SolidSky's innovative decarbonization solution webinar

Water doesn't wait, but traditional testing sure does. Weeks for lab results while #contaminants slip through the cracks, it’s like bringing a horse and buggy to a drag race. FREDsense Technologies Corp., born in Calgary, decided enough was enough. They fused #syntheticbiology with #electrochemistry and engineering grit, turning genetically modified #bacteria into field-ready #biosensors that deliver results in hours instead of weeks. Not marketing spin. Their roots trace back to 2012, when a University of Calgary iGEM team built FRED and OSCAR to tackle oil sands tailings ponds. They left with more awards than anyone had collected, and the blueprint for a company redefining water testing. Fast forward to Sept 2025, and the story hits its next crescendo. FREDsense just locked $7M in Series A led by HG Ventures, with Emerald Technology Ventures stepping in as partner. That’s not just cash, it’s a strategic stamp from firms that spot transformational tech. With the raise comes Clayton MacDougald of Emerald joining the board, ensuring growth is backed by capital, counsel, and conviction. Total funding to date? $10.5M. Not bad for an idea that started in a student lab. The flagship is FRED-PFAS, the first portable field test kit for "forever chemicals" capable of parts-per-trillion detection. #Regulators call them PFAS, industries call them headaches, and FREDsense calls them business. Deployments include a major U.S. airport for firefighting foam cleanup and partnerships with remediation leader TRS Group. They’ve layered on a five-day PFAS lab service covering 40 analytes, miles ahead of legacy players stuck in backlog purgatory. Not incremental progress, flipping the timeline of accountability. Driving this are leaders blending science with commercial chops. David Lloyd has steered as CEO since day one. Emily Hicks shifted from President to COO, grounding operations with the same vision she brought to iGEM. Robert Mayall, CTO, is the electrochemistry mind translating science into hardware. Add President Eric Stoermer, who’s scaled water startups from zero to acquisition, and Chief Commercial Officer Melanie McClare, a proven force in water and wastewater, and you’ve got a leadership table built for scale and staying power. The market tells the rest. Water testing sits at $4.59B, heading to $6.02B by 2030, with PFAS the lightning rod driving urgency. With patents, a tech stack blending #biology and data, and capital to scale, FREDsense is positioned to be the first call when regulators tighten screws and industries need answers yesterday. This isn’t just funding, it’s fuel for a company proving that when it comes to water, time is everything. #Startups #StartupFunding #EarlyStage #VentureCapital #SeriesA #Water #WaterTech #WaterQuality #CleanTech #Data #DataDriven #Technology #Innovation #TechEcosystem #StartupEcosystem If software engineering peace of mind is what you crave, Vention is your zen.

🚀 Announcement: We’re launching a new Substack series to showcase the world-shaping ventures emerging from our network. For our first Spotlight, we sat down with Tara Love, Co-Founder and CTO of NANOPLUME. NANOPLUME is re-inventing insulation with bio-based aerogels: ultra-light, high-performance materials with the power to cut emissions, reduce energy poverty, and transform how we insulate buildings and ship critical goods. NANOPLUME is already piloting in the cold chain, where lightweight aerogels can extend vaccine and biopharma shipments from 70 to 150 hours – cutting losses that cost the sector an estimated $34bn annually. Long term, they’re targeting construction: an industry where insulation is both a major carbon source and a lever for efficiency. “We believe energy efficiency is the silver bullet for climate goals. Everyone focuses on new energy generation, but conserving what we already use will make the biggest difference.” – Tara Love, NANOPLUME 📖 Read the full profile here: https://lnkd.in/ejmvSY7k #CFFN #CambridgeInnovation #FemaleFounders #ClimateTech #EnergyEfficiency #SustainableMaterials #ColdChain #ConstructionInnovation

Spacedrip team is excited to join the mHUB Sustainable Water Tech Accelerator in Chicago to tackle industrial wastewater treatment and reuse challenges! Seven water-tech innovators have been selected from over 300 applicants to join the accelerator, backed by mHUB, a leading hardtech and manufacturing innovation center, and Current, a nonprofit water innovation hub and anchor of the NSF Great Lakes RENEW Engine.

We’re very proud to announce the launch of BrightCharm Proving Ground, a joint venture between BrightWave and Early Charm headquartered in Aberdeen, MD.  BrightCharm will provide toll manufacturing, contract R&D and contract manufacturing to scale algae-based production of chemicals and specialty materials for global industrial markets. Built next to Aberdeen Proving Ground and designed to complement DEVCOM’s biomanufacturing capabilities, BrightCharm connects BrightWave’s patented PBR technology with Early Charm’s materials and production expertise. Kelsey Abernathy, PhD will lead operations as we begin serving commercial and defense customers alike. Read the full press release here →  https://lnkd.in/eP5EkqUg #biomanufacturing #tollmanufacturing #materials #formulation #algae

RedNOx, Inc. is a Silicon Valley–based climate technology company pioneering ultra-sensitive gas sensor solutions for agriculture and heavy-duty mobility. Founded by Dr. Solomon Ssenyange, Dr. Prabir Dutta, and Dr. Darby Makel, the company leverages decades of expertise in chemistry, sensor design, and commercialization to address two critical global challenges:  • Reducing nitrogen fertilizer emissions (N O and NO) in agriculture.  • Enabling ultra-low NOx emissions compliance for heavy-duty engines.  With headquarters in Fremont, California, RedNOx is building a platform that combines hardware innovation with data-driven insights to deliver measurable environmental and economic value.

#Whitehydrogen is emerging as a game-changing #cleanenergy source, combining low #carbonemissions with cost-effective extraction from nature. Recent market insights reveal its potential to grow from $39.2 million in 2024 to an estimated $56.8 million by 2030 - an impressive 7.1% #CAGR. This natural alternative not only offers environmental benefits but also drives #innovation in exploration #technologies, paving the way for accessible #decarbonization solutions across various #industries. Innovative #startups like Gold H2, and Snowfox Discovery are at the forefront, harnessing new technologies to unlock white hydrogen's full potential. Read more in the #pressrelease - https://bit.ly/4nTOKUD #Sustainability #EnergySolutions #MarketTrends #MarketGrowth #MarketResearch #BCCResearch

Swan-H isn’t just rethinking ammonia. They’re reimagining how we feed the planet and fuel its energy transition. Since 2021, Swan-H, a CNRS spin-off has been developing a breakthrough process in its own lab, with the support of Toulouse Tech Transfer and busines angels' money. Their 12-person team, including 4 co-founders, is engineering a novel, low-impact method to produce ammonia. Why it matters: - Fertilizer use represents nearly 2% of global CO₂ emissions. - Clean ammonia could be the missing link to scale green hydrogen. Swan-H’s innovation could reshape the fertilizer industry and become a catalyst for the hydrogen economy. As the project enters a new phase of acceleration, Swan-H is teaming up with those who share their vision for climate-positive innovation. Glad to stand by their side on this journey. #Swan-H #Startup #Ammonia #Hydrogen

Dr. Harriet Kildahl Joins PeroCycle as Technical Director — Powering the Next Phase of Industrial Decarbonisation We’re thrilled to announce that Dr. Harriet Kildahl has joined PeroCycle this month as our new Technical Director, bringing with her a wealth of expertise in carbon conversion materials and a deep passion for transforming industrial sustainability. HARRIET'S STORY AND EXPERTISE Dr. Kildahl is no stranger to the pioneering science behind PeroCycle. As co-inventor of the company’s core technology, Harriet was instrumental in developing the process that converts CO₂ emissions from steel mills into usable carbon monoxide (CO), a feedstock that can replace coke in furnaces, enabling a closed carbon loop for heavy industry. Her journey began alongside Professor Yulong Ding, with whom she co-developed the breakthrough concept that underpins PeroCycle’s mission today. With a background in chemical engineering and carbon utilisation research, Harriet has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in the field of industrial decarbonisation. COMPLEMENTING LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE Harriet’s appointment marks a powerful partnership with Grant Budge, PeroCycle’s CEO, who has led the development and commercialisation of CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) and CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilisation) technologies for over a decade. “Harriet brings not just technical excellence, but a visionary understanding of how carbon utilisation can reshape industrial economics. Together, we’re building a pathway that doesn’t just capture carbon, it keeps it in the loop,” said Grant Budge, CEO of PeroCycle. Together, Harriet and Grant are leading PeroCycle’s mission to transform the performance and economics of industrial decarbonisation pathways. By turning CO₂ into a valuable resource directly at the source, PeroCycle’s closed carbon loop technology offers a pragmatic, profitable route to net-zero manufacturing — one that could redefine how industries like steel, cement, and chemicals think about emissions. A VISION BECOMING REALITY Reflecting on her new role, Dr. Kildahl shared her excitement: “It’s incredibly exciting to return to the technology I helped develop and see it move towards real-world deployment. Joining PeroCycle is an opportunity to help shape the vision Professor Ding and I first imagined — and to see it come to life at industrial scale.” LOOKING AHEAD: PILOT PLANT PeroCycle is now entering an exciting new phase of development — the design and implementation of its pilot plant. The company is currently raising £4.5million (with aim for early close on £1.5M to accelerate the next stage), which will demonstrate the technology’s performance and scalability at industrial conditions. This milestone will bring PeroCycle one step closer to enabling a circular carbon economy for heavy industry. If you’re an early-stage investor passionate about climate tech, industrial innovation, or sustainable materials, we’d love to talk. PeroCycle

HiNa Battery Technology is a trailblazer in developing and mass-producing batteries using sodium, a widely available element that can be extracted from sea salt. The startup’s products—already powering small vehicles and energy storage plants in China—provide a valuable alternative to lithium-based batteries, made with materials mined and processed in just a few countries. That’s why we named HiNa as one of this year’s 10 Climate Tech Companies to Watch. https://lnkd.in/ef-vN5G5

FREDsense Technologies has closed a $7 million Series A round to expand its field-based PFAS testing technology, aiming to improve water safety and compliance for industries worldwide. The investment was led by HG Ventures with participation from Emerald Technology Ventures, highlighting growing industry support for rapid contaminant detection solutions. Innovation News Network https://lnkd.in/eZFF5wKk #CleanTech #Sustainability #ESG