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4 CSI Alumni Secure Over 8M in Funding

  • Categories Climate Ventures, Member Stories
Nikky Manfredi

Nikky Manfredi

Communications & Content Specialist

We’re rounding up a summer of major funding wins from some of our CSI alumni! After participating in either our WOSEN Investment Readiness Supports program or Earth Tech accelerator, these ventures leveraged what they learned to secure over $8M in funding to launch, scale, and drive impact for people and the planet. Check it out: 

Flash Forest 

Flash Forest, one of our Earth Tech 2020 ventures, uses swarms of autonomous drones to plant trees faster, cheaper, safer and with more ease than ever. They’re on a mission to plant 1 billion trees by 2028 by bringing their tech to six continents and pulling billions of tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere. $3.5M in additional funding will help them do that. 

After an initial nomination from CSI for the SDTC’s $100K seed grant, Flash Forest went on to secure another $1.7M from the Canadian clean tech foundation. They also raised $1.8M frm Emissions Reduction Alberta. Here’s their CEO and founder, Bryce Jones, demonstrating what they do and speaking with Emissions Reduction Alberta about what this funding will help them achieve: 

Foodpreneur Lab 

Over the last year, JaniceHeadshot of Janice Bartley Bartley participated in the WOSEN Investment Readiness Supports program. The program is designed to support established social ventures in identifying, developing, and securing funding opportunities in the coming year. This week, Janice’s venture, Foodpreneur Lab, secured $3M in investment from the Government of Canada’s Ecosystem Fund. 

The ripple effects from this funding will be felt sector-wide: Foodpreneur Lab advances racial and gender equity by supporting the start up and scale up of Canadian food entrepreneurs. 

RainStick

Alisha and Sean McFetridge, co-founders of RainStickAnother Earth Tech alum and SDTC seed fund recipient, RainStick just raised over $1M in investments towards the launch of their water-saving, high-pressure shower. 

RainStick Shower is a unique recirculating system that saves 80% water and 80% energy without compromising quality. “Right now, we need to be doing more,” Alisha McFetridge, RainStick’s co-founder and CEO, told BetaKit in an interview. “I think there’s a huge opportunity. We’re seeing droughts, forest fires, and I think that I’m really excited about the future of climate tech, and I’m excited that RainStick is one of those folks that are working towards a solution.” We can’t wait to see this product out in the world!

Just Vertical 

Just Vertical is on a mission to reduce foodKevin and Conner, co-founders of Just Vertical insecurity by rethinking how we source and produce affordable food. The answer? Vertical, indoor gardens. This Earth Tech alum creates vertical hydroponic growing systems that fit beautifully into living spaces and grow an abundance of affordable, nutritious food. 

Co-founders Kevin and Conner are happy to announce they closed their seed round this July having raised over $625,000. The seed round was raised with two partners: District Ventures and PAX. They are now in the process of raising a Series A round of funding, scheduled to close by the end of September 2021. 

We’re so excited to see how far these alumni have come. Congratulations, everyone!!

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