Ten prizes totalling more than $1 million awarded to Quebec innovators
MONTREAL, June 19,
2024 /CNW/ - This year's edition of the Climate
Solutions Festival brought together more than 1,200 leading
investors, researchers, startups and clean tech entrepreneurs in a
mash-up of innovative ideas and brave venture capital to address
pressing climate issues with impactful solutions.
"The Climate Solutions Prize is unique in the way it brings
together innovative ideas to address the climate crisis which can
make a difference quickly, and the capital needed to see those
innovations through to reality," said Jeff
Hart, Executive Chair of the Climate Solutions Prize. "By
catalyzing big ideas into doable, marketable actions, we are
demonstrating leadership as the Climate Solutions Prize grows every
year."
The 2024 Climate Solutions Festival explored four tracks, with
panelists and speakers presenting unique perspectives and
innovations anchored in one or more of these categories:
- H2O: exploring the latest in water technology
innovation.
- Built Environment: uncovering the potential in green real
estate solutions.
- Lab-to-market: moving cutting edge research quickly to
real-world applications.
- Innovation: pitches from the brightest minds in the climate
sector.
"As a catalyst for real change, the Climate Solutions Festival
represents an inflection point, bringing together actors from the
climate innovation and investment sectors," said Galith Levy, CEO
of the Climate Solutions Prize. "Once they meet, there is a magical
chemistry that builds and grows towards solutions which might never
have otherwise been realized."
The two-day event which took place on June 17 and 18 was made possible thanks to the
generosity of partners who share the belief that nurturing
innovation is a key ingredient in addressing climate-related
challenges. This year's leading partners are the Gouvernement du
Québec, BMO Financial Group, Power Sustainable, Sagard, National Bank of Canada, Canderel, Mackenzie Investments, Sun
Life, WCPD, Cycle Momentum, 2 degrés, Mitacs and JNF Canada.
"The unique mash-up created by the Climate Solutions Festival is
a prime example of how small-scale projects with the right support
can make a very significant difference, by helping foster
connections between different actors in the green tech space.,"
said Patrick Gagné, CEO of Cycle Momentum.
Ten Prizes Totalling Over
$1 million
The 2024 Climate Solutions Prize selected 10 winning submissions
in six categories representing a purse totalling more than
$1 million.
The Climate Solutions Prize seeks to incentivize the development
of marketable applications that address different aspects of the
climate crisis. This year's winning submissions were selected based
on criteria including impact,
innovation, development potential, and
cost-effectiveness.
Breakthrough Research Prize ($250,000):
First Prize ($150,000)
Name: Jeffrey Bergthorson (McGill
University)
Project: Decarbonizing industry using long-duration iron energy
storage.
Second Prize ($100,000)
Name: Michael di Mare (Polytechnique Montréal)
Project: Turning aluminum byproducts into sustainable concrete.
Startup Track Prize, powered by Cycle Momentum
($300,000):
Pre-commercialization ($150,000):
Name: Monika Rak (Agapyo)
Project: Using organic material to make a mouldable "jam" that
replaces petroleum-based plastics.
Post-commercialization ($150,000):
Name: Nivatha Balendra
(Dispersa)
Project: Transforming food waste into ingredients for consumer
cleaning products.
Women in Clean Tech Prize, powered by BDC ($150,000 x2):
Name: Monika Rak (Agapyo)
Project: Using organic material to make a mouldable "jam" that
replaces petroleum-based plastics.
Name: Nivatha Balendra (Dispersa)
Project: Transforming food waste into ingredients for consumer
cleaning products.
Student Entrepreneur Innovation Prize, powered by Mitacs
($160,000):
First Prize ($90,000)
Name: Alvaro Macias (Université du Québec à
Trois-Rivières)
Project: Optimization technology to reduce household electricity
waste.
Second Prize ($70,000)
Name: Barida Joseph Nafo
(Polytechnique Montréal)
Project: Replacing diesel in heavy machinery with sustainable
operations fuel.
Live Pitch Prize ($25,000):
Name: Michael di Mare (Bauxite Technologies)
Project: Turning aluminum byproducts into sustainable concrete.
Audience Choice Award ($10,000):
Name: Maxime Dimidschstein
(Phoenix Impact)
Project: Recovery and reconditioning service to reduce single-use
plastic waste.
About the Climate Solutions
Festival
The Climate Solutions Festival brings together hundreds of
innovators, investors, and renowned speakers, taking the
Quebec climate tech ecosystem to
new heights bringing ideas and capital together to help solve the
greatest challenge facing humanity. Launched in 2022, the Climate
Solutions Prize has awarded more than $7.5
million worldwide, providing a platform for key players in
the research, technology and climate ecosystems to come together
behind innovative ideas that address the climate crisis with real
impact potential.
SOURCE Climate Solutions Prize