Registration and pre-opening networking
Get your badge and join attendees for pre-conference networking over coffee.
Get your badge and join attendees for pre-conference networking over coffee.
Welcome to MaRS Climate Impact
Welcome to MaRS Climate Impact, what to expect, and a special announcement.
Welcome to MaRS Climate Impact, what to expect, and a special announcement.
Fireside Chat with Jessica Green
Jessica Green was among 400 Canadian climate scientists who called for the government to scrap a...
Jessica Green was among 400 Canadian climate scientists who called for the government to scrap a proposed tax credit for carbon capture earlier this year, claiming it would underwrite the oil and gas industry. The outspoken University of Toronto political scientist and environment professor sits down with CBC presenter Manjula Selvarajah to discuss her research into climate policy and the impact of carbon pricing.
Make it a mission: Targeted approaches to accelerate cleantech adoption
Climate innovation in Canada may be at an all-time high, yet getting those innovations commercialized and...
Climate innovation in Canada may be at an all-time high, yet getting those innovations commercialized and scaled in the marketplace has proven challenging and complex. Creating bold but realistic missions that are time-sensitive, open to new perspectives, and collaborative across industry, civil society and government is an effective approach to overcoming pilot purgatory. This panel provides concrete examples of how MaRS, its partners and others in the ecosystem are leveraging a mission mindset to raise the bar on climate tech adoption.
How I did it: Lessons learned on the journey to scale
When it comes to the challenges of developing and scaling commercial cleantech innovations, there’s much to...
When it comes to the challenges of developing and scaling commercial cleantech innovations, there’s much to learn from those that are further along in this journey. This panel of Canadian entrepreneurs share their experiences and offer wisdom for those following in their path.
Fighting waste: Circularity in food and fashion
The world has the power to reduce emissions using sustainable materials produced with the circular economy...
The world has the power to reduce emissions using sustainable materials produced with the circular economy in mind. This panel will explore solutions developed by several entrepreneurs that target the fashion and packaging industries. How does technology help enable a circular economy? Can food waste be transformed into fashion? What are the major obstacles? How do you convince consumers to adopt sustainable materials?
Lunch
Frontier funders: Investing in radical climate innovation
This panel session explores the opportunities and challenges of investing in radical climate innovation: transformative technologies...
This panel session explores the opportunities and challenges of investing in radical climate innovation: transformative technologies that solve climate challenges but require longer development cycles, greater risk, larger investment and new infrastructure. What does it take for disruptive “hard” tech to get adopted? Why is investment in cleantech still dwarfed by sectors like financial software? What moonshot climate ideas are investors most excited about?
Venture Pitch Challenge: Seed stage companies
Five seed stage ventures pitch their cleantech solutions to a jury of four leading investors and...
Five seed stage ventures pitch their cleantech solutions to a jury of four leading investors and ecosystem partners. The winner will be announced at the cocktail reception and awards ceremony on Day 2 of MaRS Climate Impact.
Heated debate: Is net zero at risk of getting cancelled?
Are carbon offsets good for climate action or just a licence to greenwash? Is direct-air carbon...
Are carbon offsets good for climate action or just a licence to greenwash? Is direct-air carbon capture necessary to achieve net-zero or a distraction we can’t afford? Is hydrogen the path to decarbonizing heavy industry or a thermodynamic dead end? The path to net-zero was certainly not built on consensus. Indeed, even the term “net-zero” has come under fire, with some climate scientists calling it a deadly trap. In this session, two opposing teams dig deep in what’s expected to be a high-energy and entertaining debate. Who will emerge victorious?
Networking break
Venture Pitch Challenge: Series A companies
Five series A ventures pitch their cleantech solutions to a jury of four leading investors and...
Five series A ventures pitch their cleantech solutions to a jury of four leading investors and ecosystem partners. The selected winner will be announced at the cocktail reception and awards ceremony on Day 2 of MaRS Climate Impact.
Nelson Switzer
Climate Innovation Capital
Jane Kearns
Evok Innovations
Michael D'Aurizio
HSBC Asset Management
Peter McArthur
RBCx
Tyler Hamilton
MaRS Discovery District
Robert Napoli
Cascadia Seaweed
Robert Alexander
AlumaPower
Daniela Roeper
Borealis Wind
Kostyantyn Khomutov
GBatteries
Dustin Angelo
Novamera
Day 1 conclusion
Conference wraps for the day.
Conference wraps for the day.
Welcome to day two of MaRS Climate Impact
Welcome and what to expect on day two of MaRS Climate Impact.
Welcome and what to expect on day two of MaRS Climate Impact.
Fireside Chat with The Honourable Rosa Galvez
Follow the money is usually a sound strategy. But in Senator Rosa Galvez’s case, she’s hoping...
Follow the money is usually a sound strategy. But in Senator Rosa Galvez’s case, she’s hoping to lead with it. The outspoken senator is championing a bill that would force the financial sector — which she calls the “elephant in the room” on climate change — to align its activities with Canada’s net-zero goals. Hear her views on why this is a crucial step in accelerating the orderly transition to a clean economy.
The heat is on: How heavy industry can decarbonize
Heavy industry manufactures products that are at the core of modern living. It is also responsible...
Heavy industry manufactures products that are at the core of modern living. It is also responsible for nearly 40 percent of global GHG emissions, with steel, cement and chemicals as the highest emitting and most difficult to decarbonize industries. All require tremendous amounts of high heat, rely on long-life assets, are exposed to trade risks and must battle thin profit margins. Is electrification an option? Are renewables a realistic path forward? Do solutions already exist or do we lack the innovations needed to move forward? On this panel, we hear about current and potential future solutions to decarbonize heavy industry.
Climate visionaries answer “What if?”
A fun and fast-paced session where panelists answer a series of thought-provoking “What if?” questions within...
A fun and fast-paced session where panelists answer a series of thought-provoking “What if?” questions within a specified time. What if carbon was priced at $300 a tonne tomorrow? What if commercial and economic nuclear fusion is possible by 2030? What if the price of oil falls to $10 a barrel in 2023? The audience votes for the best answer to each question. The panelist with the most votes wins!
Trap it, zap it, transform it: Ways to suck carbon out of the sky
Achieving net-zero means reducing emissions as much as possible, but what about hard-to-abate emissions? And what...
Achieving net-zero means reducing emissions as much as possible, but what about hard-to-abate emissions? And what about all of the carbon that’s already in our atmosphere? The International Energy Agency is clear on the matter: carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies will be needed to meet any 1.5-degree scenario. In this panel, we’ll explore different approaches to CDR, discuss their importance, and the challenges and solutions to scaling.
Feeding the world without destroying it
Conventional approaches to growing, processing and packaging food are contributing to the climate crisis, which ironically...
Conventional approaches to growing, processing and packaging food are contributing to the climate crisis, which ironically is putting global food security at risk. This panel explores various solutions that will help ensure future generations are fed including:
- Nectar, a venture that is protecting our ag industry and ensuring future crop yields by helping bee populations.
- Entomo, which develops a sustainable cricket-based protein.
- Opalia, a startup developing sustainable dairy.
Lunch
Fireside chat with Vinod Khosla
Legendary Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla has a long history of investing in cleantech, most recently...
Legendary Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla has a long history of investing in cleantech, most recently Canadian venture Genecis Bioindustries. In this wide-ranging conversation with Tyler Hamilton, director of cleantech at MaRS, the founder of Khosla Ventures explains his approach to investing, why he thinks AI will be a gamechanger for climate, where the next climate unicorns are likely to emerge, and offers advice to the next generation of cleantech entrepreneurs looking to join the climate fight.
Dig deeper: The intersection of zero-emission vehicles and sustainable mining
The rise of zero-emission vehicles gives Canada the unique opportunity to leverage two of the country’s...
The rise of zero-emission vehicles gives Canada the unique opportunity to leverage two of the country’s strongest industries: auto manufacturing and mineral extraction. In this panel, we’ll discuss the economic importance of sustainable mining to the development of an integrated ZEV supply chain in Canada, highlighting sustainable mining innovations leading the way.
Balancing tech and nature-based climate solutions
In the follow up to COP27, several participants who attended the global climate conference will share...
In the follow up to COP27, several participants who attended the global climate conference will share their take on this year’s event. They’ll also share how they’re advancing tech and nature-based climate innovation in Canada and around the world and increasing the pace of preparations for the next stage in the fight against climate change.
Networking break
Generational shift: Family offices and the pivot to climate investing
A recent study found that 86 percent of high net worth individuals, family offices and foundations...
A recent study found that 86 percent of high net worth individuals, family offices and foundations believe their capital is crucial to addressing climate change and transitioning to a net-zero economy is the greatest investment opportunity of our time. This wasn’t always the case. Environmental causes such as climate change have traditionally been viewed through the exclusive lens of philanthropy, but increasingly family offices see support for sustainable solutions and businesses as smart investing. This panel will explore this shift of family wealth, which represents more than $5 trillion in assets under management globally.
Space-based technologies for combating climate change
Several innovators share how we can leverage space-based technologies to tackle climate challenges on Earth. Satellite...
Several innovators share how we can leverage space-based technologies to tackle climate challenges on Earth. Satellite monitoring venture GHGSat, which captured the first direct view of methane leaks from the Nord Stream pipelines, will outline how their technology can be used to track greenhouse gas emissions from heavy industry. 4pi Labs, an early wildfire detection satellite technology, will share how they’re helping to manage forest fires. Finally, we hear from an entrepreneur working to harvest solar energy from space.
Cleantech Awards Cocktail Reception
A closing cocktail reception and awards ceremony to bestow honours to ventures in three categories: top...
A closing cocktail reception and awards ceremony to bestow honours to ventures in three categories: top Seed stage company, top Series A stage company and a Climate Venture Diversity Award, on behalf of HSBC Canada.