Rotary Peterborough and Cleantech Commons Launch Environmental Innovators Fund
The Rotary Club of Peterborough and Cleantech Commons have joined forces to promote environmental innovation.
Cleantech Commons has joined Rotary as its founding Title Partner to launch a new initiative known as the Rotary Environmental Innovators Fund (REIF).
REIF is designed to advance environmental innovators working in biodiversity, water and wastewater technologies, climate change, sustainable living, pollution, and waste disposal.
It will support and advance the passion of local environmental innovators: both individual environmentalists and start-ups working on some of the top environmental concerns impacting the Peterborough area and beyond.
It will also generate networking gateways for all the applicants to connect with related ventures in Ontario and Canada and offer vital mentoring relationships. To submit an application, click here!
Cleantech Commons executive director, Martin Yuill, tells us that he is excited about the REIF’s immediate and future impact.
According to Yuill, these include:
- generating innovation-led economic development and employment opportunities for the local community,
- attracting cleantech and environmental investors and mentors, and
- identifying early-stage innovators and entrepreneurs.
Yuill points out that REIF entrants stand to benefit from Cleantech Commons’ suite of programming, facilities, and expertise.
“This exciting collaboration will help create pathways for skilled youth and talented graduates to start and grow their own companies and find employment in the environmental sector right here in Peterborough,” says Yuill.
Rotary International’s President Jennifer Jones’s call for Rotarians to “dream big and act now” inspired the Rotary Club of Peterborough to create a way to support and engage innovative environmentalists addressing local issues.
In its inaugural year, the Fund has reached its goal of $10,000 with contributions from corporate and individual environmental “Champions.”
At an Awards Event at Camp Kawartha on April 27, three environmental innovators impacting local issues will be awarded $3,000 each to address environmental issues.
Rotarian Graham Wilkins is leading the charge for the Peterborough Club.
Focusing on a collective impact, Wilkins says, “The journey towards environmental sustainability is inherently collaborative. We can have far more impact by engaging with the individuals and companies working on our behalf. The REIF will help to pave the way for local Innovators to play a role in achieving this.”
To become a Champion /Donor or to submit your application, go to rotaryenvironmentalchampions.ca.
Dates to remember
- Application deadline: March 24, 2023.
- First review stage (by a panel of environmental specialists): March 20 – April 3, 2023.
- Second review stage (by environmental champions): April 5 – April 14, 2023.
- The REIF awards event (top three environmental innovators): April 27, 2023, at Camp Kawartha.
About the Rotary Club of Peterborough
One of the first Rotary Clubs in Canada, the Rotary Club of Peterborough, was established in 1921 to connect leaders from diverse backgrounds to create actionable ways to address local and international issues.
About Cleantech Commons
Cleantech Commons at Trent University is a Research and Technology Park focused exclusively on clean, green, low-carbon, and sustainable technology research, Innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.