2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival



Marché Bonsecours325 rue De la Commune East, Old Montreal (QC) CA H2Y 1H2

Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
Turning Breakthrough Climate Innovation into Real-World Impact
Turning Breakthrough Climate Innovation into Real-World Impact

The 2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival convened global leaders, innovators, investors, and philanthropists in Montréal for two powerful days dedicated to accelerating the world’s most promising climate solutions.
Held at the historic Marché Bonsecours, the Festival brought together founders, corporate partners, policymakers, and ecosystem builders around one shared objective: to identify, validate, and propel breakthrough climate technologies from lab to market.
 
From built environment to water innovation, agtech, and carbon removal, the Festival showcased the depth and urgency of the climate innovation pipeline. Across high-energy panels, curated investor sessions, and the signature Prize Ceremony, one message was clear: the solutions exist, and catalytic capital can move them faster.

By the NumbersA Platform Built for Scale
By the Numbers


 
Global cohort of high-impact climate ventures
Hundreds of senior leaders and ecosystem partners convened
Multi-track programming across priority climate verticals
Philanthropic prize capital deployed to de-risk breakthrough solutions
Strong follow-on investor engagement across the finalist pool

The 2025 Festival reinforced CSP’s role as a powerful bridge between innovation and investment, helping the most promising solutions cross the critical early-stage funding gap.

Looking AheadFrom Momentum to Market Adoption
Looking Ahead

The 2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival once again demonstrated that the climate innovation engine is strong — but speed and scale now matter more than ever.
Through philanthropic prize capital, strategic visibility, and curated investor access, CSP continues to:
 
Bridge the early-stage funding gap
De-risk breakthrough technologies
Signal the market toward the most promising solutions
Mobilize follow-on capital at scale 
Momentum is building — and the Climate Solutions Prize is doubling down, not slowing down. 
 
Join us in Montréal in June 2026 as we continue to turn climate ambition into climate execution.

Breakthrough Research Prize 1st Place ($250,000)Steacy Coombs, RXNHub in collaboration with Carbon Lock Technologies, Ontario/Manitoba
Breakthrough Research Prize 1st Place ($250,000)

Converting CO₂ into stable biocarbon
 
By converting organic waste into a biochar and bio-oil we are able to create valuable materials for sustainable construction and green infrastructure, all while delivering important downstream greenhouse gas reductions across a number of industries. Our solution is cost effective and practical for communities anywhere in Canada to adopt to manage their organic waste (and landfill methane emissions). With Canada’s vast infrastructure and millions of tonnes of organic waste generated annually, our solution has the potential to scale to the megatonne level, making a real impact on national and global emissions, removing and sequestering atmospheric carbon, and supporting green jobs and sustainable economic growth.
 

Breakthrough Research Prize 2nd Place ($150,000)Shannon Sterling, Dalhousie University in collaboration with CarbonRun
Breakthrough Research Prize 2nd Place ($150,000)

Boosting rivers’ natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the air
 
By safely adding alkaline materials, it reduces acidity in the water, creating healthier conditions for fish and freshwater ecosystems. RAE works with nature, is scalable across many regions, and doesn’t rely on heavy infrastructure. Beyond its environmental benefits, it also creates opportunities for community engagement, education, and green jobs—making it a win for both people and the planet.

Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize 1st Prize ($100,000)Christophe Roy, Technologies de pêche Aquarius inc., Sherbrooke, Quebec
Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize 1st Prize ($100,000)

Reducing the environmental footprint while improving the efficiency of fishing operations
 
Bottom trawling is a commercial fishing technique that involves dragging a net along the ocean floor with a boat. The net is held in place with heavy weights, destroying marine habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. By stirring up large amounts of sediment, this practice releases 400 million tons of CO2 annually (half of the aviation industry's emissions). Finally, this practice contributes to the loss of marine biodiversity by destroying ecosystems, hindering their regeneration, and capturing non-target species. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize 2nd Prize ($50,000)Patrick Racine, ChillSkyn, Inc., Montreal, Quebec
Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize 2nd Prize ($50,000)

Proactively preventing solar radiation from turning into heat
 
ChillSkyn’s PolyFrost™ is an innovative nano-structured coating that dramatically reduces cooling energy consumption by reflecting 97.5% of solar radiation and passively emitting heat. Unlike traditional white paints, PolyFrost maintains trailer surfaces 5°C below ambient and has demonstrated up to 23% energy savings in air-conditioned containers.

Climate Startup Equity Prize Pre-Commercialization ($150,000)Harvest Moon Foods Inc., Montreal, Quebec
Climate Startup Equity Prize Pre-Commercialization ($150,000)

Growing environmental impact of dairy
 
Harvest Moon is the first company in Canada using microorganisms to create animal-free casein, the main protein in dairy and the key to unlocking a new generation of plant-based alternatives that taste, function, and nourish just like conventional dairy. Their carbon neutral, circular process uses just a tiny fraction of the resources of conventional dairy, and, because their process is animal-free, they reduce the risk of future pandemics. By combining cutting-edge innovation with a commitment to a better future, they're making dairy without compromise, for people, animals, and the planet.

Climate Startup Equity Prize Commercialized ($250,000)Gillian Holcroft, Green Graphite Technologies, Montreal, Quebec
Climate Startup Equity Prize Commercialized ($250,000)

Using gas and a hot furnace to remove all the contaminants from the graphite
 
Green Graphites Technologies patented continuous, rapid carbochlorination process, a result of more than 10 years of innovation, produces coated spherical purified graphite (CSPG - > 99.95% pure), a critical ingredient for lithium-ion batteries, from multiple feedstocks. Mined natural flake graphite can be used as a feedstock to produce cost-competitive CSPG (25% reduction vs incumbent hydrofluoric acid based technologies), with a substantially reduced carbon footprint. One 20,000 tpa CSPG production plant in Quebec using GGT’s process would represent a GHG reduction of 109,000 tpa CO2eq, or 82%, compared to the dominant hydrofluoric acid (HF) plants used in China.

Canadian Energy Innovator Prize powered by AtkinsRéalis ($100,000)Sahar Sam, Solaires Entreprises Inc., Victoria, BC
Canadian Energy Innovator Prize powered by AtkinsRéalis ($100,000)

Next-gen photovoltaic technology using perovskite materials that are uniquely suited for indoor light
 
An innovative solar technology based on perovskite materials, enabling efficient energy generation from both indoor and outdoor light. Their photovoltaic modules convert ambient light into electricity, allowing IoT devices to operate remotely without connecting to the grid. These lightweight, flexible, and highly efficient modules meet market demands for sustainable energy solutions, including wearables, smart gadgets, and in-building photovoltaics. Their PVModules eliminate the need for 10 AA batteries per device directly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from battery production. 

Carbon Removal Prize powered by Deep Sky ($25,000)Mina Zarabian, Carbonova, Calgary, Alberta
Carbon Removal Prize powered by Deep Sky ($25,000)

Turning a problem into a product—better, cleaner, and more efficient
 
Carbonova has pioneered a cutting-edge chemical process using novel catalysts to produce high-purity Carbon Nanofiber (CNF) through advanced catalytic reactions. This breakthrough technology is not only flexible and scalable but also significantly reduces energy demand and costs compared to traditional methods. Their process stands out for its efficiency, driven by an exothermic reaction, innovative catalyst design, and an integrated waste heat recovery system, resulting in an energy requirement far lower than that of their competitors. Their CNF actively sequesters carbon during its use phase, making it an ideal solution for industries looking to reduce their carbon footprint. 

2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival



2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-127.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-128.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-129.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-130.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-131.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-132.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-133.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-134.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-135.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-136.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-137.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-138.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-139.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-140.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-141.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-142.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-143.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-144.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-145.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-146.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-147.jpg
2025 Climate Solutions Prize Festival | Climate Solutions Prize | The Climate Solutions Prize is an unparalleled competition designed to inspire researchers and organizations with funding to fight the climate crisis.
https://climatesolutionsprize.com//uploaded/festivals/6/6-148.jpg