuadroCore (Ontario), supported by Innovation Factory, is working to commercialize a transportable volatile organic contaminant analyzer for environmental testing currently being aiming at the oil refinery industry with potential for commercialization in other sectors.
  5. Quantum (Nova Scotia), supported by Ocean Startup Project, is working to reduce methane emissions in our atmosphere by using uniquely scalable infrared cameras to stop methane leaks from oil and gas infrastructure.

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