Toronto AI firm gets backing from Al Gores fund

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There is growing interest in direct air capture technologies to mitigate climate change. But there’s a catch: Most existing systems capture carbon in liquids that freeze easily.

“In Canada, they can’t run most of the year,” says Vida Gabriel, co-founder of TerraFixing, an Ottawa-based company working on an alternative.

TerraFixing is developing a system specifically designed for cold climates and is planning a pilot project in Fermont, Que. The technology is housed in a container-sized box into which a fan continuously draws air.

Instead of using liquids, the system captures carbon dioxide by passing air over a mineral called a zeolite. Once harvested, the carbon could be sequestered underground (the company is eyeing potential sites in the Arctic). The system will run on renewable energy and have carbon sequestration in place.

Gabriel points out that the Great White North is an excellent place for carbon capture with cold-proof technology. Heat makes molecules in the air move faster, “but as soon as you start cooling things down, they move less and are easier to capture.”

This work caught the attention of Klarna, a fintech company contributing a total of $2.35 million to promising new climate solutions around the world. TerraFixing is planning to use the funding to accelerate its technology development and compete in the high-profile $100 million XPRIZE for carbon removal, where it is a top 60 finalist.

Toronto drug discovery company gets backing from big name

BenchSci of Toronto has closed a $95 million fundraiser led by Al Gore’s investment firm, Generation Investment. BenchSci uses AI to accelerate drug discovery and is used by 16 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies.

Canadian water technology considered a global breakthrough

Pani, based in Victoria, British Columbia, was named Breakthrough Technology Company of the Year at the Global Water Summit in Berlin. The company analyzes data from water treatment plants to optimize their performance.

More friendly looking to make friends all over the country

A Guelph company is looking to expand across Canada after raising $2.3 million from investors. Friendlier creates reusable take-away containers and manages their return, sterilization and deposit management by users. To date, it has expanded to more than 200 restaurants, supermarkets and grocery stores in Ontario and operates a pilot program with Guelph-area Zehrs.

Non-profit organizations win awards for their colorectal cancer strategies

Two Ontario-based non-profit organizations, Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Center and Flemington Health Center, have won the Innovating for Everyone: The Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Challenge. Niagara Folk Arts runs a program that focuses on increasing health literacy and promoting colon-friendly diets. Flemington Health Center came in second with its strategy to expand its ambassador program to educate communities about colorectal cancer.

By the numbers:

440 GW: The International Energy Agency says the world will add a record 440 gigawatts of renewable electricity capacity this year in response to the energy crisis. That’s more than the total power of Spain and Germany combined.

156%: Everyone is jumping on the AI ​​bandwagon. Registrations of .ai domain names have increased by 156% since last year.

34%: According to BDC Capital, venture capital investments fell by 34% last year, returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Rebecca Gao writes about technology for MaRS. Torstar, the parent company of the Toronto Star, has partnered with MaRS to highlight innovation in Canadian businesses. SHARE:

Disclaimer This content was produced as part of a partnership and therefore may not meet the standards of impartial or independent journalism.

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