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A conversation about the importance — and necessity — of incorporating Indigenous voices and solutions into the climate innovation space, and inspiring the next generation of Indigenous leaders to get involved in solving climate issues globally.

AI can optimize systems, monitor environments, control machines, see patterns and make new discoveries with more accuracy and speed than humans. This makes it a powerful ally in the fight against climate change. But there’s a darker side to the story that’s less discussed. It’s critical that we find a balance between the benefits and downsides, such as data centre emissions caused by AI modeling. As the adage goes, “With great power comes great responsibility.” What do the experts say?

MycoFutures is using fungi to develop a durable and luxury textile that has the look and feel of leather.

Evoco makes innovative plant-based sustainable materials for footwear and athletic gear.

A staggering 60 percent of the clothes we wear are made of plastic. Textile production alone creates 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year — more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. But the industry may be turning a corner and new material innovations are playing a big role in that shift.

Four climate tech companies looking for Series A capital will pitch to a panel of leading Canadian and U.S. investors. Who will secure this year’s award?

Up to 65 percent of the energy we consume is lost through waste heat, most of it too expensive to recover. Extract Energy is looking to change that with a heat engine that converts waste heat into electricity.

Around the world, corporate venture capital funds focused on climate innovations have grown over the past several years, but not so much in Canada. Corporate investment is critical and could help dramatically accelerate the deployment of climate technology. A lack of domestic participation in Canada’s climate innovation ecosystem endangers future productivity and competitiveness. It also deprives Canada’s climate tech startup community of a formal link to traditional industries where Canada has a competitive advantage. This session will explore how to encourage more corporate investment and what might be holding corporate Canada back.

Since the introduction of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act in August, 2022, our neighbour to the south has seen a manufacturing and clean electrification boom. The IRA has been called “one of the most ambitious and complex efforts at economic and industrial reinvestment ever,” and progress to date has been immense. What has been the impact on Canada and our domestic cleantech community? Have the measures introduced been effective, and what else needs to happen to keep up?

The supply of rare-earth metals needed for EV batteries and other renewable energy projects is projected to increase dramatically, but this could come at a high cost. Could asteroid or moon mining offer a potential alternative? The first private company to visit an M-type asteroid — which contains higher concentrations of metal than regular asteroids — is scheduled to take off early next year. If successful, this would be the first commercial mission to mine asteroids for critical resources. Is space mining an option for supplying rare-earth metals? What would be the environmental and economic impact?

Is cold fusion making a comeback? Those who remember the notorious Pons and Fleischmann controversy from 1989 may be rolling their eyes, but a long discredited field of research is now attracting some serious attention and dollars, including a recent $10 million boost from the U.S. government to investigate “low-energy nuclear reactions.” Curtis Berlinguette, Canada’s top researcher in the field, explains why this cold case has been reopened.

More than 650 municipalities across Canada have declared climate emergencies, and most have set ambitious net-zero targets. But who will supply the funding and capacity needed to meet those targets? The answer isn’t so simple, particularly for small- and mid-sized cities facing significant resource constraints. This panel will discuss the solutions that are beginning to emerge.

A series of awards will be presented to Canadian climate tech innovators — the people and ventures that are making a transformative climate impact.

• Fasken Climate Tech Founder of the Year
• Mission from MaRS Climate Technology Venture Diversity Award (sponsored by HSBC)
• Climate Impact Venture Pitch Awards: Series A and Seed