Amr leads the FCC team dedicated to promoting financial and non-financial solutions that support the implementation of sustainable practices in the Canadian agriculture and food industry.

Since 2010, Amr has offered advisory services to financial institutions on developing investing strategies, serving on investor sustainability advisory boards, and working with groups that highlight Montreal as a global hub for sustainable finance. This includes the Finance and Sustainability Initiative, Finance Montreal’s Sustainable Finance Working Group, and the advisory committee for developing a sustainable finance roadmap for Quebec.

Lauren is a strategic leader with 20+ years in the non-profit sector, including 15 years advancing the water sector. She builds cross-sector partnerships that unite philanthropy, the private sector, and communities to drive progress toward the SDGs. A strong advocate for Indigenous rights, gender equity, and inclusion, she champions community‑driven approaches and believes in the power of art and culture to spark meaningful social change. 

President of BMO Financial Group, Québec, and Vice‑Chair of BMO Capital Markets since 2022, Mr. Baillargeon has been with the Bank of Montreal since 2004. A trained lawyer, he is known for his community leadership and serves as Chair of the Board of United Way of Greater Montreal.

Jonathan is a McGill-educated civil engineer and social entrepreneur leading an ecosystem of companies helping to bridge the gap between grassroots advocacy & industrial sustainability in the Caribbean. As founder & Chairman of Vetiver TT Ecological Engineering Solutions Ltd and the NGO IAMovement, he pioneered the globally recognized VEEP model for climate adaptation. Currently, Jonathan scales equity-backed circular models via Close The Loop Caribbean, including specialized ventures like Microbes Alive Agri-Tek Ltd and carbon-offset projects. Core partners for this work have included the IDB, Caribbean Biodiversity Fund & T&T’s Green Fund.

Matt is a Senior Director at Delphi and Board Member of the Battery Metals Association of Canada, with two decades of experience at the intersection of energy, technology, and climate strategy. A systems thinker with deep roots across energy, digitalization, and clean tech, he understands how solutions move from concept to implementation across complex industries and markets. As an Ambassador and former Fellow of the Energy Futures Lab, he is deeply embedded in Canada's climate innovation ecosystem, connecting researchers, industry, and capital to accelerate what is ready to scale and catalyze what still needs to be built.

Guillaume Béland is from Shawinigan. He has worked on several entrepreneurial projects regarding agriculture and tech. He has spent half of his professional career in Belgium where he was among others a VC director. He is now working at Zone Agtech for the past 5 years as Direct Investments director where he helps to transform the Quebec agricultural landscape notably helping agtech companies to find space to grow, customers and investors. 

Eric Bellefroid grew up on a 900-acre dairy farm in southern Quebec, completed a PhD in geochemistry from Yale before joining McKinsey & Co in their NY office, serving the Chemicals and Agriculture industry. He started Brekland following a conversation with his brother about installing irrigation on the family farm, that converation made it clear that climate change was deeply impacting farmers and new climate resilience solutions were needed. Brekland developed a novel biodegradable foam platform that they use to tackle a variety of climate problems, including spring frost damage and pest management. 

Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais is the Director of the Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program, Co-Director of the UBC Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, and a Principal's Research Chair in Wildfire Management at the University of British Columbia - Okanagan where he leads the Fire Ecology & Remote Sensing Lab. Mathieu's work is focused on developing new technologies and models for monitoring and predicting wildfire risk, detecting new wildfires, and advancing proactive mitigation strategies and national capacity for prescribed fire and fuel management.

Graham brings over 30 years of global experience in management and new category innovation, from within a large multinational (P&G) to founding a series of startups. His focus for over 15 years has been on addressing the climate challenge at its root causes: how we invest in, structure, govern, and run companies. Through his company Evolutesix he offers services to fund managers investing in companies, and to the companies they invest in. He is the author of two guides to the new paradigm economy we need: Rebuild the Economy, Leadership, and You, as well as The Ergodic Investor and Entrepreneur

Serial entrepreneur, visionary senior executive combining deep technical background, strategic thinking with a marketing & sales track-record building and leading sales teams and winning high-prized contracts with tier-1 customers in the mobile industry. Extensive experience in building, restructuring and scaling companies from first hire to international market leaders with 380 employees and $30m turnover. Designed and established category-leading products in various mobile market segments. Multiple fundraisings in private and public markets combined with extensive experience in M&A on both seller and buyer side. Articulate communicator with extensive network to decision makers in the international mobile industry.

Craig Buntin is the Executive Advisor at Rise, a pioneering CO2 technology firm dedicated to decarbonizing Quebec’s economy. He recently assumed this role after nine years as co-founder and CEO of Sportlogiq, an AI-driven sports analytics company. Craig holds an MBA from McGill University, where he specialized in Strategies in Sustainable Development. For over a decade, he has been mentoring entrepreneurs in the sustainability sector, driven by his mission to leave a better planet for future generations.Before his MBA, Craig had a distinguished career as an Olympic athlete, representing Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. He credits his work ethic and goal-setting skills to the lessons learned during his years as a full-time athlete. Craig’s diverse experiences—from the competitive world of sports to the cutting edge of AI and sustainability—equip him with unique insights and a relentless drive to foster innovation and positive change.

Geoff Burt has led the Consecon Foundation since 2018. He manages the Foundation’s work in alternative proteins, negative carbon emissions, biodiversity protection and nuclear energy. Geoff currently serves on the board of directors of New Harvest Canada, the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative and the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy. He is a strategic advisor to Cellular Agriculture Canada. Geoff previously worked as a policy researcher and consultant on global security and justice issues.

Sahil is a leader at the intersection of technology and water infrastructure, currently serving as the UK&I Client Director at Transcend. With a decade in the water and tech start-up space, she partners with utilities, engineering firms, and technology providers to drive digital adoption that makes our infrastructure more resilient in the face of climate change. Sahil moved to Ireland from Canada two years ago and is diving into the unique challenges and opportunities in the UK&I region. When she’s not convincing engineers that digital solutions won’t replace their jobs, Sahil enjoys exploring trails, reading fantasy novels, and traveling.

Leo Carvalho is Chief Global Strategy Officer at Solinftec, leading global strategy, international expansion, and institutional relations, connecting technology, markets, and public policy worldwide. A mechatronics engineer with over 10 years in agtech, he has helped build and commercialize AI platforms, digital agriculture solutions, and robotics, including the global scaling of Solix. He has driven expansion in the U.S., Canada, and China, and leads innovation, M&A, and fundraising initiatives focused on sustainable growth and transforming agriculture through technology.

Adan serves as IRMA’s lead point of contact for stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders across the Americas and the Caribbean. He has 10 years of experience working on challenges related to mining. His passion for improving mining’s socio-environmental issues arises from his mining engineering experience and his personal connection to Latin America, having been born and raised in Colombia. Adan holds a BASc. in Geological Engineering from the University of British Columbia and a MASc. in Mining Engineering from Queen’s University.

As former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and former Premier of Québec, Jean Charest is one of Canada’s best known political figures. He is a partner at Therrien Couture Jolicoeur where he provides expertise with public policy, corporate Canada and international matters. Jean Charest is member of the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations launched by the Prime Minister of Canada, and of the steering committee of the private sector Canada US Trade Council (CUSTC) to collaborate on tariff and CUSMA issues.

Emily Charry Tissier is Co-Founder and CEO of Whale Seeker, the first Certified B Corp using AI for wildlife. The company detects marine mammals from imagery captured by drones, aircraft, and satellites to help governments, regulators, and maritime industries reduce vessel strike risk and scale environmental monitoring. An ecologist with 20 years in coastal and Arctic ecosystems, she works with Transport Canada, the Canada Nature Fund, WWF, and Oceanites. Recognized by UNESCO IRCAI and the Top 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics, she speaks internationally on responsible AI for nature.

Nick is the Canada Digital Water Lead at Arup, leading resilience and digital water initiatives for major infrastructure projects and utilities across Canada. His work focuses on flooding, hydraulic modelling, geospatial analysis, and digital strategy. He is currently leading a geospatial transformation project for a large Ontario water utility and is passionate about turning climate ambition into practical, scalable solutions that make cities safer, smarter, and more resilient.

Lynn Côté is a long-time leader in Canada’s cleantech ecosystem. In 2024, she founded Côté Cleantech Consulting to support cleantech companies, governments, and NGOs. She currently serves as fractional Executive Director of the Canada Cleantech Alliance, sits on the board of Ecolomondo Corporation, and is part of Cycle Momentum’s Origo fund investment committee. Previously, she spent 1990–2023 at Export Development Canada (EDC), including 12 years as the principal advisor on its Cleantech Team advising senior leadership on sector strategy. At EDC, she built expertise in finance and international trade, senior hiring and mentoring, cross-sector partnerships, and cleantech communications.

Dr. Saad Dara is the founder and CEO of Mangrove Lithium – a novel lithium refining technology that uses an electrochemical process to convert extracted lithium into a battery-grade product. Saad is an entrepreneur and innovator with a track record of taking research from the lab bench to a commercial scale. He has led Mangrove’s fundraising rounds, and technical and business development, while commercializing Mangrove’s technology with various large corporates, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BMW i Ventures, BDC, CGF, Mitsubishi Corporation, Asahi Kasei, EDC, Orion industrial ventures, and InBC. 

Senator Colin Deacon has represented Nova Scotia in the Senate of Canada since 2018. A lifelong entrepreneur, he spent much of his career turning ideas and research into solutions that improve lives. As an Independent Senator, he supports efforts to disrupt the status quo while fostering a collaborative government. He believes that the role of government is as a catalyst – enabling the conditions necessary to empower evidence-driven, market-based innovations that can address the most pressing problems facing Canadians, including climate change.

Sarah Derdowski leads innovation programs at the National Lab of the Rockies, where she directs and oversees multiple public-private accelerators. Her previous roles include Senior Vice President at Piper Sandler and Executive Director of both the Global Energy Management program and the JP Morgan Center for Commodities and Energy Management. She is collaborative problem solver, building partnerships that accelerate commercialization, mobilize capital, and create pathways to scale energy innovation. Outside of work, she enjoys mountain biking, cross-country skiing, strong coffee, and adventures with her husband and their two energetic boys.

Mary Dimou has been a recognized leader in the agri-food investment landscape as a Venture Capitalist, Entrepreneur, and Executive-level Operator for over a decade specializing in agriculture, food, and the life sciences. Throughout her career, Mary has managed corporate, institutional, and public venture capital funds globally. She has held governance roles with some of agri-technologies’ fastest scaling companies and is a strategic and technical Advisor in the innovation ecosystem. A former inventor herself with a successful exit of a Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation-winning agri-technology, she is compassionate to the entrepreneurs’ journey and applies a founder-focused mindset to her investment and portfolio theses.

As Executive Director of Clean Energy Canada, Rachel leads our work advancing solutions for Canada’s sustainable economy. Prior to joining Clean Energy Canada, Rachel occupied numerous roles in two governments, serving mostly recently as senior special advisor on Climate and Director of Legal Affairs to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. She also served as policy advisor to the prime minister, and chief of staff to Ministers of Justice and Indigenous Services. She is trained as a lawyer and was called to the bar in both Ontario and Quebec.
 

Phil De Luna is the co-founder and CTO of CURA, a Canadian climate-tech startup developing electrochemical technology to decarbonize cement, responsible for 8% of global CO2 emissions. Before CURA, he was Chief Science and Commercial Officer at Deep Sky, helping raise $100M to scale direct air capture. He previously led carbontech at McKinsey and was the youngest-ever Director at the National Research Council of Canada. He ranks in the top 0.1% of cited researchers in materials science and is a Forbes 30 Under 30.

René Demers is a Senior VP at the National Bank of Canada. He is responsible for all Real Estate Finance teams with more than 275 employees in offices across Canada and over $40B in assets. Its mission to support top players in the market for both interim construction projects and long-term financing. René completed an MBA and a Master’s Degree in International Business. Over the last 14 years, he has been recognized as an expert in the field of real estate finance. René’s diverse business development endeavors and ESG focus provide unmatched insight into social, sustainable and green financing.

Constance Drilhon is Senior Director, Sustainability at CAE, where she leads the integration of sustainability priorities into the company’s strategy and operations to drive resilience, value creation, and long-term competitiveness. Her mandate includes sustainability strategy and reporting, climate and environmental management, human rights, inclusion and equal opportunities, and engagement with Indigenous communities. She works closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams to define CAE’s long-term sustainability and climate ambition and translate it into actionable priorities.

Olivier Dufresne is President and CEO and co-founder of Exterra Technologies, a Quebec-based company specializing in the development of advanced mineral processing technologies. He leads the development of an innovative platform that transforms mining waste into value-added resources, while reducing costs, waste, and the environmental footprint of the processes. A committed entrepreneur in the energy transition, he is helping to position Quebec as a leader in sustainable metallurgy. Recognized for his leadership, he was named CEO of the Year – Startup by Les Affaires in 2025.

Katherine Festeryga holds a decade of experience in both the public and private sectors, helping to shape policy priorities in Canada. Katherine founded AgTech startup, Edie Farming, which won C40 Cities Women4Climate award in 2024 and DMZ's Women Innovation Summit in 2025. Previously, Katherine was on the policy and communications team at Sidewalk Labs, a landmark Google company. Prior to Sidewalk Labs, Katherine led policy communications for NAFTA negotiations for the Province of Ontario. Katherine holds her Master’s of Public Policy from Northwestern University and she currently sits on the board of North York Harvest Food Bank.

Mark Fisher was appointed President of the Canada Water Agency in March 2025. Prior to this, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) from 2014 to 2025, overseeing CGLR Canada and the CGLR Foundation, as well as their U.S. counterparts. With over 20 years of experience across government, corporate, academic, and non-profit sectors, Mark has advised decision-makers on socio-economic and environmental issues, collaboration strategies, and policy solutions. Before joining CGLR, he was a Foreign Policy Analyst at the Privy Council Office, focusing on Canada’s North American and APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) relations.

Sophie Flak is a member of Eurazeo’s Executive Board and Managing Partner, with 25+ years of experience. She oversees the deployment of the Group’s Sustainability & Impact strategy across both its operations and its investments, leads the investment team of the Planetary Boundaries impact fund, and drives the integration of tech and AI into Eurazeo’s activities. Previously, she was a Senior Executive in Accenture’s Strategy practice and served as a member of Accor’s Executive Committee. Convinced of the strategic value of sustainability, impact, and technology, Sophie actively contributes to advancing practices in these fields.

Bruce Friedrich is founder & president of the Good Food Institute, a global science nonprofit with affiliates in the US, India, Israel, Brazil, APAC, and Europe. Climate charity evaluator Giving Green has selected GFI as a top climate charity for impact for the past five years. Nature featured Bruce’s new book Meat as one of its five "best science picks,” and Publishers Weekly included Meat on its list of the 10 best new releases in science. Foreign Policy ran an excerpt from the book, and it has been covered favorably by The Atlantic, Guardian, Financial Times, Washington Post, PBS News Hour, and more.

Stéphane Germain founded GHGSat in 2011 to answer a market need for consistent, high quality measurements of greenhouse gas emissions from industrial facilities worldwide. Mr. Germain has been passionate about applying space technology for the good of the Earth for over 30 years. He started his career as an engineer and project manager at Spar Aerospace, followed by several years as a consultant with Bain & Company, a leading international strategy consulting firm. He then held senior management positions in both small and large Canadian aerospace companies before turning to entrepreneurship in the 2010s.

Experienced leader with a demonstrated track record in Corporate Finance, ESG Investments and Strategic Partnerships at KPMG, CAE and Aimia. Currently building Cano, the ESG platform to gamify daily sustainable actions within large corporate and institutional communities.

Jeremy Groeteke is Global Head of IT & Digital Strategy at Syngenta Group and CIO for its Vegetables & Flowers division, leading technology across Production & Supply, R&D, and Commercial. With 25+ years at Syngenta, Corteva, and DuPont Pioneer, he works at the intersection of agronomy, AI, and enterprise operations. Grounded in the Nebraska family farm where he grew up and remains closely engaged, Jeremy brings a rare dual perspective — global tech executive with deep roots in production agriculture. He is a frequent keynote speaker on AI in agriculture and has contributed to Harvard Business Review on the future of agtech.

Tyler Hamilton is Senior Director of Climate at MaRS and guides all climate-specific activities for ventures, corporate partners and investors, including the flagship Mission from MaRS climate innovation program. Before joining MaRS, Tyler spent two decades as a journalist and wrote extensively about Canada’s clean technology sector, first at the Toronto Star and later as editor-in-chief of business and sustainability magazine Corporate Knights. In 2011, Tyler authored Mad Like Tesla, a book that examines the various barriers to clean energy innovation and surveys the landscape of some potentially world-changing technologies.

Guillaume Béland studied business at Laval University in Quebec City and diplomacy at the University of Montreal. He has launched several tech companies in Quebec and Brussels. He has also worked at the Brussels Economic Development Agency and in southern Belgium as director of a digital venture fund. He currently works as a direct investment director at Zone Agtech. He is notably responsible for the development of the largest real estate project dedicated to agricultural technology companies in Canada.

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Guillaume Béland a étudié le commerce à l’Université Laval à Québec et la diplomatie à l’Université de Montréal. Il a lancé plusieurs entreprises tech au Québec et à Bruxelles. Il a également travaillé à l’agence de développement économique de Bruxelles et dans le sud de la Belgique comme directeur d’un fonds d’investissement à risque dans le digital. Il travaille actuellement comme directeur d’investissement direct à la Zone Agtech. Il s’occupe notamment au développement du plus important projet immobilier dédié aux entreprises de technologies agricoles au Canada.

Leo Carvalho holds a degree in Mechatronics Engineering and has over 10 years of experience in agribusiness technology. He is currently the Chief Global Strategy Officer at Solinftec, where he leads global strategies, manages institutional, government, and multilateral relationships, leads fundraising rounds, and acts as the company’s spokesperson. He has also played a crucial role in the company’s international expansion, especially in the US and Canadian markets, driving its global growth.

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Leo Carvalho est diplômé en ingénierie mécatronique et possède plus de 10 ans d'expérience dans le domaine des technologies pour l'agroalimentaire. Il est actuellement directeur de la stratégie mondiale chez Solinftec, où il dirige les stratégies mondiales et gère les relations institutionnelles, les gouvernements et les organisations multilatérales, dirige les levées de fonds et agit en tant que porte-parole de Solinftec. Il a également joué un rôle crucial dans l’expansion internationale, notamment sur les marchés américain et canadien, stimulant la croissance mondiale de l’entreprise.

Benoit Charette is the Member of the National Assembly for Deux-Montagnes, representing the Coalition Avenir Québec. Since October 2022, he has served as Quebec’s Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, as well as Minister Responsible for the Laurentides region. Benoit has been a member of the board of directors of various community organizations over the years including Réseau Internet francophone Vieillir en liberté (RIFVEL), TRACE, Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi de Deux-Montagnes and SOS Jeunesse. First elected in 2008, Charette has been a key figure in advancing Quebec’s environmental policies, including marine conservation and energy transition initiatives. He holds degrees in history and public administration.

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.

René Demers is a Senior Vice President at the National Bank of Canada for Commercial Banking and Private Banking. He is responsible for all Real Estate Finance teams in Canada. This group of more than 250 employees manages over $40 billion in assets from its offices across Canada with a mission to support the top players in the market for both interim construction projects and long-term financing. René completed an MBA and a Master’s Degree in International Business and has worked in the banking industry for his entire career. Over the last 13 years, he has been recognized as an expert in the field of real estate finance. René’s diverse business development endeavors and ESG focus provide unmatched insight into social, sustainable and green financing.

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Depuis 2011, René Demers œuvre dans le domaine de l’immobilier à la Banque Nationale. Il est responsable de l’ensemble des équipes en financement immobilier pour le Canada. Ce groupe de plus de 250 employés gère pour plus de $40 milliards d’actifs dans ses bureaux à travers le Canada. La mission du groupe Immobilier Canada est d’accompagner les meilleurs acteurs du secteur immobilier autant dans leurs projets de financements intérimaires de construction que dans les financements long-terme d’actifs de qualité. Reconnu pour son expertise ESG, René met l’accent sur le financement durable, écologique et social.

Ernenek is a purpose‑driven leader advancing social and environmental impact. As President and CEO of the One Drop Foundation since 2023, he leads its strategic vision, driving systemic change and multi‑stakeholder partnerships. Formerly Senior Director of Programs and Director of Lazos de Agua, he has expanded One Drop’s global portfolio and resources. His fieldwork with Oxfam‑Québec in Honduras and Haiti and his role at EDUCA strengthened his commitment to impact. He holds an MBA from Université Laval and a Master’s from ITAM, and serves as a Global Visiting Professor at Tec de Monterrey and Board Member of the Latin American Water Council.

With a strong passion for innovation, Patrick Gagné has always strived to create social and environmental impact through technology. For 25 years, Patrick has helped create and build a wide variety of businesses in technology by focusing on growth and innovation. In 2014, he cofounded Téo Taxi, a tech company that had a deep impact in transforming the taxi industry. Since 2018, Patrick contributed to the development of the Montreal startup ecosystem in his role as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the OSMO Foundation (Notman House) and as Co-founder and Co-CEO of Startup Montréal. In September 2020 he accepted the position of CEO at Cycle Momentum, a startup accelerator in the cleantech space, backed by Cycle Capital. Patrick has won several industry awards for mobile marketing and entrepreneurship (Entrepreneur Support Award from Startup Canada, Best mobile application – AQTR, Corporate Responsibility award – Novae, Award for employment creation in Québec, Consumer Choice award, C2-MTL Emerging entrepreneurs, Les Grands Prix du Design). 

Alain Lemieux is the General Director of the Vallée de la Transition Énergétique (VTE), an innovation zone uniting Bécancour, Shawinigan, and Trois-Rivières to accelerate Quebec’s energy transition. A seasoned entrepreneur, he founded Epsilia and Noovelia, leaders in digital-physical integration and smart manufacturing. At VTE, he mobilizes academia, industry, and government to drive innovation in batteries, hydrogen, and transport electrification, aiming to position the region as a global hub for decarbonization.

Étienne Lemieux is a Canadian entrepreneur and the Chief Executive Officer of BioAlert Solutions, a company specializing in real-time, automated detection of Legionella bacteria in industrial and commercial cooling systems.

Holding a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and an MBA, he founded BioAlert Solutions in 2014 with the goal of transforming a scientific innovation into a practical public health solution. He has led the company from the early stages of technology development to the successful launch of a high-impact startup, providing continuous microbiological monitoring to help prevent Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks.

Under his leadership, BioAlert Solutions has experienced sustained growth, expanding across Canada and into the United States.

Étienne Lemieux is also actively involved in Québec’s water-tech entrepreneurial ecosystem, helping to promote local innovation and support the growth of companies in the sector.

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Étienne Lemieux est un entrepreneur québécois, président-directeur général de BioAlert Solutions, une entreprise spécialisée dans la détection automatisée en temps réel de la bactérie Legionella dans les systèmes de refroidissement industriels et commerciaux.

Titulaire d’un doctorat en biologie cellulaire et d’un MBA, il a fondé BioAlert Solutions en 2014 avec la volonté de transformer une innovation scientifique en une solution concrète de santé publique. Il a mené le projet depuis les premières phases de développement technologique jusqu’à la mise en marché d’une startup à fort impact, capable de prévenir efficacement les éclosions de légionellose grâce à une surveillance continue de la qualité microbiologique des installations.

Sous sa direction, BioAlert Solutions a connu une croissance soutenue, consolidant sa présence au Canada et amorçant son expansion aux États-Unis.

Étienne Lemieux s’implique activement dans l’écosystème entrepreneurial québécois de l’eau, où il contribue à faire rayonner l’innovation technologique et à soutenir la croissance des entreprises du secteur.

With over 20 years of experience in finance and philanthropy, Galith Levy has dedicated her career to creating meaningful, lasting impact. For over a decade, she served as Executive Director of JNF Quebec, where she played a pivotal role in driving initiatives that strengthened both local and international communities.

Combining her expertise and passion, Galith brought Jeff Hart’s vision for climate innovation to life. Since 2022, she has led the Climate Solutions Prize as CEO, spearheading its rapid growth and expanding its international reach. Under her leadership, the initiative continues to gain momentum, inspiring bold solutions to the global climate crisis.

Na’im Merchant is the Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada. He is passionate about the potential for carbon removal to meet climate goals while driving economic and social change. He previously founded Carbon Curve, a consulting practice focused on equitably scaling up carbon removal. Na’im is an advisor to Terraset and the Carbon Removal Standards Initiative, and was previously an Elemental Impact Policy Fellow. He brings 10+ years of leadership experience in non-profits that expanded access to health innovations around the world.

Julieta is Managing Partner of Overlay Capital Build, a consultancy and fund, that is accelerating the adoption of critical digital transformation technologies in the built environment by connecting innovative technologies with adopters.

Overlay Build addresses the gap between the increased supply of construction technologies with the unmet demand of adopters, a “missing middle” in the built environment. We specialize in advising technology adopters with significant real estate holdings like multinational corporations, contractors, and real estate developers.

Julieta is a structural engineer and architect, turned social entrepreneur, and venture capitalist investing in early-stage startups mitigating the biggest barriers in the built environment. Her unique path from technical design to VC, has led her to hyperfocus on innovation in the construction industry, and empowering entrepreneurs through catalytic partnerships for the past decade.

Her career path ranges from technical engineering to venture capital: from structural engineering at Disney and Arup, to creating an R&D team to mitigate the biggest barriers in the housing crisis, to then launching and managing a venture capital firm investing in construction technology. As a founding member and former Partner of Hometeam Ventures, Julieta launched, fundraised, and managed operations of the venture fund investing in early-stage start-ups bringing breakthrough technology to the world's largest - but least innovative - industries: construction and housing. This was a spin-off from New Story Homes (YCombinator) where she kickstarted and led as Head of R&D. New Story Homes built over 3,000 homes across Latin America, and in 2018, invested in ICON and built the world's first 3D printed housing technology; in 2022, ICON raised its Series B with a $2B valuation and has partnerships with NASA, HUD, etc.

Her passion is to pursue impact-driven projects through innovation and entrepreneurship to digitize the built environment. She has an M.S. in structural engineering from UC Berkeley, a bachelor’s in structural engineering and architecture, and a research assistant in Boston, Berkeley, and Switzerland. Her academic and industry research in AEC is focused on circular economy, virtual reality, automated drone inspection, resiliency, and sustainability. Julieta is passionate about bridging the gap between architecture, engineering, and construction through collaborative design to maximize innovation for social impact and climate change.

Simon Olivier is a Senior Partner at Cycle Capital and leads the Cycle H2O Fund, a venture capital fund dedicated to innovative watertech companies to accelerate business growth and create a positive impact on the environment.

Simon is an executive Leader with an international track record in innovation, strategy, operations, and financial services. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies and mid-sized companies in various industries, such as renewable energy, finance, water, and food. Simon spent 20 years at GE, initially at GE Capital in financial services, then heading GE Renewable’s business in Canada and the Northeastern United States for nearly 10 years, building a multi-billion-dollar franchise. Subsequently, he spent 4 years as Executive Vice President Strategy (M&A) and Venture Capital for GE Canada.

Simon holds an engineering degree from Polytechnique Montreal and an MBA in finance from McGill University, where he is a McGill Global Leadership Council member. In 2009, he was named the young international leader of Quebec by the Arista organisation. Simon served on several boards of directors, including Aqua Action, C2 Montreal, the Canadian Wind Energy Association, and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montréal. He supports its community through engagement and leadership with Centraide.

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Simon Olivier est associé sénior chez Cycle Capital et dirige le fonds Cycle H2O, un fonds de capital de risque dédié aux technologies innovantes du secteur de l'eau pour accélérer la croissance des entreprises, et ainsi créer un impact positif sur l'environnement.

Simon est un dirigeant d’expérience internationale en innovation, stratégie, opération et services financiers. Il a travaillé avec des sociétés Fortune 500, et des entreprises de taille moyenne dans les secteurs de l’énergie, de la finance, de l’eau et de l’alimentation. Simon a passé plus de 20 ans chez GE, d'abord chez GE Capital dans les services financiers, puis à la tête de l'entreprise GE Énergie Renouvelable au Canada et dans le Nord-Est des États-Unis pendant près de 10 ans, construisant une franchise de plusieurs milliards de dollars. Par la suite, il a passé 4 ans à titre de vice-président exécutif stratégie (F&A) et capital de risque pour GE Canada.
Simon est titulaire d’un diplôme d’ingénieur de Polytechnique Montréal et d’un MBA en finance de l’Université McGill, où il est membre du McGill Global Leadership Council. En 2009, il a été nommé jeune leader international du Québec au Concours Arista. Simon a siégé à plusieurs conseils d'administration dont Aqua Forum, C2 Montréal, l'Association canadienne de l'énergie éolienne, et la Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain. Il soutient sa

Joanna Osawe is the President & CEO of Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE). Joanna attended Western University studying Languages, graduating with an Honours BA. Joanna has used her language skills in a focused, 15+ year management career at leading renewable and energy sector companies in Canada and the United States. By carrying complex projects through many stages she has seen firsthand the vital role renewable energy and emerging technologies serve in moving the Canadian, American and global energy mix forward.

Joanna was previously appointed to the Federal Sustainable Development Advisory Council, led by Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault.

Nate Salpeter is a Ph.D. Mechanical Engineer with over 15 years experience researching and designing next generation nuclear reactors at industry-leading companies and National Laboratories.  He co-founded Sweet Farm Foundation with his wife Anna Sweet to be a place of education, inspiration, and innovation through animal rescue, plant based agriculture, and cutting edge climate technology acceleration to scale change globally.  Nate is also a co-founder and general partner of SNØCAP, an early stage deep tech venture fund investing in technologies that significantly remove pollution while dramatically reducing costs in the world’s largest industrial sectors.

I love people and I believe that creativity and innovation can make dreams happen. This has guided me to continue to strive for the progress of people and the environment, making a stronger, healthier and better future for all of us.
I have expertise is taking a strategic vision and building great companies & organizations in order to accomplish these visions.
Over the past 15 years, I have continued to lead in this fashion, doing it from a variety of leadership roles in the business, social and commercial spheres.
I love a challenge and especially love making impossible missions become a reality!

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.

Casey has over three and half decades of experience in the information, communication and technology industry working in and serving markets throughout North America including real-estate. Electrical engineer by training, Casey has worked in R&D, product development, sales, executive management and has introduced countless of digital strategies, services and technologies for AT&T, Motorola, through private investments and more recently RYCOM Corporation. Founder of RYCOM, Casey is an entrepreneur, leader, investor, builder, frequent contributor to various industry thought leadership discussions and panels. The most important personal asset we have is our time and experience, Casey serves on a number of industry boards and with RYCOM supports a variety of academic collaborations to develop the next generation workforce. Most importantly Casey is a husband and dad who cares about human values and needs. Through the creation of LEAN ON ME, RYCOM serve’s and gives back to our communities corporately and individually.

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Casey possède plus de trois décennies et demie d'expérience dans le secteur de l'information, de la communication et des technologies, travaillant et desservant des marchés partout en Amérique du Nord, notamment celui de l'immobilier. Ingénieur électricien de formation, Casey a travaillé en R&D, développement de produits, ventes et direction générale. Il a mis en place d'innombrables stratégies, services et technologies numériques pour AT&T, Motorola, par le biais d'investissements privés et, plus récemment, RYCOM Corporation. Fondateur de RYCOM, Casey est un entrepreneur, un leader, un investisseur, un bâtisseur et contribue régulièrement à divers débats et panels de réflexion sur le secteur. Notre plus grand atout personnel est notre temps et notre expérience. Casey siège à de nombreux conseils d'administration et, avec RYCOM, il soutient diverses collaborations universitaires afin de former la prochaine génération de travailleurs. Plus important encore, Casey est un mari et un père soucieux des valeurs et des besoins humains. Grâce à la création de LEAN ON ME, RYCOM sert et redonne à ses communautés, tant au niveau individuel qu'au niveau collectif.