 MAY 23 | 09:00 Welcome Breakfast!

Start the day by joining us for breakfast and networking. This is your chance to start building connections!

 MAY 23 | 10:00 Welcome to the Climate Solutions Festival!

Kicking off two days of inspiration and perspiration! Researchers, students, entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists... People who are choosing climate and not just talking about it, but doing what needs to get done for the situation to change.

 MAY 23 | 10:05 Greetings from Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks

Opening remarks from Quebec's Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, Benoit Charette.

 MAY 23 | 10:10 What's in store over the next 2 days?

Hear from the Chief Climate Solution Prize Officer Galith Levy, and the event's Content Chair, Sylvain Carle about the genesis of the event and the narrative arc for this edition.

 MAY 23 | 10:15 Planning for the great carbon collapse Keynote with Hopper / Deep Sky co-founder, Frédéric Lalonde

What happens when a data driven entrepeneur who understands scenario planning puts the science of climate change to work? What if we planned not for the optimist best case (1.5C), but for 3, 4, 5 or 7 degrees of warming? How would we prepare differently? What actions would we choose now, what would this plan look like? Hear Frédéric Lalonde share his perspective, from harsh truth to determination.

 MAY 23 | 10:40 In conversation with Danièle Henkel

Why are we convinced entrepreneurs can make a major contribution to our climate challenge? We need them because they are creative, resourceful, driven by their passion and possess a special kind of renewable energy that combines the heart and the mind. Join Danièle Henkel and Stephan Ouknine in this conversation about the role of entrepreneurs choosing Climate (Conversation in French).

 MAY 23 | 11:00 In conversation with Ofir Gomeh

When finance is aligned with innovation, great things can happen. In this fireside chat with Capital Nature's Ofir Gometh and Jeffery Hart (Executive Chair of the Climate Solutions Prize), we'll explore what has been happening at this intersection, and what still needs to be done.

 MAY 23 | 11:20 Meet the finalists of the Breakthrough Research Prize Hosted by David Santelli

Esplanade's David Santelli represents the Coalition of Québec's Network of Climate Entrepreneur's support programs. Join him as he presents the finalists of the Breakthrough Research Prize.

 MAY 23 | 11:30 Corporations in action Carl Blanchet, Patrick Gagné, Anne-Marie Gaudet Mari Brossard, Maya Colombani

While personal efforts are important, the biggest impact will come from corporate citizens who put their efforts (and dollars) where the real Greenhouse gas emissions happen. Cradle to cradle, measuring and effecting scope 1, 2 and 3... What are serious corporations implementing in their business strategies and operations as they set ESG and decarbonization targets? Join this discussion and hear from organizations that are leading the way.

 MAY 23 | 12:10 That's a wrap on our first morning!

Let's take stock of what we learned this morning and take this lunchtime to keep the conversations going! Grab a bite and head into the Climate Village to meet fresh faces working on important problems!

 MAY 23 | 13:35 What does the afternoon have in store?

Starting the afternoon on a more reflexive mood, debating techno-solutionism vs low-tech determinism, exploring how finance can be the leverage for climate action and the role of philanthropy as catalytic capital. Mission driven is passion given!

 MAY 23 | 13:40 Promise or peril: Tech won't save us Caroline Brouillette, Laura Faye Tenenbaum, Stephan Ouaknine, Anne Desgagniers, Alistair Croll

Can technology get us to the Paris agreement targets? Can tech save us from the inneficiency of the last decade's policies? Will the IPCC recommendations never get past the ideation stage? Will no amount of innovation save us? Do we just have to scale what we're already doing? Be it resolved that tech will not save us! Join us for a nuanced debate on the promise or peril of technology as the solution to climate change.

 MAY 23 | 14:40 In conversation with Fondaction's Stéphan Morency

"Stéphan Morency (Fondaction) and Karel Mayrand (Fondation du Grand Montréal), have been friends and environmental activists for decades. They have launched new funds as a way to help accelerate the social and environmental transition. Hear them reflect on what has been accomplished in the last few years and the work that still lies ahead. Will they be more optimistic than our debate panel, or less?"

 MAY 23 | 15:00 Time to network and check out the Climate Village

Time to stretch those legs and get up out of your seats! Learn and network in our Climate Village, meet the movers and shakers who have all chosen climate.

 MAY 23 | 16:00 Choosing climate - A family office lens Stephen Bronfman, Joanna Klimczak, Nan-b de Gaspé Beaubien, Graham Schmidt

Join us as we explore the role of foundations and family offices as a catalyst to financing climate projects. Hear about the motivation from major climate donors and investors. We hope this session will inspire more people to put their net worth towards net zero.

 MAY 23 | 16:40 The Audience Choice Award

We've narrowed the field down to our top 10 applicants and one wildcard - all vying for the $100K Quebec Start-Up Track Prize. Now it's their chance to pitch for your vote for the Audience Choice Award! Join this rapid-fire pitch competition and make sure you vote for your favorite startup!

 MAY 23 | 16:55 That's a wrap on Day 1!

A look back on our first day - the goal was not to overwhelm but to provide different perspectives and insights. We look forward to hearing from you as you digest everything you've learned and reflect on your own role in the fight against climate change. Are you an entrepreneur, leader, inventor, researcher, investor? Catalysts!

 MAY 24 | 09:00 Breakfast

Reconnect with people you met on day 1 and meet new people from across the ecosystem!

 MAY 24 | 10:00 Welcome back to day 2 of the Climate Solutions Festival

Kicking off the second day with an eye on real-world examples, from people who choose climate and are proud of what they have accomplished. Starting is key, persistence is important, determination is the only way forward.

 MAY 24 | 10:10 In conversation with Dax Dasilva

Innovation for sure, but conservation matters even more. Dax Dasilva shares his journey with Age of Union. The mission, the book, the projects, the people. And his personal journey from entrepreneurial success to engagement for our planet.

 MAY 24 | 10:40 Launching, scaling & measuring progress Connor Lyons, Amélie Foz-Couture, Zoya Shchupak, Anne-Marie Hubert, Marilou Cyr

How can we launch more companies and support more entrepreneurs? How can we scale the initial lab results fast enough to have a sizeable impact towards Paris agreement goals? Not in 20 years, but as soon as possible. How do we know if we are really going to achieve our goals? Greenwashing is real. Impact can't be fuzzy. This session will talk about the real deal.

 MAY 24 | 11:20 The Showcase: Journey to success

Hear from some of the world leaders in the climate solutions space - how did they get there? What barriers did they face? How did they overcome them? Why did they choose climate? Join us for this not-to-be missed session and get the behind the scenes stories of their journeys to success.

 MAY 24 | 13:30 What does the afternoon have in store?

As we enter our last stretch for the event, let's get to business!

 MAY 24 | 13:35 Tech transfer - closing the gap between academia and entrepreneurship Émilie Boutros, Dr. Mark Weber, Craig Buntin, Elad Shamir

We have amazing "intellectual capital" in Québec and across Canada, but our most promising technologies and innovations don't ever make it out of the labs! Our panelists will explore what works and what doesn't to move from research, to application and commercialization. Listen to those who make it happen share how they do it.

 MAY 24 | 14:15 Innovation & investment Steve Oyer, Irene Yang, Catherine Bérubé, Lynn Côté, Kathryn Wortsman

Without investment and financing, all climate innovation dies on the vine. In this conversation on investing and financing climate, learn from practitioners about the cocktail required to get "First Of A Kind" innovations (FOAK) financed. When you move from $100K, to $1M, to $10M to $100M, as fast as possible.

 MAY 24 | 14:55 In conversation with KKR's Emmanuel Lagarrigue

Starting is important, but scaling is where impact really happens. Listen to Emmanuel Lagarrigue's perspective about late stage climate investing. The previous panel might have stopped at $100M, but climate solutions are estimated to need billions, if not trillions of dollars in funding to make an impact. Let's get money to work.

 MAY 24 | 15:15 Announcing the finalists for the Start-Up Track prize

Finalists! Winners! Prizes! #Exciting

 MAY 24 | 15:20 Networking break

Network and mingle to share your eco-anxiety and your resolve to do something about it.

 MAY 24 | 16:00 Q & A with the Start-Up Track finalists

Listen to our panel of expert judges grill the top finalists. The heat is on, the stakes are high and this is not a metaphor! Who will take home the $100K investment prize?

 MAY 24 | 16:55 That's a wrap!

What a jam packed couple of days! Join us for a look back at the first step in our journey together.

 MAY 24 | 17:00 Closing Cocktail & Awards Ceremony

It's time to grab a drink, unwind, step back and enjoy the company of new friends as we celebrate the winners of our 3 investment prizes. We are all in this together and together we can choose climate and make a tremendous impact.