The Centre for Social Innovation, a coworking space and launchpad for impact ventures, is now recruiting for the first cohort of its Climate Ventures Earth Tech accelerator.
Earth Tech is a six-month accelerator for startups and not-for-profits working on tech that can positively impact Canada’s communities and natural ecosystems. Earth Tech participants will be given workspace, coaching with entrepreneurs in residence, access to advisors, training, and the opportunity to pitch to investors and funders at demo night. Center for Social Innovation noted that early-stage enterprises that participated in its previous climate programs earned and raised over $22 million.
“Technology is a tool that, when deployed carefully, respectfully and with purpose, can help address many of the environmental challenges that we face.”
“Technology is a tool that, when deployed carefully, respectfully, and with purpose, can help address many of the environmental challenges that we face,” said CSI’s director of programs, Barnabe Geis. “Technology can improve on existing solutions or be a part of new innovations to help give rise to the next economy, one that is regenerative, equitable, and prosperous for all.”
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada’s Watershed Reports found that the country’s freshwater ecosystems are under threat and the majority of watersheds do not have adequate health data to assess quality. At the same time, Canada’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions are among the highest in the world, with the country warming at twice the global average. Earth Tech is focused on accelerating the success and strengthening the impact of ventures that are advancing freshwater and climate solutions.
To be eligible, applicants must be a startup or non-profit working to do at least one of the following: improve water quality, increase water-use efficiency, protect or remediate waterways, increase awareness of water management, mitigate climate change, strengthen resilience to the impact of climate change, or increase awareness about climate change.
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“Communities, as well as plant and animal life across Canada, face numerous threats as a result of rising temperatures and pressures on our freshwater ecosystems,” the Centre for Social Innovation said in a statement. “Technology has a role to play in helping to solve these threats.”
The Centre for Social Innovation is an organization for people working to make the world a better place, with three locations, including Toronto, New York, and London, Ont. The groups’ innovation hub, Climate Ventures, is home to entrepreneurs, innovators, and advocates working on climate solutions and climate justice. Last year, the organization launched the Cleantech Fellowship, a part accelerator and part fellowship aimed at supporting entrepreneurs building businesses in the cleantech sector.
Earth Tech is supported by the RBC Foundation and Bullfrog Power, as well as research from WWF Canada. Applications to be a part of the Toronto cohort close October 25, and selected finalists will be invited to have an in-person pitch in November. The program itself will begin in January.
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