Cleantech Forward Foresight

All around the world, scientists, researchers, advocates, and activists are calling for urgent action on climate change to avoid the dangers that it poses to the stability of our society. In response, governments and corporations have made pledges to commit to cleaner, more sustainable practices, reduce emissions, and begin transitioning toward a net zero future. 
However, we’re seeing a disconnect between the level of action required to mitigate and adapt to climate change and the actual efforts and policies in place to achieve those goals. This is commonly referred to as the Climate Action Gap.
To help illuminate the complexity of the Climate Action Gap, and discuss how we can ensure meaningful action is being taken on climate change, Cleantech Forward host Jeanette Jackson sits down with Justin Bull.
Together the two discuss 
The complexity of the Climate Action Gap and the reasons behind why organizations are delay action;How we can ensure meaningful measures are being taken to mitigate and adapt to climate change; andWhy it is so important that we take urgent action to address climate changeJustin Bull is an Adjunct Professor at the UBC Sauder School of Business, the Leader of the Sustainability and Ethics Group, and the Academic Director of the newly established Centre for Climate and Business Solutions. At UBC Justin teaches Sustainability, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Indigenous Relations to MBA students, undergraduates, and executive audiences. Justin has a BA in International Relations, and a PhD in Wood Science from the University of British Columbia.
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Canada has some of the most talented innovators in the world. Across the country, cleantech entrepreneurs are busy developing amazing solutions that can help us reach emissions targets, and transition to a net zero economy. Yet, many of those solutions won’t see the light of day. 
High operational costs, low rates of domestic adoption, and lack of access to funding are a few of the major challenges that prevent cleantech ventures from developing and deploying their products into the market. Which is where accelerators like Foresight step in. 
On this episode of Cleantech Forward, Foresight CEO Jeanette Jackson sits down with Heather Stephens of Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), an organization that provides funding for cleantech projects, and Ryan Bourns, the Business Strategy Development Manager at Carbon Upcycling Technologies, an Alberta-based CCUS company that has received funding from ERA. 
Together, the three discuss the challenges innovators face, the state of cleantech adoption in Canada, and why it’s so important that accelerators offer their services to Canadian entrepreneurs.
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Heather Stephens is ERA’s Chief Operating Officer. Heather has worked with ERA since inception and has played a key role in operating and growing the organization over the past 12 years. In her current role, Heather leads teams responsible for finance, project portfolio management, information technology, contract management, governance, and Human Resources. As a Chartered Professional Accountant, Heather brings her extensive background in audit and financial accounting with not-for-profit organizations, Government of Alberta agencies, as well as various private and public Canadian and International companies. Prior to joining ERA directly, Heather spent 20 years with the multi-national accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers in both the Edmonton and London, UK offices, the last nine of which were primarily dedicated to helping establish and operate ERA (formerly Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation). Heather graduated from the University of Alberta with Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Commerce degrees.
As Business Strategy Development Manager, Ryan Bourns is accountable for the commercialization of Carbon Upcycling’s proprietary technology. He plays a key role in the execution of the Company’s strategy and further development in the North American region. Throughout his four years with the Company, Ryan has taken part in several global initiatives, such as the Carbon XPRIZE challenge, as well as industry leadership through Minister Champagne’s working group on decarbonizing cement. Ryan is a University of Calgary alumni, holding a master in sustainable energy development. He also holds a bachelor of commerce from the University of Guelph.

Climate disasters are on the rise, and as these events rise in both frequency and severity, the fight against climate change is also becoming more and more urgent. Canada has a wealth of passionate, inspiring cleantech innovators who are working hard to develop, deploy, and scale technologies and solutions that will help Canada and the world eliminate emissions, waste, and achieve a net zero economy. 
However, many innovators in Canada struggle to secure capital, attract customers or industry partners, and deploy their solutions on the open market. Which is where accelerators like Foresight come in. Through mentorship, education, industry and investor connections, and networking events, our programs have supported more than 1,000 Canadian cleantech ventures which have generated more than $439 million in revenue, created nearly 8,000 jobs, and have raised more than $1.4 billion dollars in funding. 
On this episode of Cleantech Forward, Foresight CEO and host Jeanette Jackson is joined by Foresight Canada’s Senior Director of Market Transformation and the Senior Director of Cleantech with Social Innovation Canada, Barnabe Geis, and Cycle Momentum CEO Patrick Gagné. 
Together the three explore why these programs are indispensable for Canadian cleantech entrepreneurs, the driving forces behind cleantech acceleration in Canada, and what we can do to collectively accelerate cleantech adoption.
Barnabe is the Senior Director of Market Transformation with Foresight Canada. He works to develop programs and partnerships that remove barriers, leverage policy developments, and grow market opportunities to accelerate the adoption and scale up of clean technologies. He is also the Senior Director of Cleantech with Social Innovation Canada, where he works to advance the development and adoption of clean technologies through social innovation, education, research, partnerships, and ecosystem development. While with the Centre for Social Innovation, Barnabe founded, and was the Executive Director of, Climate Ventures, an organization that fast-tracked the success of early-stage entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders developing and implementing solutions to the climate crisis. 
Patrick Gagné is the CEO of Cycle Momentum, and a Board Member at Startup Montréal, as well as Zone Agtech. Patrick brings 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship and technology to his position as CEO, and has a thorough understanding of what businesses need in order to succeed. He has held positions with the Laval Smart Mobility Incubator and Accelerator, Startup Genome, and the InnoCité Montreal accelerator. Cycle Momentum offers entrepreneurs a specialized and personalized program of training workshops, networking sessions, and experienced mentors to help them develop and commercialize clean technologies and build globally competitive companies.
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Plastic waste has become ubiquitous in our environments, oceans, and even our bodies. Plastic waste is accumulating in our landfills at an alarming rate, and the question of how we move away from petroleum based plastic products toward less harmful renewables is becoming more and more urgent. 
Microplastics in our air, water, and food are causing a number of health concerns in humans, including effects on our reproductive and immune systems, human development, and even causes increased risk of certain cancers.
On this special episode of the Cleantech Forward podcast, Foresight CEO and host Jeanette Jackson is joined by Jason Hawkins, CEO of Reusables.com, and Lee Malleau, CEO and founder of Globalnomics to celebrate Plastic Free July.
Together, the three explore the transition to a plastic-free world, how changes in consumer behaviour can pressure companies to consider eco-friendly alternatives, and what we can do to make more mindful decisions about how and what we all choose to consume.
Jason Hawkins is the CEO and co-founder of Reusables.com, a container sharing platform for zero-waste takeout, and has nearly a decade of experience working in the sustainability space. Prior to founding Reusables, Jason was the director of business development at FoodX Technologies, and the product manager at SPUD.ca (Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery). Jason co-founded Rooted Foods in 2015, a local and sustainable online grocery marketplace for students. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, and a Master of Finance from Nova School of Business and Economics.
Lee Malleau is the CEO and founder of Globalnomics, where she works closely with public and private partners across multiple sectors from energy to screen media, agriculture, and science and technologies. From a career as an award-winning journalist, she transitioned into economic and business development with a focus on international investment and trade – including developing global best practices on business and investment programs during major events like the Olympics and World Fair when she was CEO of Vancouver’s economic development corporation. Lee has a BA in journalism and economic development, including her Ec.D. from the University of Waterloo, with a focus on communications, marketing and business.
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The Cleantech Forward Podcast is Supported by Gowling WLG.

On this episode of the Cleantech Forward podcast, Foresight CEO and host Jeanette Jackson is joined by Allan Edwards, the Senior Trade Commissioner, and Head of Office at the High Commission of Canada's Trade office in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Lynn Cote, the National Lead of Cleantech Ecosystems and Market Intelligence, with the Cleantech Team at Export Development Canada. 

Canada has been recognized as a hotbed of cleantech innovation. From groundbreaking advancements in renewable energy and carbon capture, storage, and utilization, to revolutionary solutions for waste management and water conservation, Canadian cleantech companies are at the forefront of the global transition to a cleaner, net zero future. 

We have an abundance of talented, passionate cleantech innovators who are poised to deploy technologies, and make incredible impacts on global sustainability challenges.

But our domestic market for the adoption of many of these technologies is relatively small. In order for many Canadian companies to remain competitive, achieve scale, and gain a foothold in their target market, finding customers outside of Canada is necessary. And while international markets are a good solution for the issue of adoption, expanding globally comes with its own set of unique barriers. 

Jeanette and the guests explore how Canada’s official export-supporting programs like the Trade Commissioner Service and Export Development Canada help cleantech innovators as they navigate the challenges associated with international expansion. From foreign regulations and cultural differences, to infrastructure and logistics challenges, our guests break down how they are helping Canada’s cleantech ecosystem grow beyond our borders. 
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Allan Edwards is the Senior Trade Commissioner and Head of Office at the High Commission of Canada's Trade Office in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has worked to support Canadian business as a Trade Commissioner since February, 1994. In that time he has been posted to Tokyo, Seattle, Osaka, Nagoya, Taipei, and Toronto. His office is responsible for helping Canadian companies develop trade relationships in South Africa, Namibia, Mauritius, Lesotho, and Madagascar. He is also the Regional Senior Trade Commissioner responsible for Comoros, Tanzania, the Seychelles, and Zambia.

Lynn Cote is the National Lead Cleantech Ecosystems & Market Intelligence, Cleantech Team at Export Development Canada. Lynn has been with EDC in some capacity since 1990. She has worked on a number of teams, and held positions in IT, Underwriting, Business Analysis, Business Process Management. In 2013 she joined the Infrastructure and Financial Services team where she was focussed on the cleantech sector, and has been Lead of the Cleantech Team since 2016.

Although large in terms of its geography, Canada has a relatively small domestic market for cleantech adoption. 
Many Canadian cleantech innovators must pursue opportunities outside of our borders if they want to be successful, but navigating the global marketplace can be challenging. With often-complex laws and regulations, logistical and infrastructure challenges, and different cultural business environments, bridging the gap between foreign and domestic markets comes with a lot of potential barriers. Having help from trusted partners can ease that transition, and help ventures find and capitalize on opportunities.
On this episode of Cleantech Forward, Foresight CEO and host, Jeanette Jackson is joined by Hein Molenkamp, managing director of the Netherlands-based Water Alliance, Scott Allison, the senior project manager with Denmark’s CLEAN Cluster, and Tim Bailey, a partner with Gowling WLG. 
Together the three explore the different ways in which these ecosystem builders contribute to the success of cleantech entrepreneurs as they bridge the gap between domestic and international markets, what they can do to help facilitate the relationships between customers and cleantech exporters, and the strategies they employ to connect innovators with the right partners, investors, and markets, ultimately helping them overcome the hurdles that come with international expansion.
Scott Allison is the Senior Project Manager at CLEAN, the Danish Cleantech Cluster.  At CLEAN, he is developing the City Solutions Platform to accelerate innovative climate solutions in global cities around the world in collaboration with C40 Cities Leadership Group. Scott has been in the sustainability space for nearly a decade. In 2014 he joined Contico, a green think tank and policy advocate, making sustainable recommendations to politicians, companies, and citizens. He is a passionate climate change project manager, leader, communicator, event and workshop organiser with expert knowledge gained from international experience.
Hein Molenkamp is the Managing Director of the Water Alliance. He is an experienced professional in the field of water technology with a background in engineering and business. During his time at the Dutch Water Alliance, Molenkamp played an instrumental role in promoting Dutch water technology internationally and forging partnerships with key stakeholders in the global water sector. Under his leadership, the Dutch Water Alliance became recognized as a major player in the water technology sector, both in the Netherlands and abroad.
Timothy Bailey is a partner in Gowling WLG's Calgary office, and leader of the firm's Calgary Intellectual Property Group. He specializes in representing high tech, oil and gas, cleantech, pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients. As a lawyer, Tim helps clients understand, defend, and enforce their intellectual property rights, commercialize technology, and navigate public and private transactions by addressing various intellectual-property issues that arise during due diligence, negotiations, and the drafting of transaction-related documents.
Never miss an episode. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Cleantech Forward podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen.
The Cleantech Forward Podcast is Supported by Gowling WLG.