Every winter, 15,000 fishing boats in Atlantic Canada sit docked and unused.
Recognizing a growing interest from locals in switching to electric boats, Nova Scotia’s BlueGrid Energy built a platform that helps owners make money while their boats sit idle. Using vessel-to-grid (V2G) technology, the company transforms electric fishing boats into floating batteries, storing clean energy and feeding it back to the electricity network during the off-season.
The goal is to make it easier and more affordable for fishing boats around the world to switch to electric power
“We need to stop being so humble and start bragging a little, because there are incredible companies being built right here.”
Lindsay Murray, Foresight Canada
“BlueGrid was inspired by the need to cost-effectively decarbonize a sector where global fishing fleets alone emit as much as 45 million cars annually,” said Trevor Hennigar, BlueGrid’s Chief Operating Officer.
The company wants to become a global leader in helping the marine industry switch to electric power, and has already successfully demonstrated the launch of the world’s first V2G-enabled lobster boats in Halifax.
Nova Scotia is a natural launchpad for cleantech startups thanks to its ties to the blue economy. But what truly sets the region apart, according to Lindsay Murray, Atlantic Representative at Foresight Canada, is its distinct East Coast mentality.
“It’s a network like no other,” she said. “We understand the importance of innovation and economic development, so people here do business a little differently. You can make the right connections much faster than in other ecosystems.”
This culture has helped BlueGrid move quickly on major projects, like joining the newly launched Canadian Electric Propulsion Acceleration Coalition, a $7-million project led by Photon Marine Canada and supported by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.
Thanks to its growing infrastructure and collaborative ecosystem, Nova Scotia is quickly becoming a hub for ocean tech, carbon capture, battery innovation, and bioinnovation.
The province recently announced the new Neptune BioInnovation Centre, a world-class biofermentation facility that will accelerate biotech innovations in industries like life sciences, pharmaceuticals, forestry, and agriculture.
And just last year, the federal government invested over $10 million in Dalhousie University’s Canadian Battery Innovation Centre, set to open in Fall 2025. The project will be the country’s first university-based facility for battery prototyping and testing, and helped the university to land a Supporter of the Year Award at Foresight Canada’s 2025 Atlantic Canada Cleantech Awards.
Foresight Canada, which is headquartered in British Columbia, officially has a presence in Nova Scotia as of last summer, following years of growing interest in its programs across the region.
Since 2013, the non-profit has supported more than 1,580 ventures and over 150 industry partners through a range of programs designed for both startups and scaleups. These include its popular Launch and Deliver program, which helps CEOs and CTOs bring innovations to life, as well as a late-stage growth program, roundtables, bootcamps, and innovation challenges.
“The list is long,” Murray explained. “We run cohorts three times a year, but we really hone in on where the startup is and what the founder needs.”
For BlueGrid Energy, Foresight programs provided access to a network of investors.
“Foresight’s Access to Capital program provided funding and strategic guidance, enabling BlueGrid to enhance BlueGrid Insights’ capabilities, scale operations, and expand market reach,” said Hennigar.
Foresight has also supported pHathom Technologies and Planetary, two Nova Scotia companies fighting climate change by removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and protecting the ocean.
At pHathom, CO2 is stored safely in the ocean after being mixed with seawater and ground limestone.
Planetary uses a different approach: adding purified minerals to ocean water to help the ocean absorb more CO2 and store it in a safe, long-lasting form. Both companies work near coastlines where forests, seawater, and energy systems already exist, so it’s faster and easier to set up without the need for new infrastructure.
Foresight’s carbonNEXT program connected pHathom’s team of scientists, engineers, and forestry experts with peers facing similar challenges. The program helped the team refine its pitch, sharpen its go-to-market strategy, and clearly articulate the value of its solution.
In 2021 and 2022, Foresight recognized Planetary as a Foresight 50 honouree, helping raise its visibility with investors and Canada’s cleantech ecosystem and beyond.
In 10 years, Foresight has helped ventures raise a collective $2.31 billion in capital, generate $570 million in revenue, and create over 9,400 high-quality jobs.
Now, they’re aiming to extend that impact by doubling down on Atlantic Canada.
“I really want to emphasize how special the ecosystem is here in Nova Scotia and across Atlantic Canada,” said Murray. “There’s a strong sense of collaboration, and a lot of resources available to founders. We need to stop being so humble and start bragging a little, because there are incredible companies being built right here.”
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Feature image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo by Mitch McKee.