By: Matthew Kert
Canada has a very strong entrepreneurial culture. As Canadians we have a lot of resources that foster this idea, particularly ‘green’ thinking. Promoting clean tech ideas is very important because it is what makes the world a better place to live. Start-ups are vital to any economy as they are the ones who move the world forward. In the world, Canada ranks 7th in the ability to commercialize ‘green’ start-ups according to the World Wildlife Fund and Cleantech Group LLC, who ranked 38 countries. Renewable energy is becoming a main focus as innovation continues to grow at an exponential rate.
“Canada ranks high because of an entrepreneurial culture, relatively high patent activity and existing corporate activity in the green-tech sector.” The federal
government however doesn’t provide much support for this industry but Canada continues to flourish as a nation. There are however provincial policies which do support ‘renewable’ growth such as Ontario’s Green Energy Act, which provides feed-in-tariffs for renewable energy producers. As well, there are various programs which support entrepreneurs such as MaRS Cleantech Fund and University of Waterloo’s Institute for Sustainable Energy. It’s all about supporting research and development and having a helpful environment that builds on the already strong entrepreneurial spirit here in Canada.
On December 6th, The Altitude Accelerator will be hosting its first Recycling Idol. Companies will be presenting their clean teach ideas and the crowd will be able to vote for their favorite. It is a great opportunity to network with people in the ‘green’ sector and you can even meet the Environment Commissioner of Ontario Gord Miller. It is sure to be and amazing event. Sign up today!
Matthew is a final year undergraduate student majoring in Communication, Culture & Information Technology and Psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. He is interning at the RIC centre and is responsible for managing various social media events the company has to offer. He is very interested in advertising and marketing with a strong background in online marketing.
The RIC blog is designed as a showcase for entrepreneurs and innovation. Our guest bloggers provide a wealth of information based on their personal and professional experiences. Visit Altitude Accelerator for more information on how RIC can accelerate your ideas to market.