Growing a clean-tech “ecosystem”

To create a viable and vibrant clean-tech sector in British Columbia, firms, public and non-profit sector organizations and interested individuals must work together to form an ecosystem of support for clean-tech policy and practice changes, says Dr. Charlene Zietsma of the Gustavson School of Business.

“From my research with clean-tech entrepreneurs,” Zietsma explains, “it is clear that a single entrepreneur can rarely accomplish all the things that need to be accomplished to gain acceptance for their clean technology.

“Frequently, regulation must be changed, attitudes must change, social behaviours must change, and powerful incumbent firms must be convinced to work with clean technology entrepreneurs.”

To help make that happen, Zietsma and Gustavson’s Centre for Social and Sustainable Innovation hosted a GreenTech Exchange on campus this spring.

GreenTech Exchanges are not-for-profit industry forums that were developed on BC’s Lower Mainland to accelerate clean technology innovation and deploy clean energy solutions in regional clusters.

Tom McDowell, GreenTech’s Island coordinator, wanted to “put a spotlight on UVic and the business side of green tech,” to showcase the conventional and not-so-conventional challenges and strategies associated with the sector.

Within the theme Business Strategies for CleanTech Businesses, explains business PhD student Richard Tuck, the goals were to bridge the gap between researchers and businesses, to promote green technology and entrepreneurship, and provide practical business solutions.

To achieve their GreenTech goals, Zietsma and Tuck invited three clean-tech entrepreneurs. John Stonier of Signature Renewables; Janice Cheam, founder, president, and CEO of Energy Aware Technology Inc.; and Dr. Bryan Imber, president & CEO of International Composting Corporation took part in a panel discussion.

“We wanted to make it a dialogue,” Tuck adds, so he and Jill Doucette, founder of Synergy Enterprises, mediated questions from the audience following the panel.

“Some successful clean tech entrepreneurs shared their strategies,” reports Zietsma, “and highlighted the key issues that face the sector. Furthermore, by holding the event on campus, UVic students could be exposed to the clean-tech sector and network for employment opportunities.”

Tuck worked with mechanical engineering PhD student Mike McWilliams and Business Co-op Coordinator Sarah McQuillan to boost the benefits to students. “[It] brought engineering students together with business students,” he says, “to introduce them to ways they could collaborate to bring clean technology products to market."

“In fact,” Zietsma adds, “two students were able to arrange internships with clean technology companies that evening.”

More on Zietsma's research