“We need more visionary entrepreneurs like Stephan who can imagine a world different to what it is today...”
— Sir Richard Branson

TOPICS

Disrupting Cleantech Finance: A New Model for Supporting Startups

Outside of software, cleantech entrepreneurs are typically in a catch-22 because no one will buy their technologies until they are commercially proven, yet they aren’t proven until they are used commercially. Inerjys Ventures founder Stephan Ouaknine will show how entrepreneurs can pave the way for commercialization by looking beyond equity and debt financing. He will discuss how project finance creates a path to revenue and how his hybrid model of investment supports startups’ growth. Inerjys has brought success to several cleantech and sustainability companies, from tidal power, wind and solar energy to food waste management. Stephan and his team are proving that cleantech investing is not only possible but profitable.

INNOVATION IN FOOD SYSTEMS

With an ever-increasing population the need for reliable food sources is at an all-time high. Founder and managing partner of Inerjys Ventures, Stephan Ouaknine, is investing in the future of food and taking a holistic and circular view of production, transportation and waste. By addressing the carbon impact of all stages of the food system, he’s creating a future that decarbonizes the system by growing more locally, transporting with cleaner technology when required, and turning traditional waste products into delicious food. Through his firm’s investments in foodtech startups, he’s building a future that addresses the most critical issues in the food system. Stephan will talk about how his hybrid model of investing is helping circular foodtech startups to bring their technology to commercialization, proving their viability in the market.

Normally, investors don’t take on the risk of investing in unproven technology, but Stephan believes that the tech we need to create a sustainable world already exists and we can usher in a new era quickly by investing in technologies many would consider outside the box. With an impressive portfolio of companies including food waste management, desertification remediation, and several soon-to-be-announced portfolio companies that help food transportation and local production, Stephan will show how a truly circular food system requires a holistic view that extends beyond farming practices and waste elimination.

 
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Biography:
Stephan Ouaknine

MANAGING PARTNER, INERJYS VENTURES

Stephan Ouaknine is a global entrepreneur and investor who successfully built and exited three high-tech ventures in telecom and IT. Ouaknine then founded Montreal-based investment firm Inerjys with a portfolio focused on disruptive technologies, where he developed a first-of-its-kind hybrid investing model to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy on a global scale. Ouaknine serves on six boards, two as chair, is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative and was a speaker at Davos and COP21.

Ouaknine is a dynamic, charismatic and contagious speaker who has spoken on several important global stages discussing financial models for driving profitability in the sustainability for scale including: