Leadership in Canadian clean technology: EDC announces 2021 Export Stars and Ones to Watch

Export Development Canada (EDC) is proud to showcase Canadian entrepreneurs who are raising the bar in developing technologies that are instrumental in the fight against climate change. Today, EDC is announcing the 2021 Export Stars and Ones to Watch at its fifth annual Cleantech Export Week, which began on Oct. 25.

“As the shift towards a low-carbon global economy accelerates, clean technologies are in high demand,” said Carl Burlock, EDC’s executive vice-president and chief business officer. “These entrepreneurs have made Canada proud, developing innovative solutions to help their clients transition towards a more sustainable future.” 

EDC has named GREENMANTRA Recycling Technologies Ltd., XpertSea Solutions Inc and Terramera Inc as its 2021 Export Stars. EDC has also identified two Canadian cleantech companies on its Ones to Watch list: Empowered Homes Incorporated (Mysa) and Quadrogen Power Systems, Inc. 

“Canadian cleantech talent is on full display with this year’s Export Stars and Ones-to-Watch, and we congratulate them for standing out and making a difference in their fields,” said Guillermo Freire, EDC’s vice-president of Structured and Project Finance. “The list of candidates was an extensive one to choose from, which further highlights Canada’s ability to innovate in this sector. With exciting success stories like these, and a platform for the ecosystem to connect, share and learn, EDC’s aim for Cleantech Export Week is to continue to showcase Canadian innovation and support the sector’s growth, both at home and abroad.” 

Since identifying cleantech as a corporate priority in 2012, EDC has steadily increased our support to the sector. Over nearly a decade, EDC has facilitated approximately $13.5 billion in Canadian cleantech exports. Reflective of growing global demand, EDC’s support to the cleantech industry has been accelerating, by more than 120% over the past three years.  Most recently, in July 2021, EDC announced our commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050 across our business lines and in our own global operations. As such, our support to the cleantech sector will remain an integral element to our corporate strategy--and to the path to carbon neutrality in the years ahead. 

2021 Canadian Export Stars

GREENMANTRA Technologies (Brantford, ON) 

GREENMANTRA transforms waste plastic into specialty waxes and polymers that enhance industrial applications such as asphalt roofing and roads, drainage pipes, and various plastic products. With a vision to be a catalyst for sustainable impact, GREENMANTRA’s products allow manufacturers to lower their overall carbon footprint and improve their sustainability profile. The company annually diverst tens of thousands of pounds of plastic from landfill into valuable end markets.

XpertSea Solutions Inc. (Québec City, QC)

XpertSea leverages artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help shrimp farmers modernize operations and boost profits through valuable production insights and a data-driven marketplace of sellers and buyers. Customers located in more than 50 countries use the company’s technology to track and manage their aquatic populations, leading to reductions in disease, feed requirements and waste in general. With the goal of promoting global food sustainability, XpertSea is focused on expanding its support to farmers in developing countries such as Ecuador, India and Vietnam where aquaculture is the primary source of protein. 

Terramera Inc. (Vancouver, BC)

Terramera is an ag-tech company unlocking the intelligence in nature by simulating the interaction of molecules and taking learnings from the lab into the field. The company provides solutions to the agricultural industry to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides, increase crop resiliency, predictability and quality, and measure the carbon sequestered through regenerative agriculture.

2021 Ones to Watch

Empowered Homes Incorporated / Mysa (St. John's, NL) 

Mysa produces smart thermostats that analyze user consumption and offer full remote control of residential heating and cooling systems through a single mobile app. The company is enabling homeowners to reduce their energy consumption while saving them up to 26% on their home electricity bills. Since Mysa was founded in 2016, the company has grown more than 50% year-over-year and shipped more than 150,000 thermostats throughout Canada and the U.S. With a mission to help fight climate change, Mysa is supporting consumers’ transition to more sustainable consumption. 

Quadrogen Power Systems, Inc. (Burnaby, BC)

Quadrogen designs, builds and delivers customized biogas clean-up and upgrading systems that allow waste-water treatment plants, landfills, agricultural digesters and power generation facilities to turn waste biogas into clean energy and renewable natural gas. With more than 50 upcoming installations planned in North America, Asia, and Europe, Quadrogen has its sight set on helping even more customers achieve their sustainability goals while remaining financially profitable.