We know full well of our city’s cleantech prowess. We aren’t, I guess, pining for more accolades. We know we’re killer at it. But, hey, what the heck. What’s a few more plaudits? Thirteen companies were recently amongst those nominated for Clean50, which recognizes leaders from across Canada who have done the most to advance climate action and develop climate solutions. Let’s meet ‘em:

Viridis Research

Viridis is a watertech company leveraging advanced oxidation techniques to eliminate organic pollutants (think microplastics, PFAs, dyes, and more) from water.

Quotable: “My generation was in transition from living in dictatorship to democracy. We're more rebellious. The generation of my family, my dad's generation, were so scared about doing anything and didn’t know what to do about it. Instead, my generation — we’re like, ‘nope, not anymore.’ We are so brave.” - Co-founder Macarena Cataldo-Hernandez. 

Three Sixty Solar

The company’s patent-pending vertical solar towers enable customers to deploy renewable solar power generation technology on up to 90 percent less land than conventional solar, while also adding utilities that can’t be included with ground-mount solar, such as telecommunications, security, lighting, battery storage, and more.

Notable: The company recently signed a letter of intent for its first U.S. sale. 

Tersa Earth Innovations

Tersa’s innovation, TersaClean, is flow-based, continuous processing technology for treating mine tailings and acid rock drainage.

Notable: Glen Clark, the former Premier of British Columbia, recently joined its board.

RecycLiCo Battery Materials

Surrey-based RecycLiCo’s patented process efficiently recovers battery-grade materials locked within lithium-ion batteries, addressing the global demand for environmentally friendly solutions in energy storage.

Quotable: “Organizations within B.C. [like RecycLiCo] have a history of pioneering new technologies and insights in areas like hydrogen production and processing, fuel-cell stack and system development, components and system testing, and standards development.” - Invest Surrey writing in Vancouver Tech Journal.

Sixone Labs

Sixone’s mission is to transform textile waste into a valuable feedstock for circular recycling.

Notable: Sixone’s recycled polyester pellets can be used by clothing brands and their manufacturers within their existing production processes, according to Clean50.

pH7 Technologies

The company’s patent-pending, closed-loop process extracts critical metals vital for the clean energy transition, such as platinum, palladium, iridium, copper, nickel, and more. It takes these metals from end-of-life materials, low grade ores, and tailings, which are unextractable using current methodologies and have locked-in resources.

Notable: ph7 recently raised a $16 million USD Series A co-led by Pangaea Ventures.

PhyCo Technologies

Phyco is a marine biotechnology company focused on seaweed aquaculture, in partnership with Indigenous Nations.

Notable: It recently won SFU’s Coast Capital Venture prize, and will use the $10,000 cash award to further develop its seaweed solution for ocean plastics.

Lightspark Software

Lightspark’s software helps cities, utilities, and financial institutions measure, predict, and validate carbon emissions in their customer’s homes. It can then connect to homeowners through a data-rich platform that makes energy efficiency choices easier.

Notable: It recently launched Lightspark Engage, a new platform being piloted in Calgary and Edmonton that’s designed to simplify home energy efficiency.

Moment Energy

Moment’s Flora Battery Energy Storage System uses second-life EV batteries to decrease demand charges, provide reliable power, and integrate with renewable energy.

Quotable: “I definitely feel [entrepreneurship] is like a wave. There are times where I feel like I'm extremely productive, getting so much done, and it feels amazing. Then you'll have times where it’s not working out productivity-wise, you’re feeling really tired and getting towards the burnout part of the spectrum. I've been learning how to balance that and our team is pretty good about it.” — Co-founder Sumreen Rattan.

Miru Smart Technologies

Miru smart windows let you electronically control the tint of your window to respond to the weather, the time of day, and the seasons.

Notable: The company participated in a Google accelerator.

Lucent BioSciences

Its first line of products, Soileos, use cellulose fibers as a carrier for key crop nutrients.

Notable: It won the SGV Ventures Scale-up Award this past March.

Mangrove Lithium

Mangrove’s lithium refining process converts lithium extracted from brines, hard rocks, clays, and recycled batteries into lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate for use in battery manufacturing.

Notable: The company landed on the Cleantech Group’s similar roster earlier this year.

Calmura Natural Walls

Calmura has developed a natural, carbon-negative biocomposite panel and wall system that valorizes half a million tons of forestry and agricultural residuals annually per regional factory.

Notable: The company was the recipient of the inaugural Good4Nature Prize in Canada.

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