Ahead of the Curve Starts Here: Six Digital Innovations That Move Us Closer to Net-Zero

The trajectory to a net-zero future depends on how we decide to act and what policies we implement today. Everything we do, or don’t do, will have a cumulative effect and therefore is of critical importance.  

GLOBE Forum 2022 is held in Vancouver (virtually and in-person) on March 29-31 to bring sustainability, industry, investment and policy leaders together. It’s a unique and timely opportunity to connect, collaborate and create a path toward a brighter future. 

The Digital Technology Supercluster is delighted to present its own event during the forum. Titled Ahead of the Curve Starts Here: Six Digital Innovations That Move Us Closer to Net-Zero, the session will feature six innovators launching breakthrough technologies and creating new ways to solve sustainability problems related to supply chains, farming, mining and manufacturing. 

Here’s a brief overview of the projects they are working on, supported by the Digital Technology Supercluster.

Terramera: Precision Agriculture

Agriculture is the foundation of our food supply chain. But the food crops in Canada and other countries are facing tough challenges of climate change, pests, pathogens and viruses.  

Terramera’s Precision Agriculture to Improve Crop Health project develops new pest and pathogen controls using genomics and machine learning. The computational platform helps develop formulations that fight off prevalent crop diseases, first in Canada, and then worldwide.

Presented by Kim Haakstad, VP Stakeholder Relations at Terramera. 

Verge Ag: Autonomous Agriculture

Energy-intensive farming inputs, such as fertilizer, fuel and other chemicals, are costly and increase agricultural carbon footprint, which already represents 12% of Canada’s total GHG emissions. 

Verge Ag is creating the world’s first interactive operational planning platform for autonomous agriculture. The platform will create digital versions of farms, virtually forecast the growing seasons and help plan farming operations to achieve maximum yield within minimum environmental impact. 

Presented by Godard, COO of Verge Ag.

Ideon Technologies: Low-Impact Mining

To power the global transition to clean energy (e.g. solar, wind, nuclear), the production of many critical minerals needs to be increased by nearly 500% over the next 20-30 years. 

Traditional search methods include a lot of unnecessary, invasive and costly drilling. Ideon Technologies is a muon tomography pioneer that helps mining companies identify density and magnetic anomalies up to 1 km beneath the Earth’s surface, much like an x-ray. As a result, the project improves the economics of exploration, increases sustainable production and reduces the environmental impact of mining. 

Presented by Gary Agnew, CEO and Co-Founder of Ideon Technologies.

LlamaZOO: Remote Connectivity Network

Coastal First Nations is a unique alliance of eight First Nations to protect the Great Bear Rainforest, one of the largest temperate coastal rainforest systems in the world. But to improve the lives of its citizens and their economic potential, Coastal First Nations need better connectivity in their remote communities. 

LlamaZOO along with its partners is building the Coastal First Nations Connectivity (CFNC) Network and training Coastal First Nations members for digital leadership positions, which will create the foundations for a new digital economy and provide a collaborative model for other Indigenous communities across Canada. 

Presented by Jay Milroy, Director of Product Management at LlamaZOO.

Koonkie: Mining Microbiome Analysis

Minerals and metals are essential for our clean energy transformation. But resource development must happen responsibly, while protecting the health and safety of nearby communities, rivers and lakes.

Koonkie Cloud Services along with its partners are creating a Mining Microbiome Analysis Platform (MMAP) — an innovative biomining solution for sustainable mining practices of the future. To date, it’s the largest investment in planned natural resource genomic sequencing. 

Presented by Aria Hahn, PhD, CEO at Koonkie Cloud Services.

FoodMesh: Food Distribution Network

58% of the produced food in Canada is either lost or wasted, while one in eight families face food insecurity. Currently, there’s no tool that can connect food businesses to charities or potential buyers of unsold food. 

The Emergency Food Distribution Network project is a marketplace that matches surplus food from producers and retailers with organizations that need it the most. As a result, the equivalent of 1.5 million additional meals are expected to be recovered. 

Presented by Jessica Regan, CEO and Co-Founder at FoodMesh.

To hear more from these innovators, join us at the Ahead of the Curve Starts Here: Six Digital Innovations That Move Us Closer to Net-Zero event at the Globe Forum 2022 in Vancouver (virtually or in-person) from 11:15am to 12pm. 

Register Now

Canadian momentum to meet goals around net-zero is at an all-time high — it’s crucial for all of us to collaborate and act today. This is our contribution to the future.