Building Tomorrow
Networking
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs...
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs two people over a direct video call. In the networking tab, after an attendee clicks the Ready button, they are matched with another guest for a three-minute video chat.
Welcome
Impact
10 mins
Welcome, introductions and what to expect at MaRS Impact Week.
Welcome, introductions and what to expect at MaRS Impact Week.
Building tomorrow
Impact
30 mins
With COVID-19 and climate change disrupting society, public demands to “”build back better”” can create a...
With COVID-19 and climate change disrupting society, public demands to “”build back better”” can create a sustainable world and a fairer corporate sector. But just how should government and business leaders go about making this shift? And how can corporations balance making profit with advancing social good? Hear from economic experts as they discuss how best to rebuild the world post-pandemic.
CEO corner: META
Cleantech
20 mins
George Palikaras, CEO of Metamaterial (META), explains how his company’s advanced materials are changing the way...
George Palikaras, CEO of Metamaterial (META), explains how his company’s advanced materials are changing the way we use and manipulate light.
Restoring America's innovation economy
Impact
35 mins
The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses President Trump’s adverse impact on America’s innovation engine (brain drain, sanctions,...
The Atlantic’s David Frum discusses President Trump’s adverse impact on America’s innovation engine (brain drain, sanctions, xenophobic rhetoric, and so on), and how to restore the country’s ethical and economic standing.
CEO corner: BrainBox AI
Cleantech
20 mins
Sam Ramadori, president of BrainBox AI, on how to quickly save building owners up to 25...
Sam Ramadori, president of BrainBox AI, on how to quickly save building owners up to 25 percent in energy costs — without human intervention.
CEO corner: GBatteries
Cleantech
20 mins
Kostyantyn Khomutov, co-founder and CEO of GBatteries, envisions a future where charging an EV is as...
Kostyantyn Khomutov, co-founder and CEO of GBatteries, envisions a future where charging an EV is as fast as filling a tank of gas.
Rethinking work
Impact
25 mins
Working from home; increased isolation; the end of the office as we know it. Hear how...
Working from home; increased isolation; the end of the office as we know it. Hear how startups and a global pension fund are staying competitive during a moment of major workplace transformation.
CEO corner: Opus One
Cleantech
20 mins
Joshua Wong, president and CEO of Opus One Solutions, enables the energy of the future with...
Joshua Wong, president and CEO of Opus One Solutions, enables the energy of the future with an operating system for super-resilient, intelligent microgrids.
The war for talent and hybrid work
Impact
25 mins
How do you hire, build and retain teams during COVID? Today’s talent pool is in flux,...
How do you hire, build and retain teams during COVID? Today’s talent pool is in flux, but visionary leaders are preparing not just for post-crisis recovery, but massive growth. And while the current crisis threatens to collapse startup ecosystems everywhere, select Canadian tech firms are continuing to grow and build teams of talented people in Canada and around the globe. Hear from Mark Barrenechea, CEO & CTO of OpenText, Canada’s largest software company, in conversation with Yung Wu, CEO of MaRS, on how they’re re-thinking work, adapting to the current moment, and continuing to attract new talent.
Lightning impact talks: Solutions for a better future
Social Finance
30 mins
A series of five-minute presentations showcasing promising ideas and solutions to create better impact in our...
A series of five-minute presentations showcasing promising ideas and solutions to create better impact in our world, followed by a 10- to 15-minute Q&A. About the speakers:
– Impact United brings together a network of wealth owners from across Canada to build long-term local, regional, and national infrastructure for the growing impact investor community.
– Ocean Wise seeks to take “Seaforestation” kelp farming to scale as a nature-based solution to climate change
– Black Opportunity Fund seeks to build a sustainable pool of capital to combat anti-Black racism in Canada
– Social Capital Partners helps build a more resilient economy through broad-based ownership and quality employment
Creative capital
Cleantech
25 mins
Stacy Kauk, director of Shopify’s Sustainability Fund, on the commerce leader’s unique approach to investing in...
Stacy Kauk, director of Shopify’s Sustainability Fund, on the commerce leader’s unique approach to investing in carbon reduction technologies, and why more large corporations need to play a bigger role in kick-starting the carbon removal market.
Climate pledge
Cleantech
25 mins
Matt Peterson, who leads Amazon’s $2-billion Climate Pledge Fund, discusses the scope and scale of the...
Matt Peterson, who leads Amazon’s $2-billion Climate Pledge Fund, discusses the scope and scale of the online retail giant’s commitment to invest in visionary companies with low-carbon solutions. What has the fund invested in to date? What technologies are capturing its interest? And how is Amazon sourcing its deal flow?
Innovative funding models: Venture philanthropy
Social Finance
40 mins
Venture philanthropy is an old concept, but a number of firms are taking it in exciting...
Venture philanthropy is an old concept, but a number of firms are taking it in exciting new directions, channeling capital towards risky investments (like the cure to diabetes) with the potential for great impact. How do these models work, when should they be used, and how might they alter the power dynamics between philanthropists and their beneficiaries? Let’s debate.
Funding for scale
Cleantech
40 mins
Where are all the cleantech unicorns? The innovation pipeline may be rich, but building high-potential companies...
Where are all the cleantech unicorns? The innovation pipeline may be rich, but building high-potential companies into titans of the clean economy remains a challenge. Are new and creative approaches to deploying climate capital necessary to achieve the kind of global impact the world needs?
Foundation impact investing workshop
Social Finance
75 mins
Canadian foundations and endowments are sitting on sizable pools of capital that could have significant influence,...
Canadian foundations and endowments are sitting on sizable pools of capital that could have significant influence, yet they make modest moves to align their portfolios to the outcomes they seek. What does all hands on deck look like for these organizations in terms of investment strategy?
Workshop: Impact measurement approaches for investees
Social Finance
90 mins
More and more corporations — large and small — are choosing to be more vocal on...
More and more corporations — large and small — are choosing to be more vocal on impact due to a variety of objectives, ranging from risk management to contributing to global goals. An ecosystem of complementary approaches has emerged that companies can leverage to measure, manage and articulate impact. Can we reach consensus on the best approach for each stage of a company’s impact journey? What are the unique benefits and challenges of each approach? Join us as we explore four ways to measure, manage and communicate impact, as well as how to best apply them. Breakout sessions will allow participants to ask focused questions and/or hear directly from companies that have adopted the standard.
Breaking through
Cleantech
40 mins
Four winners of the Natural Resources Canada-led Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada program, a collaboration with BDC...
Four winners of the Natural Resources Canada-led Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada program, a collaboration with BDC and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, discuss their respective paths to growth and what it will take to scale their innovations, as well as the challenges they expect to face.
Pitch hour
Cleantech
60 mins
Five ventures with circular economy innovations will be selected to give seven-minute pitches, followed by audience...
Five ventures with circular economy innovations will be selected to give seven-minute pitches, followed by audience Q&A.
Companies participating include:
Moment Energy
ZS2 Technologies
Cascadia Seaweed
Truly Green Plastic
Hyperion Global Energy
Networking
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs...
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs two people over a direct video call. In the networking tab, after an attendee clicks the Ready button, they are matched with another guest for a three-minute video chat.
Expo
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups....
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups.
Reinventing the Economy
Networking
Impact
30 mins
Take part in automated, one-on-one meetings in our networking zone.
Take part in automated, one-on-one meetings in our networking zone.
Steering Canada’s innovation economy
Impact
25 mins
Responsible business means connecting Black and Indigenous populations, as well as people of colour, to Canada’s...
Responsible business means connecting Black and Indigenous populations, as well as people of colour, to Canada’s innovation sector. It’s how we can build back better, and it’s how we can transition to a new, sustainable economy.
CEO corner: Hydrostor
Cleantech
20 mins
Curtis VanWalleghem, CEO of Hydrostor, is leading the journey to a 100 percent renewable grid with...
Curtis VanWalleghem, CEO of Hydrostor, is leading the journey to a 100 percent renewable grid with long-duration energy storage. No batteries required.
The Silicon Valley effect
Impact
30 mins
Questions are being raised about the impact of America’s tech heartland. Can the Valley’s formula be...
Questions are being raised about the impact of America’s tech heartland. Can the Valley’s formula be replicated elsewhere — and should it?
CEO corner: Inmotive
Cleantech
20 mins
Paul Bottero, president and CEO of Inmotive, explains how novel transmission technology for EVs means lower...
Paul Bottero, president and CEO of Inmotive, explains how novel transmission technology for EVs means lower cost, longer range, and faster acceleration.
Investing matters
Impact
30 mins
A healthy venture capital market is essential if we want our startup ecosystem to survive COVID-19,...
A healthy venture capital market is essential if we want our startup ecosystem to survive COVID-19, but how does VC funding play into building back better? Are investors funding the type of ventures we really need? And is Big Tech hampering the pace of positive change? All of these questions and more will be explored in this exciting panel.
CEO corner: Clir Renewables
Cleantech
20 mins
Gareth Brown, co-founder and CEO of Clir Renewables, is showing how AI-enabled software can get more...
Gareth Brown, co-founder and CEO of Clir Renewables, is showing how AI-enabled software can get more clean electrons — and dollars — out of wind and solar power.
CEO corner: Effenco
Cleantech
20 mins
David Arsenault, president of Effenco, is electrifying heavy-duty trucks with a powertrain that combines ultracapacitor tech...
David Arsenault, president of Effenco, is electrifying heavy-duty trucks with a powertrain that combines ultracapacitor tech and AI algorithms. Goodbye diesel.
Networking
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs...
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs two people over a direct video call. In the networking tab, after an attendee clicks the Ready button, they are matched with another guest for a three-minute video chat.
Expo
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups.
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups.
Lightning impact talks: Health tech for good
Social Finance
40 mins
Tech for Good: Meet Canadian ventures that are improving health and our climate.
Tech for Good: Meet Canadian ventures that are improving health and our climate.
Welcome
A welcome from Sophie Dumoulin, director of cleantech at EDC, and session introduction by the Honourable...
A welcome from Sophie Dumoulin, director of cleantech at EDC, and session introduction by the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s minister of Natural Resources.
Place-based investing: Going deep to drive impact
Social Finance
45 mins
Getting to know a region, city or community is essential to building lasting relationships and impact....
Getting to know a region, city or community is essential to building lasting relationships and impact. In this session, learn how to bring community-rooted approaches to investment, and how these experiences can support investors seeking greater impact. Hosted by Vancity Community Investment Bank, an impact-focused lender with roots in community development, panelists bring experience in neighbourhood-level change, Indigenous economic reconciliation, and regional community economic development.
A woman's journey
Cleantech
25 mins
Nicole Stott, retired NASA astronaut and author of the upcoming book Back To Earth, offers her...
Nicole Stott, retired NASA astronaut and author of the upcoming book Back To Earth, offers her perspective of climate change as viewed from the International Space Station, the importance of collaboration in solving global problems, and of becoming a space traveller in a field where 90 percent of astronauts are men.
Building balance
Cleantech
15 mins
Canada’s Women In Cleantech Challenge, which kicked off in 2018 as a partnership between MaRS and...
Canada’s Women In Cleantech Challenge, which kicked off in 2018 as a partnership between MaRS and Natural Resources Canada, was designed to inspire more women to launch, lead and build their own cleantech ventures. What does the landscape look like today?
Lessons from the front line
Cleantech
45 mins
PRESENTED BY SCOTIABANK: Two entrepreneurs, two VCs and a bank executive — all of them women...
PRESENTED BY SCOTIABANK: Two entrepreneurs, two VCs and a bank executive — all of them women — share their respective experiences, discuss the importance of diverse perspectives, and explore what has improved and what remains to be done to get more women into cleantech leadership roles.
Workshop: Impact measurement approaches for investors
Social Finance
90 mins
Led by Impact Frontiers, an initiative of the IMP, this workshop teaches investors how to develop...
Led by Impact Frontiers, an initiative of the IMP, this workshop teaches investors how to develop globally-aligned measurement and management strategies.
Impact property funds: Opportunities from Canada and the U.K.
Social Finance
45 mins
The U.K. impact investing market is now worth over £5 billion, representing 20-percent growth since 2018....
The U.K. impact investing market is now worth over £5 billion, representing 20-percent growth since 2018. Social impact property funds account for the largest proportion. What are the factors contributing to growth in the U.K.? Why has the Canadian impact-investment market not yet taken off in the same way? These are some of the questions we’ll tackle as part of an interactive panel with experts from both geographies.
The Canadian C-Suite perspective: Business and society
Impact
30 mins
Join Robert Greenhill and Brian Gallant in conversation with Allyson Hewitt on how Canadian executives should...
Join Robert Greenhill and Brian Gallant in conversation with Allyson Hewitt on how Canadian executives should steer their businesses for societal good.
Founder's corner
Cleantech
45 mins
Using drones to restore our forests. Catalysts that can make cleaner hydrogen. Harnessing the power of...
Using drones to restore our forests. Catalysts that can make cleaner hydrogen. Harnessing the power of nanotechnology for more sustainable lithium extraction. The founders of Flash Forest, Summit Nanotech and Solistra discuss how their respective innovations can help protect the climate and transition important resource sectors.
Networking
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs...
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs two people over a direct video call. In the networking tab, after an attendee clicks the Ready button, they are matched with another guest for a three-minute video chat.
Expo
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups....
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups.
Transforming Society
Networking
Check out the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. The networking zone on Hopin offers an...
Check out the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. The networking zone on Hopin offers an experience that feels like FaceTime or Hangouts, with two people paired over a direct video call. In the networking tab, when an attendee clicks the ready button, the system searches for someone else who has also clicked ready. If someone else is available, the two are matched instantly and a three-minute video chat begins
Inclusive design
Impact
10 mins
Fable’s CEO Alwar Pillai on the importance of inclusive design for the products, services and systems...
Fable’s CEO Alwar Pillai on the importance of inclusive design for the products, services and systems we live in.
CEO corner: GreenMantra
Cleantech
20 mins
Jodie Morgan, CEO of GreenMantra, shares how her company converts unrecyclable plastics into “performance enhancers” used...
Jodie Morgan, CEO of GreenMantra, shares how her company converts unrecyclable plastics into “performance enhancers” used in a range of industrial applications.
The new IP: Talent
Impact
30 mins
Talent is Canada’s greatest resource. Before COVID-19, Canada’s tech sector was booming. Programs like the Global...
Talent is Canada’s greatest resource. Before COVID-19, Canada’s tech sector was booming. Programs like the Global Talent Stream were reversing decades-long brain drain, bringing in top international talent to local tech companies, and enrolment in STEM programs increased 16.4 percent between 2014 and 2018. But has the pandemic hampered Canada’s ability to attract the best foreign workers? How can we preserve and fuel our burgeoning tech sector growth?
CEO corner: Li-Cycle
Cleantech
20 mins
Ajay Kochhar, CEO of Li-Cycle, sees huge value — not waste — in old lithium-ion batteries....
Ajay Kochhar, CEO of Li-Cycle, sees huge value — not waste — in old lithium-ion batteries. Li-Cycle’s goal is to become the global leader in battery recycling.
Impact as strategy: The UN SDGs as a business roadmap
Social Finance
45 mins
As investors and enterprises increasingly align their activities with the UN SDGs, the UNDP and Social...
As investors and enterprises increasingly align their activities with the UN SDGs, the UNDP and Social Value International have developed the SDG Impact Standards to progress the SDGs into business and investment decision-making. This session will focus on how these standards will empower business leaders to translate their intent into action.
CEO corner: Swirltex
Cleantech
20 mins
Melanie McClare, CEO of Swirltex, is helping cities and industries treat their wastewater using a novel,...
Melanie McClare, CEO of Swirltex, is helping cities and industries treat their wastewater using a novel, more economic approach that beats the competition.
CEO corner: Evoco
Cleantech
20 mins
Jason Robinson, CEO of Evoco, explains how his company’s high-performance “eco-foam” puts plant-based materials, not petrochemicals,...
Jason Robinson, CEO of Evoco, explains how his company’s high-performance “eco-foam” puts plant-based materials, not petrochemicals, in the soles of footwear.
Public sector adaptations and innovations in rebuilding the economy
Social Finance
40 mins
In seeking to rebuild the Canadian and global economy in a more equitable and sustainable way,...
In seeking to rebuild the Canadian and global economy in a more equitable and sustainable way, governments have a unique opportunity to embrace innovative policies and transformative funding approaches. One such innovation is to strengthen the social finance and impact investing ecosystem, which are particularly relevant to tackling major social challenges related to healthcare, employment, clean technologies, and social justice. This session provides insights into how governments are adapting to the COVID-19 crisis, and explores case studies on how public-sector innovations, cross-sectoral partnerships and a robust social finance ecosystem can help build a more equitable society.
Commanding hope
Cleantech
30 mins
Calling on history, cutting-edge research, complexity science and even The Lord of the Rings, Thomas Homer-Dixon...
Calling on history, cutting-edge research, complexity science and even The Lord of the Rings, Thomas Homer-Dixon lays out how to rescue a world on the brink.
Achieving authentic social impact
Social Finance
40 mins
With vast resources, intellectual capital, and global networks of consumers and suppliers, corporations play a critical...
With vast resources, intellectual capital, and global networks of consumers and suppliers, corporations play a critical role in scaling innovative solutions to social challenges. Nevertheless, corporations have been slow to embed impact into their core businesses amidst claims of greenwashing and unfulfilled commitments. Panelists discuss how corporations can drive authentic social impact, including through venture capital, corporate activism, supply-chain influence, and ownership models.
Innovative funding models: Outcomes funding
Social Finance
50 mins
Canada is facing unprecedented social and economic challenges that have been worsened by the COVID-19 crisis....
Canada is facing unprecedented social and economic challenges that have been worsened by the COVID-19 crisis. Governments are also facing record fiscal deficits as they try to solve these challenges. Within this context, outcomes-based financing has been gaining traction across Canada by directly linking funding to beneficiary outcomes and facilitating greater collaborations between the public, private and social sectors. However, an outcomes-based funding approach remains fragmented and not yet scaled and streamlined in Canada. By aggregating larger pools of government and philanthropic funding, an outcomes fund is an innovative way to provide more outcomes-based financing to projects in a more efficient and strategic way. In this session, we discuss the merits of an outcomes-based funding approach, as well as the opportunities and challenges of launching a national outcomes fund for Canada.
Ecological grief
Impact
15 mins
Ashlee Cunsolo on building for tomorrow in times of grief and loss.
Ashlee Cunsolo on building for tomorrow in times of grief and loss.
Intelligent cities
Cleantech
40 mins
How can smart technologies help cities recover from, prepare for and mitigate future climate-fuelled crises, and...
How can smart technologies help cities recover from, prepare for and mitigate future climate-fuelled crises, and what have we learned from the pandemic?
Financing the transition
Social Finance
50 mins
It is clear that our existing financial instruments and mechanisms are not yet equipped for a...
It is clear that our existing financial instruments and mechanisms are not yet equipped for a fairer and more sustainable society. From retrofitting entire cities to planting new forests, the impact economy needs help if it hopes to fuel massive change. The future needs new tools and institutions. We need the next impact economy. This deep-dive panel invites a series of leaders from around the world around, each exploring their ideal pathways to this future.
Power talk
Cleantech
20 mins
Jessica Matthews, founder and CEO of NYC-based Uncharted Power, is enabling the future of cities by...
Jessica Matthews, founder and CEO of NYC-based Uncharted Power, is enabling the future of cities by turning the ground we walk on into an industrial IoT platform. In other words, she wants to lay exactly the kind of infrastructure that cities need to become truly connected and intelligent. She’ll share her story.
Future of industry
Cleantech
40 mins
The automation and digitization of industry is driving efficiencies and building much-needed resilience into the economy....
The automation and digitization of industry is driving efficiencies and building much-needed resilience into the economy. But is industry moving fast enough?
Pitch hour
Cleantech
60 mins
Five ventures with energy innovations will be selected to give seven-minute pitches, followed by audience Q&A....
Five ventures with energy innovations will be selected to give seven-minute pitches, followed by audience Q&A.
Companies participating include:
Innovia GEO
Peak Power
Kanin Energy
Sollum Technologies
Jaza Energy
Networking
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs...
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs two people over a direct video call. In the networking tab, after an attendee clicks the Ready button, they are matched with another guest for a three-minute video chat.
Expo
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups....
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups.
Accelerating Change
Networking
Check out the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. The networking zone on Hopin offers an...
Check out the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. The networking zone on Hopin offers an experience that feels like FaceTime or Hangouts, with two people paired over a direct video call. In the networking tab, when an attendee clicks the ready button, the system searches for someone else who has also clicked ready. If someone else is available, the two are matched instantly and a three-minute video chat begins
Mission From MaRS: Climate Action
Impact
30 mins
Defeating climate change by accelerating tech adoption.
Defeating climate change by accelerating tech adoption.
CEO corner: ReDeTec
Cleantech
20 mins
Dennon Oosterman, founder and CEO of ReDeTec, knows that plastic isn’t going away — so he’s...
Dennon Oosterman, founder and CEO of ReDeTec, knows that plastic isn’t going away — so he’s helping manufacturers reduce their footprint and save money.
CEO corner: Denvr Dataworks
Cleantech
20 mins
Dave King, founder and CEO of Denvr Dataworks, is improving data centres with a design that...
Dave King, founder and CEO of Denvr Dataworks, is improving data centres with a design that consumes 80 percent less space and 33 percent less electricity.
Lightning impact talks: Impact product and fund opportunities
Social Finance
50 mins
Investment managers are bringing to market new theme-based impact investing funds to respond to the growing...
Investment managers are bringing to market new theme-based impact investing funds to respond to the growing interest in impact from individual investors. Here, we’ve have curated a stable of new products that cross public and private equity opportunities.
Reimagining capitalism
Impact
25 mins
Do for-profit corporations have a responsibility to empower the disadvantaged? Four experts debate whether the free...
Do for-profit corporations have a responsibility to empower the disadvantaged? Four experts debate whether the free market can bring about innovation at scale.
CEO corner: GHGSat
Cleantech
20 mins
Stéphane Germain, CEO of GHGSat, is creating a standard for GHG monitoring using a fleet of...
Stéphane Germain, CEO of GHGSat, is creating a standard for GHG monitoring using a fleet of microsatellites that can pinpoint emissions w/ unmatched precision.
CEO corner: Planetary Hydrogen
Cleantech
20 mins
Mike Kelland, CEO of Planetary Hydrogen, has figured out a way to economically produce clean hydrogen...
Mike Kelland, CEO of Planetary Hydrogen, has figured out a way to economically produce clean hydrogen while removing CO2 from the air and healing the ocean.
Arlan Hamilton in conversation with Michelle McBane
Impact
20 mins
Arlan Hamilton on being the first-ever Black, queer woman to build a VC fund, as well...
Arlan Hamilton on being the first-ever Black, queer woman to build a VC fund, as well as her mission to serve underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Institutional impact investing
Social Finance
15 mins
If businesses want legitimacy among consumers, ESG can’t be denied. This session covers the latest trends...
If businesses want legitimacy among consumers, ESG can’t be denied. This session covers the latest trends pushing the ESG into the mainstream.
Going beyond ESG and mainstreaming impact investing
Social Finance
40 mins
There has been a rapid increase in investments driven by environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors,...
There has been a rapid increase in investments driven by environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, with global assets under management (AUM) doubling to $40 trillion in just the last four years.
Yet there is a real risk that the most impactful solutions will not attract large pools of capital from major institutional investors, and instead, most of the ESG capital will flow to organizations that are not generating measurable impact and contributing to the solutions that improve people’s lives and the environment.
How can investors more actively pursue investment opportunities that are generating measurable impact and contributing to meaningful solutions? How can social purpose organizations attract more impact investments and seek larger-scale investors who are mission-aligned?
Net-zero by 2050
Cleantech
25 mins
It has been five years since 197 countries signed the Paris climate agreement. It also saw...
It has been five years since 197 countries signed the Paris climate agreement. It also saw the Bill Gates-led birth of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, followed a year later by its $1-billion Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) fund. Eric Toone, executive managing director of BEV, and Rob Niven, CEO of CarbonCure and BEV investee, interview each other about the state of cleantech innovation and reflect on our collective global journey to achieve net-zero by 2050.
Impact investing for financial advisors and wealth managers
Social Finance
45 mins
With the rapid increase in demand from institutional and retail investors for ESG and impact investments,...
With the rapid increase in demand from institutional and retail investors for ESG and impact investments, there is a huge win-win opportunity for financial advisors and wealth managers to enhance their value proposition to clients, increase revenues and generate meaningful social impact. This session explores tangible ways for financial advisors and wealth managers to build their knowledge and expertise in ESG and impact investments, and what individual investors can do to reallocate more of their assets to the cause. Discover insights from various market participants as they share their expertise and experiences in the world of ESG and impact investments.
An agenda for innovative finance in international development
Social Finance
50 mins
In this fireside chat, minister of international development Karina Gould and the CDPQ’s Kim Thomassin discuss...
In this fireside chat, minister of international development Karina Gould and the CDPQ’s Kim Thomassin discuss the importance of engaging private-sector partners in the financing of international development solutions, highlighting Global Affairs Canada’s $1.5-billion International Assistance Innovation Program, and CDPQ’s $250-million diversity and inclusion fund.
Small is the new big
Cleantech
20 mins
Ken Hartwick, president and CEO of Ontario Power Generation (one of North America’s largest power generators)...
Ken Hartwick, president and CEO of Ontario Power Generation (one of North America’s largest power generators) discusses the many benefits of adding small modular reactors (SMRs) to Canada’s electricity mix, and how going small with nuclear is the path to providing safe, reliable and low-carbon baseload power to remote, off-grid communities, mines and heavy industry.
Moonshots
Cleantech
40 mins
How does the world eliminate gigatons of GHG emissions from global economic activity? Incrementalism certainly isn’t...
How does the world eliminate gigatons of GHG emissions from global economic activity? Incrementalism certainly isn’t the answer. On this panel, three entrepreneurs from different regions of Canada discuss the immense potential of their ground-breaking climate innovations and the importance of thinking outside the box to achieve maximum impact.
Investing in women and girls: Mainstreaming gender-lens investing
Social Finance
50 mins
In this panel, we hear from leaders across Canada on how the investment decision-making process can...
In this panel, we hear from leaders across Canada on how the investment decision-making process can and should improve gender equality.
New pathways
Cleantech
40 mins
As fossil-fuel-rich jurisdictions such as Alberta and Saskatchewan contemplate their future in a carbon-constrained world, what’s...
As fossil-fuel-rich jurisdictions such as Alberta and Saskatchewan contemplate their future in a carbon-constrained world, what’s a realistic path to clean prosperity? Some themes this panel will touch on include hydrogen, carbon capture and utilization, geothermal power and underlying infrastructure and training needs.
Impact investing leadership abroad: Australia's emerging markets fund has a unique Canadian connection.
Social Finance
45 mins
In July 2020, after completing a global search for an investment manager, the Australian Department of...
In July 2020, after completing a global search for an investment manager, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) selected a Canadian consortium led by Sarona Asset Management to help run an emerging markets impact investing fund focused on South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. The consortium, which also includes MEDA and Volta Capital, will deliver technical assistance to SMEs and SME funds, while managing funds focused on early-stage growth and financial institutions supporting SMEs via lending platforms. In this session, learn about how Canadian-based organizations have supported the Australian Government in breaking barriers to pursue this innovative program.
Pitch hour
Cleantech
60
Pitch Hour: Five ventures with transportation innovations will be selected to give seven-minute pitches, followed by...
Pitch Hour: Five ventures with transportation innovations will be selected to give seven-minute pitches, followed by audience Q&A.
Companies participating include:
Letenda
Elocity Technologies
Breeze Traffic
Duxion Motors
Plugzio
Networking
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs...
Visit the online hub for automated one-on-one meetings. Powered by Hopin, our networking zone automatically pairs two people over a direct video call. In the networking tab, after an attendee clicks the Ready button, they are matched with another guest for a three-minute video chat.
Expo
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups....
Visit the virtual expo – a collection of interactive vendor booths from partners, speakers and startups.
Cleantech B2B Day
A platform to connect cleantech startups with investors and corporate attendees. Invite only. To be considered,...
A platform to connect cleantech startups with investors and corporate attendees. Invite only. To be considered, opt in during registration or email kahloy@marsdd.com.