As part of its Seed Fund Program, Sustainable Development Technology Canada announced funding of $3.8M for 38 promising new cleantech companies across Canada. Eight of the companies are BC-based.

The Seed Fund Program supports promising early-stage Canadian cleantech entrepreneurs by providing grants of $50,000 to $100,000 to innovative technology projects with the potential for important environmental sustainability. Seed Fund applicants are nominated by SDTC’s partnership of Canadian accelerators, incubators and entrepreneurial service organizations.

The cross-country funding is meant to showcase the regional diversity of Canadian entrepreneurs. What’s more, according to SDTC, the announcement also includes the largest cohort of women-led firms approved in a single seed fund round, representing 32% of the funded companies.

The funded firms span data technologies, IoT, lab-cultivated meat, satellites and space, and more.

“In their early stages of growth, businesses have the biggest challenges ahead of them,” said Leah Lawrence, president and CEO of SDTC, in a statement. “At SDTC we are proud to support and invest in small Canadian cleantech businesses to help them reach their full potential.”

The BC companies that are receiving funding are noted below with the accelerator partner that nominated each company also listed.

Audette Analytics. Inc, supported by Alacrity Foundation of B.C., works with commercial real estate owners and developers to improve the energy efficiency of their structures and properties.

Ava Technologies Inc., supported by Alacrity Foundation of B.C., has developed AI-powered smart gardens that enable customers to grow their own fresh, nutritious produce on a micro-scale indoors at home.

Bioform Solutions Inc., supported by Entrepreneurship @UBC, drives customers through its patented technology to replace plastic from their operations with home compostable and recyclable products.

Moment Energy Inc., supported by New Ventures BC, offers energy storage systems (ESS) using retired EV batteries for on-grid and off-grid applications.

pH7 Technologies Inc., supported by New Ventures BC, extracts precious metals from landfills with a net-zero environmental footprint using a proprietary green solvent. 

Niricson Software Inc., supported by UVic Coast Capital Innovation Centre, has developed novel drone-based data collection and damage assessment system to detect issues with civilian infrastructure.

Sepura Home Ltd, supported by UVic Coast Capital Innovation Centre, is solving water pollution with an under the sink garbage disposal system.

Solaires Enterprise Inc., supported by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre is developing a perovskite crystal solar cell.

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SDTC said its also working in partnership with the Innovation Asset Collective (IAC) on supporting the companies to develop intellectual property (IP) knowledge and strengthen their strategic positions and IP portfolios. SDTC’s new Seed Fund cohort will be offered complimentary associate membership with IAC.

“We congratulate each of these entrepreneurs as they realize their visionary cleantech ideas, which will create well-paying jobs across the country and contribute to the fight against climate change,” said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, in a statement. “These SDTC Seed Fund investments will further position Canada as a global cleantech leader and help build a cleaner, more resilient and sustainable future for all Canadians.”