16 up-and-coming sustainable tech companies just benefited from SDTC’s Seed Funding stream. 

August 9, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario 

Today, Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is announcing a seed funding envelope of $1.6 million to support 16 up-and-coming Canadian companies across Canada including both Green Edge Computing Corp and VoxCell Bioinnovation INC. from Victoria, BC.

From British-Columbia, through to Ontario, Quebec, New-Brunswick and Nova Scotia, these seed companies are coming up with an array of sustainable solutions that fight the effects of climate change, contribute to the circular economy, and promote the well-being of people and the protection of nature. 

Seed funding recipients are nominated by SDTC’s pan-Canadian partnership with accelerators, incubators and entrepreneurial service organizations. This seed funding cohort was nominated by a network of 15 accelerators across Canada. SDTC is committed to nurture and develop that early-stage ecosystem to grow Canadian sustainable innovation towards a Net-Zero future. 

This group of technology-diverse companies is working toward five objectives: improving our built environment, finding better energy solutions, enhancing our health, food & water, gathering data more efficiently to inform decision-making and reducing waste.  

Thanks to SDTC Seed funding, these promising early-stage sustainable tech entrepreneurs will be able to invest the grants (ranging from $50,000 to $100,000) towards innovative projects that have the potential to generate economic and environmental benefits to Canada.  

 Quotes 

“Canadian entrepreneurs are driving innovation in our country. Their ideas pave the way toward a more sustainable and prosperous future. SDTC’s Seed Funding allows us to advance Canada’s 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 

“To seize the opportunities of the Net Zero economy in Canada, we need to be supporting all stages of innovation. These seed funding recipients show us the next generation of sustainable solutions global markets want and need. SDTC is proud to support these entrepreneurs throughout their journey to commercialization.” 

– Leah Lawrence, President, and CEO of SDTC 

Background 

The 16 up-and-coming Canadian companies receiving SDTC seed funding are: 

Improving our built environment: 

• PLAEX™ (New Brunswick), nominated by Volta, transforms unused or underused waste materials into sustainable building blocks and interlocking exterior panels that are resistant, versatile and playful.   
• Edgecom Energy (Ontario), nominated by ventureLAB Innovation Centre, tracks energy data of buildings and offers solutions to improve energy efficiency, reduce costs and lower emissions.  
• RegenEAU (Quebec), nominated by 2 Degrés, helps large building owners reduce energy costs associated with hot water by recovering heat from domestic wastewater.   

Finding better energy solutions:  

• Hydrogen In Motion (British-Columbia), nominated by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre, redefines hydrogen supply chain with their compact, solid-state hydrogen storage solutions.

Enhancing our health, food, and water: 

• Drinkable (Nova Scotia), nominated by Volta, offers a solution to contaminated drinking water with the accurate, affordable, and easy-to-use handheld water testing device.  
• ZeroIN (Nova Scotia), nominated by Innovacorp, develops the next-generation sugar substitute from sustainable sources, to help reduce sugar in people’s everyday diet.  
• Psigryph Inc. (Ontario), nominated by Innovation Guelph Resource Centre, produces more sustainable and efficient bioactive plant-based molecules for our food and pharmaceutical industry. 
• Off The Grid (Quebec), nominated by McGill Dobson Centre For Entrepreneurship, reduces the ecological footprint of every workout by developing an innovative spinning bike that converts users’ energy into electricity. 
• VoxCell Bioinnovation INC. (British Columbia), nominated by District 3, provides 3D printed human-like tissues for drug testing, reducing the need for animal and human drug testing and bringing lifesaving therapies to market quicker. 
• Anodyne Chemistries Inc. (British Columbia), nominated by The Alacrity Foundation of B.C., produces low carbon high-efficiency green chemicals by harnessing the potential of enzymes. 

Gathering data more efficiently to inform decision-making: 

• OceanSync (Nova Scotia), nominated by Emera ideaHUB,  transfers off-shore weather data in real time from their ship-based automated weather station, which helps improve route optimization, situational awareness, and safety. 
• IntelliCulture (Ontario), nominated by Cultivator, collects data from agricultural equipment to prevent pest outbreaks, increase labour efficiency and to automate machine management. 
• SR.ai (Quebec), nominated by Centech, gathers data and provides AI-powered solutions for ESG-minded and socially responsible investors.  
• GECCO or Green Edge Computing Corp (British-Columbia), nominated by VIATEC, found a better way to capture, process, analyze and store data with lower carbon footprint. 

Reducing waste:  

• Reusables (British-Columbia), nominated by The Centre for Social Innovation, develops a cup and container sharing platform for cafes, restaurants and grocery stores. 
• Neptune Nanotechnologies Inc. (Ontario), nominated by Waterloo Accelerator Centre, uses ocean waste to create a next generation nano-structured material that is then used in packaging, biomedical and aerospace. 
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