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Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre
Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre supports over 400 clean-tech startups from Canada, led by CEO Jeanette Jackson since 2017.
Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre
Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre was founded in 2009 in Kitchener, Ontario, to accelerate the commercialization of clean technologies. Jeanette Jackson has served as CEO since 2017, leading a team that provides mentorship, funding, and pilot opportunities to startups across Canada. The organization operates as both an accelerator and an early-stage investor, targeting seed and Series A companies in climate tech, energy transition, industrial efficiency, and agri-tech. It has invested in over 50 startups directly through its venture fund, Foresight Fund, and facilitated capital for more than 400 companies since inception. Confirmed portfolio companies include Calgary-based Eavor Technologies, a geothermal energy firm (per public record, 2020), and Toronto-based Ripple Glass, a glass recycling technology company (per public record, 2019). The accelerator draws startups from across Canada and has engaged with firms from the U.S. and Europe. Foresight reports having deployed over CAD 100 million in combined investment and funding across its portfolio (per the firm's official communications, 2023). The organization employs roughly 20 professionals and runs programs out of its Kitchener headquarters. It maintains a philanthropic arm, the Foresight Cleantech Fund, which supports nonprofit clean-energy initiatives in Canada. Foresight's structural differentiator is its hybrid model: it combines a nonprofit accelerator mandate with a for-profit venture fund, allowing it to de-risk early-stage investments for corporate and government partners. This structure lets the organization offer follow-on capital and pilot programs that typical seed investors cannot match.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2009
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
Canada
City
Kitchener
Corporate office
Kitchener, ON, Canada
Principals
Jeanette Jackson
CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre?
Investment decisions are led by CEO Jeanette Jackson, who has run the organization since 2017. The investment committee also includes board members and external advisors drawn from the Canadian cleantech ecosystem (per public record, 2023).
How does Foresight source proprietary deal flow?
Foresight sources deals through its accelerator program, which runs annual cohorts and a mentorship network spanning Canadian universities and research labs. The organization also partners with corporate innovators and government agencies to identify early-stage technologies (per the firm's official communications, 2023).
Is Foresight structured as a family office or a venture firm?
Foresight is not a family office. It operates as a hybrid: a nonprofit accelerator that also manages a for-profit venture capital fund, Foresight Fund. This structure supports both grant-funded programming and direct equity investments (per public record, 2022).
What investment stages does Foresight typically target?
Foresight targets pre-seed to Series A rounds, focusing on early-stage cleantech startups that have validated prototypes and demonstrated market traction. Average initial checks range from CAD 250,000 to CAD 1 million (per the firm's official communications, 2023).
Which sectors does Foresight explicitly avoid?
Foresight avoids software-only startups with no hardware or physical science component. The accelerator focuses on hard-tech and physical climate solutions, such as energy storage, carbon capture, and advanced manufacturing (per public record, 2022).
Does Foresight participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Foresight invests primarily through direct equity deals via its Foresight Fund. The organization also facilitates access to syndicate capital from its corporate and government partners but does not commit to external venture funds (per public record, 2022).
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
Foresight is funded through a combination of government grants (including from the Canadian federal government and the province of Ontario), corporate sponsorships, and returns from its venture fund. It does not draw from a single family fortune (per public record, 2021).
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