Schulich and MaRS Partner on Promoting Climate Innovations
A creative partnership between Schulich and MaRS gave eight undergraduate and graduate business students an inside look over the past year at the many challenges climate tech ventures face as they try to grow their businesses for global impact.
The students proved integral to the Mission from MaRS: Climate Impact Challenge, an initiative launched by MaRS in spring 2021 to help 10 of Canada’s most promising climate ventures accelerate deployment of their commercial solutions and overcome barriers that have held back their potential.
As part of the program, a special coalition of industry experts and corporate partners was established to act as industry advisors for each of the 10 ventures. Each participating Schulich student was also assigned to a venture as a Coalition Fellow. The students attended monthly roundtables and workshops, conducted research, and drafted strategy documents that captured coalition work.
In exchange, the students earned academic credits and got the chance to connect and interact with a broad network of stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, investors, government officials and other subject-matter experts who supported coalition activities. They also learned about some groundbreaking technologies that can help Canada and the world achieve net-zero by 2050.
“Giving business students exposure to different careers that touch sustainability themes, particularly those focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, was an important aspect of the MaRS-Schulich partnership,” said Dirk Matten, Professor of Sustainability and founding director of the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business.
“Schulich and MaRS are the premier thought leaders when it comes to leveraging business to address climate change in Canada,” says Matten. “Our collaboration is an innovative step to harness the creativity and vision of the next generation to lead disruptive change.”