< PreviousLab photo of Dr. Deepak and Dr. Sahar Sam discussing the experimental results Tell us about Solaires’ mission. At Solaires, our mission is to make solar energy more accessible by developing photovoltaic solutions that contribute to minimizing the planet’s environmental footprint. What inspired your found- ers to start Solaires? Being passionate about new tech- nologies to improve human lives, they started Solaires knowing how important it is to take action now to reduce the carbon footprint. Th eir personal goals include being able to use their knowledge and experience to work towards saving the planet and creating a better place for the next generation. As a company, we have gath- ered a great number of specialists and experts in this fi eld, and are working with several universities and industry partners to achieve our goals. What were some of the challenges they encountered? We have a disruptive technology which, unlike sustaining inno- vations that improve existing products, we are reinventing a technology with a new business model. In addition to developing and validating our new technolo- gy, fi nding the best go-to-market strategy is one of the challenges we have faced. Moreover, leading a large team of scientists, engineers, and busi- ness professionals is one of the day- to-day challenges to make sure ev- eryone is aligned with our product development and business goals. We strive to have everyone respect and follow our core values at Solaires. We have created a safe environment for everyone to share their thoughts and ideas, and make sure everyone feels valued and heard. What is Solaires’ biggest success? Although Solaires is a young company, we were able to gather SOLAIRES Shining a light on accessible and affordable solar energy solutions With climate change a pressing concern, the need to achieve greenhouse gas emission tar- gets is becoming increasingly important. However, renewable energy sources that can help decrease these emissions, like solar, aren’t always accessi- ble or affordable. Solaires, a past partici- pant in the Spring Activator Campbell River Impact Investor Challenge, is addressing this issue by developing accessi- ble solar energy technology of their own. We chatted with Carolina Betancourt, Marketing and Business Development Manager, about Solaires’ inno- vative technology, passionate and diverse team, and goals. 30 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEmore than 20 professionals and experts in this fi eld, some with more than 20 years of executive experience. Today, we are working with fi ve diff erent research groups inside and outside Canada. We have signed MOUs (memoran- dums of understanding) with several partners in Canada and overseas to test and evaluate our products. Furthermore, one of the founders’ biggest personal successes is seeing how engaged and dedicated our employees are to our goals. What makes your organization unique? We have a very diverse team with diff er- ent backgrounds and mindsets who have come together to pursue one goal: help Canada achieve the zero greenhouse gas emission target by making solar cells and solar energy conversion technology more accessible and aff ordable. We are changing the way solar cells are currently made and are also impact- ing the ability of women and minori- ties to participate in a science-based industry. Solaires is a certifi ed Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), with 60% of the management team being women. We are committed to meet- ing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and we are also in the process of being B Corp certifi ed. How does Solaires make the world better? Solaires is ambitiously working towards a number of powerful impact areas. Without a major acceleration in clean energy innovation, net-zero emissions targets will not be achievable. Th at is why we are developing the next genera- tion of solar cells made from perovskite, which will make clean energy solutions more accessible and aff ordable while also broadening the possible applications for solar technology. At the same time, we are raising awareness about climate change, supporting women in STEM, and advancing progress towards sustain- able development. We are bringing to market clean energy innovation that will accelerate the transition to a cleaner world. Tell us about the organiza- tion’s goals. Our primary goal as an organization is to secure a more reliable and clean energy source that will eff ectively help in emission reductions necessary to meet the international climate goals, as well as national reduction targets. We want to support Canada in achieving its zero greenhouse gas emissions target by developing and marketing an innovative technology to harvest solar energy. We also hope our endeavour towards this goal will help establish Canada as an innovation hub and a world class centre of excellence for research and development of solar cell technology. Are there any upcoming ini- tiatives or projects you’d like to share? We are planning to collaborate with Canadian and overseas organizations to help us develop as well as commercial- ize our solar cell technology. We have signed NDAs with these potential part- ners and are in the process of fi nalizing the partnership agreements. We are also partnering with universi- ties to test our products. Our aim with these partnerships is to bridge the gap between the technology that exists in university labs and the commercializa- tion of said technology. What do you most want people to know about Solaires? We want people to understand the impact our project can make in a world where drastic emission reduction is par- amount to control climate change. Our solar technology cuts down emissions of solar cells by 40 percent, making it a more clean source of energy. Our solar panels will be much more effi cient, and the manufacturing for them needs fewer resources compared to the current solar panels. We also need people to know that we are a purpose-driven company that is proud of the work we do. Our diversely talented team, made up of over eight diff erent nationalities, practices our core values every day. At Solaires, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are part of our DNA, and we consider it the foundation of our innovation. Together, we are building an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees. How can people help or con- tribute to Solaires’ mission? Th e easiest way to support us in our mission will be to spread the word! Please share about us, our products, and our mission in your social media handles. Th e support will help us attract investors who are interested in investing in our project. People can also help us grow and expand our network by intro- ducing us to investors who are interested in our technology, to potential custom- ers, and to partners who align with our mission and values. Th e Solar Ink TM solaires.net linkedin.com/company/ solaires-entreprises-inc facebook.com/SolairesInc instagram.com/SolairesInc APRIL 2022 • ISSUE 02 31MAKING THE WORLD BETTER Planting COVER CROPS has increased from 50% in the US 2012 TO 2017. Yale Environment 360, 2020 32 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEOPS d e 2017. WITH REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE APRIL 2022 • ISSUE 02 33ReFeed Canada staff sorting useable produce to be redirected to local partners like the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. REFEED CANADA On a mission to create sustainable food systems for future generations 34 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEReFeed Canada CEO and CVO Stuart Lilley at the ReFeed farm in Langley, BC. As the world continues to experience unprecedented times, one thing that’s certain is humanity’s need for secure food systems. Unfortunately, many people remain food insecure, while the amount of food waste in developed countries like Canada continues to be high. ReFeed Canada is challenging this reality by ensuring future generations have access to sus- tainable food systems. We chatted with Stuart Lilley, CEO & CVO, about ReFeed Canada’s efforts to repurpose food waste, their worm farm, and their exciting partner- ship on an eNFT project. Tell us about ReFeed Canada’s mission. “For the Love of Food, People and Planet.” ReFeed is on a mission to create sustainable food systems for future generations. At a time when over 58% of the food in Canada is wasted, with one third of that food still suitable for human consumption, 1 in 8 people in Canada remain food insecure. At the same time, the agriculture industry accounts for 10% of the greenhouse gas emissions produced globally. Th e food system is broken, and we believe we can help fi x it through circular systems that recover nutrients from agri-food waste, and produce surplus to produce nutrition for people, livestock, and soil. What inspired you to start ReFeed Canada? For the past 12 years, I have witnessed fi rst-hand the industrial amount of pre-consumer food waste that occurs daily in our food industry. During that time, I worked with numerous companies in the food indus- try, including an insect technology start-up, supplying them with food waste to produce sustainable protein. I struggled endlessly with supplying food that could’ve been recovered for organizations that address food insecurity if priorities were aligned with society, rather than the company that controlled the waste stream. I felt that a better system would be to have a facility that could receive and rescue industrial amounts of produce for people fi rst, and what’s left could then be used as feed for livestock and insects to create sustain- able protein and organic soil amendment and fertilizer products, all from agri-food waste. Th ese products could then be sold to produce more food and the revenues could be used to support the social enterprise part of the business, Circular Nutrition™, with a sus- tainable business model. I didn’t understand why all interests: societal, environmental, and fi nancial, could not be aligned in one facility. What were some of the challenges you encountered? As a start-up, you encounter a multitude of challenges on a daily basis. ReFeed is a very ambitious project with multiple modular pieces that work together to create the circular system. Right out of the gate, we were handling industrial amounts of produce waste. We offi cially took over the facility on March 1, 2020. Shortly after, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and all of the plans and investors we had lined up fi zzled. We had to go into survival mode, and that meant becom- ing scrappy in how we generated revenue while we fi gured out how we were going to build our vertical worm farm with no money and very little help. Being underfunded was defi nitely one of the bigger challenges. If it wasn’t for my waste consulting compa- ny and the ability for ReFeed to immediately generate revenue by rescuing and processing produce waste, I don’t think we would’ve made it. APRIL 2022 • ISSUE 02 35ReFeed works with the food industry to collect unused food and food waste, directing it away from GHG producing compost facilities and extracting all its usable nutrition. More recently, supply chain issues have severely delayed the buildout of the worm farm. But I have learned to be philosophical about every challenge and delay – it’s all part of the journey. I am confi dent we can get through anything as long as I keep waking up in the morning and showing up for work. Th is is all part of a bigger plan. What do you consider ReFeed Canada’s biggest success? I think our biggest success has been the team that we have assembled: our staff , advisors, and partners. We have been extremely lucky to fi nd a great team that believe in the vision of ReFeed, the circularity of our model, and the impact we create, and are committed to bringing it to fruition. What makes your organization unique? I haven’t heard of too many companies that are com- mitted to impact in our community and our environ- ment before profi t, never mind the fact that we are bringing together food rescue to address food insecuri- ty, produce waste recovery to feed livestock, and worm farming to produce sustainable protein and replace synthetic fertilizers all at one facility – and somehow make it all make sense from a business perspective. How do you feel ReFeed Canada makes the world better? It would be easy to say that ReFeed makes the world better because of the environmental and community impact that we create, but the reality is that aspect of our company is just a drop in the bucket of what needs to happen around this planet. I truly believe that the greatest impact we are having in the world is how we are inspiring others to think outside of the box, help- ing to motivate others to improve or start their own impactful company, and contributing to a growing community of people that want to see real action with urgency to fi x our broken systems. I’ve said from the beginning of this journey that ReFeed isn’t the answer to everything, but it is setting a new benchmark of what can be done, and hopefully, it will push and inspire others to elevate their game so that we can start accelerating innovation and solutions that will reverse our current trajectory on this planet. Tell us about your organization’s goals. Our primary focus is on building out our Langley facility into a centre of innovation, a commercial scale demonstration of the potential of circular systems in agriculture. We want to demonstrate the entire Circular Nutrition™ potential by utilizing agri-food waste as a resource to be food for people and livestock, or bio-converted into organic growing mediums that are then used to grow more food for the local market, dense in nutrition and carbon negative. As this comes together, we are planning the ex- pansion of ReFeed Farms into other markets, leading with our modular vertical worm farm, while also developing further applications for worms at the 36 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEReFeed Canada worked with a local juice company to turn excess seasonal mandarin oranges into healthy fresh pressed juice for Greater Vancouver Food Bank users. farm level to address manure management issues, the reduction of synthetic fertilizers and mined minerals, and supporting farmers’ transition to regenerative farming practices. Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? One that we are very excited about is our partnership with a company out of Denmark that has created a platform for good called Coin4Planet. Founded by Morten Røngaard of Reality Gaming Group, the premise behind this platform is to create a block- chain-based investment platform which will raise funds by selling “Nature Coins.” Th e proceeds will be directed to real world projects that are making a signif- icant impact, are transparent, and quantifi able for the planet, as well as society. Coin4Planet provides a tool both for investors looking to contribute to green tech projects making a measurable diff erence, and those who are simply seek- ing annual returns with added stability from crypto assets which are tied to real-world projects. ReFeed Canada will be one of their genesis projects receiving direct investment to support the expansion of our operations, including a range of products and ser- vices to help farmers move off chemical fertilizers and onto our natural solutions. I believe this new model of funding has the potential to change the world. What do you most want people to know about ReFeed Canada? Th e most important thing that I want people to know about ReFeed Canada is that we are just a group of regular people who have seen that the food system has been broken for a long time and are not interested in more reports or committees to discuss what we need to do. We are just simply going to do what we believe needs to be done and are happy to do the heavy lifting to get the momentum needed to start changing the way things are done. We can end hunger in this country because it’s not a food production issue, it’s a food redistribution issue – we already grow and make more than enough food to feed everyone. We can also eliminate synthetic fertilizer use by shifting to bio-based growing mediums and nutrient recovery from manure. We need to create systems that recover nutrients instead of wasting them, and nature is our guide. We’re doing this to help ensure that our children have a future and that their children have a future. We don’t have any more time to waste. How can people help or contribute to ReFeed Canada’s mission? Th e fi rst way people can help contribute to ReFeed Canada’s mission is to follow us on social media and to get the word out about the work that we are doing with your friends, your schools, local municipal, and provincial leaders. In 2022, we’ll be launching our worm castings fertilizer and soil remediation products for purchase, and partial proceeds from these sales will directly support our social enterprise that rescues industrial amounts of produce for redistribution to food banks and non-profi ts. In the bigger picture, look around your day-to-day life and see what you can do to help reduce your en- vironmental impact in your community. Big business is watching and listening to the consumers like never before. What we support as a community and what we decide to spend our money on makes a diff erence. It says a lot about where we want to go as a society. refeedcanada.com facebook.com/ReFeedCanada linkedin.com/company/refeedcanada instagram.com/refeedfarms APRIL 2022 • ISSUE 02 37Team members: Gabe Soares, Eddy Chiang, Sumreen Rattan, Gurmesh Sidhu MOMENT ENERGY Powering the next generation of cleaner energy storage 38 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEElectric vehicles offer a more sustainable alternative to gas-powered cars. However, the lithium required to power their batteries is often mined in a way that’s not socially or environmentally conscious. And once these batteries aren’t needed anymore, they can sit unused, but with a lot of energy left in them. Moment Energy is harnessing the potential of these batteries. Moment Energy is an impact-driven energy storage company, which participated in Spring Activator’s National Impact Investor Challenge. We spoke with Edward Chiang, Co-Founder & CEO, about why Moment Energy got started and the exciting projects they’re working on. Tell us about Moment Energy’s mission. Our mission is to ensure that all electric vehicle batteries are responsibly disposed of. Th e reason why this is a problem is because lithium recycling isn’t profi table, costing taxpayers thousands of dollars to get rid of a single electric vehicle once the driver is done with it. With that being said, unfortunately, only about 5% of all electric vehicle batteries are being recycled responsibly, with most of them ending up on shelves or in landfi lls. However, we found out there’s an average of 80% life left in these batteries, so instead of prematurely recycling these batteries, they can be taken out of the vehicle and repurposed and reformatted into something that’s usable for the home or for commer- cial buildings. Th is helps people reduce their diesel consumption, lower their utility bills, and decrease their environmental footprint. We also aim to ensure no new lithium is required to be mined for stationary storage applications because we try to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts happening across the world with lithium mining. What inspired you to start Moment Energy? For myself, while living for four months in a small town called Deep River (just north of Ottawa), doing some nuclear energy research for the Canadian gov- ernment, I realized how even being two hours north of a big city, a lot of Canadians don’t have access to reliable energy. Ottawa was hit with a tornado, and out of power for four hours, while Deep River was out for 24 hours – something I was told was normal for them; they often lacked power for a week at a time, if not longer. As we dug deeper, we found that Canadians – Indigenous communities, especially – are very diesel-dependent. Th e government spends tens of millions of dollars on shipping fuel just to keep the lights on, but a lot of remote communities don’t want diesel. Th ey want to wean off diesel, but solar and wind power are too intermittent. Th at’s why energy storage is needed to decrease their fuel usage, and hopefully, even replace the diesel generators one day. In terms of the founding members of Moment Energy, we’re a group of four best friends who met APRIL 2022 • ISSUE 02 39Next >