NorthX invests CAD $2.5 million in women-led climate tech
Fri, 25th Sep 2026 (Today)
NorthX Climate Tech has invested CAD $2.5 million in five women-led climate technology ventures in Canada as part of its Women in Climate Tech initiative.
The funding will support companies working on carbon emissions, agricultural waste, permafrost risks, low-carbon building materials, and alternatives to microplastics. The programme is intended to help companies move from technology validation to commercial production while addressing women founders' limited access to capital.
The five businesses selected are Carbonyx, Insporos Technologies, PermaC Land & Environment, Seafoam Materials, and Tydra Labs. Each is based in British Columbia or has projects tied to the province, reflecting NorthX's focus on supporting regional innovation with potential to scale across Canada.
Carbonyx is developing materials made from captured carbon dioxide and industrial waste. NorthX's funding is earmarked for demonstration units in British Columbia as the company works to validate its process while capturing CO2 and diverting concrete waste from landfill.
Insporos Technologies focuses on seed analysis for agriculture, using non-destructive methods and artificial intelligence to assess seed quality and disease risk before planting. The funding will support field evidence generation to help validate the technology and encourage uptake by growers and seed companies.
PermaC Land & Environment is developing technologies to stabilise thawing permafrost, which poses infrastructure and climate risks in northern regions. The support will be used to gather performance data and aid deployment in Arctic communities.
Seafoam Materials makes construction materials from seaweed and upcycled waste, aiming to store carbon in the built environment and reduce emissions linked to conventional building products. The investment will help fund pilot manufacturing as the company expands production.
Tydra Labs is developing biopolymers from waste streams as a substitute for microplastics used in cosmetics. The funding will support what NorthX described as British Columbia's first decentralised fungal fermentation facility, moving the business from laboratory work toward pilot manufacturing.
Funding gap
The programme addresses a long-standing funding imbalance for women entrepreneurs in deep technology and industrial climate sectors, where capital needs are often high and development cycles are long. NorthX, which describes itself as a non-profit investor in climate hard tech, said the initiative is designed to bridge the gap between early technical proof and commercial traction.
Sarah Goodman, President and CEO of NorthX, set out the rationale behind the awards.
"Women founders are developing solutions to economic, industrial, and climate challenges facing Canada," Goodman said.
"These five companies reflect the depth of innovation being created here in British Columbia. If we want to turn that innovation into companies that scale and create economic value here at home, we need to make sure founders have access to early capital and commercialization support to prove their technologies and reach the market," Goodman added.
The announcement also drew support from federal and provincial ministers, who linked the investments to industrial development and climate policy.
"Addressing today's climate challenges requires diverse ideas, solutions, and workers," said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions.
"Investing in women-led climate tech companies like Carbonyx, Seafoam Materials, and Tydra Labs will help bring innovative technologies to market, advancing our climate goals while creating good-paying jobs and strengthening our economy," she added.
Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, also commented on the role of women entrepreneurs in Canada's innovation economy.
"The Government of Canada recognizes the important contributions of women entrepreneurs who are helping build a stronger and more sustainable economy through innovation," said Joly.
"Congratulations to these women-founded companies for their leadership and commitment to developing technologies that can help reduce emissions and strengthen Canada's competitiveness. Support from organizations such as NorthX Climate Tech helps innovators bring these solutions to market for the benefit of all Canadians," she concluded.
Track record
NorthX has committed more than CAD $36 million across 45 projects involving companies with women in leadership roles since it was founded in 2021. That represents more than 58% of its total capital commitments to date.
The organisation said its investments have helped companies secure more than CAD $430 million in additional capital, or nearly CAD $12 from other sources for every NorthX dollar committed.
Founded with backing from the British Columbia government, the Government of Canada, and Shell Canada, NorthX focuses on what it calls climate hard tech, targeting businesses that need support to move from technical validation to early commercial deployment.