The Concordia University Foundation (CUF) and Inerjys Ventures (Inerjys)
are thrilled to announce their new partnership, working in tandem to
invest in clean technologies and further solidifying their commitment
towards the new energy transformation.
The agreement will see Inerjys invest, through limited partnerships,
$1.2 million from CUF’S long-term pool in three of Inerjys’ portfolio
companies: AESP Green Energy, which builds scalable off-grid solar
solutions; StillGood Foods, whose sustainable snacks combat food waste
and local food insecurity; and Goliath Wind, whose modular rotor
turbines challenge conventional wind-industry economics, both in
manufacturing and operations. AESP and StillGood Foods are both
Quebec-based companies; Goliath Wind will be incorporated in Canada as
part of Inerjys’ commercialization strategy.
The partnership follows CUF’s signing on to the United Nations’
Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) in 2018. In February 2019,
Concordia became the first Canadian university to issue a sustainable
bond.
Beyond CUF’s investments through Inerjys, this next-gen partnership will
involve Concordia students and researchers exchanging with these three
companies at the operational level.
Concordia University President Alan Shepard commented: “Being a next-gen
university extends to every aspect of Concordia, from our research and
teaching to our commitment to community and how we partner with
tomorrow’s industry leaders. This agreement demonstrates Concordia’s
commitment to creating a sustainable future for Canadians, setting an
example we hope other institutions will follow.”
‘’Having an institution as respected as Concordia University join our LP
base is a great boost not just for our portfolio companies, but for the
cleantech sector more broadly,” said Stephan Ouaknine, CEO of Inerjys.
“CUF’s financial commitment will help us continue to source
best-in-class clean technologies for our portfolio and clearly
demonstrates that Concordia shares our goal of mitigating the impacts of
climate change. Having access to Concordia’s socially engaged academic
and alumni networks makes this partnership an even greater win-win.”
For his part, Howard Davidson, Chair of the Concordia University
Foundation, added: “Signing on to the UNPRI and incorporating an Impact
Investments Policy in 2018 means the CUF aims to generate social and
environmental impact alongside a financial return. We achieved that with
our sustainable bond issuance in February. But with Inerjys, we’ve gone
beyond, creating a truly next-gen partnership by involving our students
and researchers in their portfolio of green companies.”
About Inerjys
Inerjys is a global investment firm committed to accelerating the
adoption of clean technologies to rapidly mitigate the effects of
climate change. Inerjys invests in companies with technologies that are
globally deployable and ready for commercialization. Through a unique
investment model, Inerjys is actively helping its portfolio companies
commercialize and generate growth. Find out more at inerjys.com and
on Twitter.
About the Concordia University Foundation
The CUF, incorporated in 1991 and operational as of 1996, strives to
ensure the long-term viability of Concordia’s programs and initiatives.
Alongside Concordia, the Foundation has helped to create and foster an
environment in which teaching, learning and research positively affect
the quality of life in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and the rest of the
world. The Foundation is seeking to create a more diverse, creative and
adaptive society.
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