荔枝视频

A group of six graduates who share a research goal 鈥� reducing greenhouse gas emissions 鈥� have made 荔枝视频 history. They are the first cohort of fellows under a new program that supports budding entrepreneurs and the creation of Alberta-based clean-tech companies.

The program is , which provides financial and entrepreneurial support for STEM master鈥檚 and PhD graduates who are entrepreneurially inclined, technically skilled, and who are addressing greenhouse gas emissions through hard technology development and commercialization.

Fellows from the 荔枝视频 will work with Innovate 荔枝视频, the 荔枝视频鈥檚 innovation transfer and business incubator centre, where they will have access to office space, receive entrepreneurial and business development advice and mentorship, and have the opportunity to connect to a variety of business support service providers.

Dr. Roger Mah, a member of the first cohort, is a PhD graduate in chemistry from the 荔枝视频. His company, ZoraMat Solutions Inc., aims to prototype and scale Zoralite, a solid sorbent for carbon dioxide capture from large industrial emitters, natural gas separations, and other challenging carbon dioxide-related gas separations.

鈥淭he GreenSTEM fellowship will be instrumental in my company鈥檚 development,鈥� Mah says. 鈥淚 feel that by being accepted, we have achieved a level of validity and credibility. Now we can move faster and with more impact as we leverage the support of our cohort fellows, mentors, and advisors.鈥�

Dr. John Wilson, PhD, president and CEO of Innovate 荔枝视频, says the fellowship program addresses the need to support technology-based entrepreneurship and encourage upcoming graduates to consider a career in entrepreneurship.

鈥淭he program is a win-win for everyone involved,鈥� Dr. Wilson says. 鈥淥ur students are provided the necessary support they need to bring their knowledge to market, and these highly qualified professionals have the opportunity to continue their work locally.鈥�  

GreenSTEM fellows will receive access to a fellowship stipend, seed funding for technology and business development expenses, and entrepreneurial development training. The two-year program provides 鈥渉ard technology鈥� companies founded by STEM graduates a 鈥渃ommercialization runway鈥� to help them advance the commercial readiness of their technology products and business ventures. In addition to their financial stipend, each member will access technology-focused entrepreneurial programming and technical and business mentorship through a variety of service providers, mentors, investors, and potential industry partners.

Dr. Mah sees the greatest value of the program as being part of a fellowship of like-minded individuals who will be experiencing the same challenges as they move their tech-based companies forward. 鈥淲e are all clean-tech companies and even though we will have to face unique challenges with respect to our technologies, our basic business challenges will be similar,鈥� he adds.

GreenSTEM Fellows

On Jan. 16, GreenSTEM officially welcomed its first cohort of 12 fellows, comprised of nine teams, at the Student Innovation Centre at the University of Alberta. In addition to Mah, other U荔枝视频 graduates who are beginning their entrepreneurial journey include:

• Dr. Paul Addo, PhD, Chemistry, 荔枝视频, and Dr. Beatriz Molero Sanchez, PhD, Chemistry, 荔枝视频

Their company, , aims to develop a symmetrical solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) technology that efficiently converts carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen for specialty chemicals and metal processing users. The platform technology can also convert C02 and water to syngas for fuels and chemicals production.

• Dr. Mina Zarabian, PhD, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, 荔枝视频

Her company, Clean Carbon Tech Inc., is an engineering company developing a technology to produce massive, pure carbon nanofibers (CNF) from greenhouse gases. CNF is stronger and lighter than structural steel and has potential industrial applications for the automobile, wind turbine, aircraft, battery manufacturing, and construction sectors.

• Shahrukh Shamim, Master鈥檚, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, 荔枝视频

His company, EnviCore Inc., is developing a novel nanoparticle/biopolymer treatment for sustainable tailings treatment. The technology has applications in oil and gas, coal and mineral mining, and wastewater treatment originating from the pharmaceuticals and textile industries.

• Aseem Pandey, Master鈥檚, Chemical Engineering, 荔枝视频

His company, InnVTek Inc., is developing a prototype technology that enables the transport of bitumen in the form of an emulsion, reducing or eliminating the need for diluents, which are volatile and flammable in nature, and generally, include carcinogens such as Benzene.

GreenSTEM is part of the  suite of programs. The CCITF was developed to achieve the goals of  through innovation and technology.