Ecofuel

Ecofuel is the venture capital and accelerator vehicle funded primarily by the Arbec family, whose wealth originates from the Quebec-based packaging and forest products company Les Emballages Arbec. The family uses Ecofuel as its primary platform for early-stage clean technology and sustainability investments in Canada.

Yes. Ecofuel runs a structured four-month accelerator program that provides startups with mentorship, office space, and access to industrial partners, alongside making direct seed-stage equity investments. This dual model—combining an in-house accelerator with a dedicated fund—is uncommon among single-family offices and allows Ecofuel to engage with companies earlier than most institutional venture funds.

Ecofuel focuses on clean technology sectors particularly relevant to Canada's industrial economy, including energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, advanced materials, water treatment, precision agriculture, and industrial decarbonization. The fund favors companies that can leverage Quebec's low-cost renewable electricity and the province's university-led research in these fields.

Investment decisions are influenced by the leadership of Cycle Capital Management, founded by managing partner Andrée-Lise Méthot, a prominent figure in Canadian cleantech venture capital. The Arbec family participates as the anchor limited partner, with institutional co-investors such as BDC Capital also holding positions in later fund vintages.

While the fund's core investments are concentrated in Quebec, Ecofuel also evaluates opportunities in Ontario and other Canadian provinces where the industrial emissions profile or cleantech research base aligns with its thesis. The accelerator program has historically drawn participants from across Canada's major cleantech hubs.