Climate Solutions Prize Festival

Mario is a senior energy transition executive with significant experience developing and investing in energy infrastructure projects.

Before Breakthrough Energy, Mario was with Chicora Energy, an energy transition investment platform he co-founded focusing on Latin America. Before Chicora, Mario was with Macquarie Capital, serving as a Managing Director and Head of Latin America Energy Principal Investments Origination. Before Macquarie, Mario was the CFO for Trafigura’s US$1 billion Colombia fluvial logistics project. Mario also worked for several international financial firms, including ING Capital and Syncora Guarantee.

Mario obtained a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Boston College. 

Fred is co-founder of Deep Sky and CEO and Co-Founder of Hopper, which sells $7 billion of travel and travel financial services per year. Frederic previously co-founded Newtrade Technologies, which was acquired by Expedia in 2002.

Natalie Voland has been reinventing the real estate development process for over 25 years. Her roots as a social worker allow her to have a unique and purpose-driven design-centered outlook on development that prioritizes historical protection of civic assets while being forward-thinking to use buildings to unite communities and push environmental advocacy. 
 
She is an award-winning, socially driven developer and a leader of the Quebec B Corp. Movement. Her companies contribute to protecting the environment and fostering social inclusion while making market-driven profits to further Montreal's economic development. Natalie manages 1.5 million square feet, supports over 500 entrepreneurs, and is an active expert, public speaker, and mentor. Her newest venture, Quo Vadis Capital, invests in carbon-mitigated accessible housing to address inclusion and climate change in real estate.
 
Natalie sits on several Boards and think tanks associated with her passion for being a leader in ESG development. Natalie is an active master planner and partners with universities to use her assets as teaching and prototype tools to evolve concepts on what kind of city we want to build as citizens and corporate leaders. Natalie is a PhD candidate and member of the Concordia Chair of Excellence in Research on Smart and Resilient Cities and the Next Generation Cities Institute, specializing in the bridge of market business practices that drive sustainability on the built environment.

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Depuis plus de 25 ans, Natalie Voland réinvente le processus du développement immobilier, son expérience en tant que travailleuse sociale lui permettant d’avoir une vision du développement unique et axée sur des buts concrets. Son approche vise à unir les communautés à travers la protection et la conservation historiques des bâtiments et de l’environnement. 

Natalie est une chef de file du mouvement B Corp. du Québec où ses entreprises contribuent à la protection de l’environnement et favorisent l’inclusion sociale tout en réalisant des profits axés sur le marché afin de contribuer au développement économique de Montréal. Natalie gère 1,5 million de pieds carrés, soutient plus de 500 entrepreneurs et est une conférencière active, ainsi qu’une mentore. Sa nouvelle entreprise « Quo Vadis Capital » investit dans le logement abordable à faible émission de carbone pour mettre l’emphase sur l’inclusion et le changement climatique en immobilier.

Natalie siège sur plusieurs conseils d'administration et groupes de réflexion associés à sa passion d’être leader en développement ESG. De plus, elle collabore avec plusieurs universités pour utiliser ses connaissances en tant qu’outil d’enseignement et de création de prototype afin de promouvoir le type d’espace urbain que nous souhaitons construire en tant que citoyens. Natalie est candidate au doctorat à l’université Concordia, membre de la Chaire d'excellence Concordia en recherche sur les villes intelligentes et résilientes ainsi que du Next Generation Cities Institute, spécialisée dans le rapprochement des pratiques commerciales du marché qui favorisent la durabilité de l'environnement bâti.

Dr. David Babson is an innovation leader and climate strategist working at the intersection of science, policy, and technology deployment. As Executive Vice President for Climate & Energy at XPRIZE, David leads the development of ambitious global competitions designed to accelerate breakthrough solutions for clean energy transitions, decarbonization, resource efficiency, and global climate resilience. He brings more than a decade of experience spanning government, academia, and the nonprofit sector, where he has advanced cutting-edge technology programs, shaped evidence-based public policy, and promoted sustainable investment to meet urgent climate goals.

Previously, David served as Executive Director of MIT’s Climate Grand Challenges Initiative, as a Program Director at ARPA-E, and in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy, focusing on carbon management, biotechnology, and bioeconomy innovation. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Senior Fuels Engineer at the Union of Concerned Scientists and as a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. David holds a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from Rutgers University, completed postdoctoral research at the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, and earned a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He lives in Marshfield, Massachusetts, with his wife and three children.

Jeanette Jackson is the CEO of Foresight, the nation’s largest cleantech accelerator. Foresight works with innovators, industry, investors, government, and academia across Canada to identify, develop, and ensure the adoption of cleantech solutions.

Jeanette is an entrepreneur with broad experience across multiple industries. She founded a tech company and built it into a thriving business; has secured millions in investment dollars, project funding and revenue; led numerous cross-functional teams, and developed innovative programs for cleantech acceleration and adoption, growing Foresight into a nation-wide organization.

Recognized as a leader in cleantech, both in Canada and internationally, Jeanette is a frequent speaker, media guest, and advisor to industry and government. Her leadership and work in the fight against climate change have been recognized through multiple prestigious awards, making her a driving force in the cleantech community.

Phil De Luna is Chief Science and Commercial Officer at Deep Sky, a carbon removals project developer building large scale infrastructure to reverse climate change. Prior to Deep Sky, Phil led carbontech at McKinsey & Company, was the youngest-ever Director at the National Research Council of Canada, and was a finalist in the Carbon XPRIZE. He is a Governor General Gold Medal winning scientist, a Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, an adjunct Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto, and a Forbes Top 30 Under 30.