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MaRS Climate Impact 2026: Convening Canada’s climate ecosystem on November 17 and 18

Moving beyond targets: Bringing together global innovators and heavy-hitting capital to fund, scale and deploy the next generation of climate tech.

TORONTO, November 4, 2026 – Today, MaRS unveiled the programming and partner lineup for MaRS Climate Impact 2026, its premier annual climate innovation summit.

Taking place November 17 and 18 at the MaRS Centre in downtown Toronto, this year’s event will convene hundreds of the best minds in cleantech innovation — founders, investors and corporate strategists — to help climate startups raise their profile and land the deals they need to grow. With over 20 sessions and the debut of the high-energy Catalyst stage, the 2026 summit will tackle skyrocketing energy demands from AI hyperscalers, the complex funding of first-of-a-kind (FOAK) projects, climate adaptation in the Arctic and much more.

“The impacts of climate change are undeniable, but so is our capacity to solve them,” says Tyler Hamilton, senior director of climate at MaRS. “We no longer have to choose between a healthy planet and a thriving economy. The solutions exist today, and the world’s most competitive cleantech is being built right here in Canada. But given the challenging funding landscape, the burden of proof for cleantech companies, particularly those with hardtech solutions, is much higher than ever before.”

MaRS Climate Impact is made possible by lead sponsor Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and catalyst sponsor RXN HUB, alongside a coalition of more than 12 partners, including BDC Capital, Blakes, Bullfrog Power, the Cement Association of Canada, Definity Insurance, Farm Credit Canada, Fasken, Gowlings WLG, St. Marys Cement/Votorantim Cimentos and TD. BetaKit and the Toronto Star serve as this year’s official media partners.

2026 Program Tracks

This year’s programming is divided into three tracks designed to accelerate commercialization:

  • Frontier tech spotlight: Exploring cutting-edge climate solutions, including the complex interplay between quantum computing and energy generation, innovation in the age of AI hyperscalers, emerging sustainable building materials and cleantech’s role in ensuring business continuity amidst extreme weather.
  • Politics, policy, and capital: A hard look at the financial mechanics of the climate transition. Sessions will cover scaling cleantech in middle-power markets, the national impact of corporate venture capital, de-risking (FOAK) mega-projects, and increasing Canada’s risk appetite as global stakes rise.
  • Building for resilience: Highlighting rapid, real-world deployment. Expect deep dives into arctic innovation, water security and grid optimization, alongside showcases of Canadian climate ventures ready to raise their next funding rounds and expand into international markets.

“MaRS Climate Impact supports Canadian innovators as they reach new markets and deliver

solutions that matter on a global scale,” says Morgan Lehtinen, executive director, RXN HUB.

“We know firsthand that the journey from invention to widespread commercialization requires more than just capital; it requires an integrated ecosystem. We are excited to empower and connect cleantech leaders to the key stakeholders they need to scale at this year’s conference.”

The 2026 stage will feature more than 100 industry experts, investors and innovators. Headline speakers include:

  • Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE, in an exclusive fireside chat with Canadian quantum visionary Christian Weedbrook, CEO of Xanadu
  • Greg Twinney, CEO of General Fusion, championing the commercial viability of nuclear fusion
  • Elliott Cappell, national climate change leader, PwC Canada
  • Harry Flaherty, president and CEO, Qikiqtaaluk Corporation
  • Mark Fisher, president, Canada Water Agency

For the full speaker lineup, visit: https://climateimpact.marsdd.com/speakers/

Recognizing excellence: The 2026 Climate Impact Awards
The summit will culminate in an awards ceremony celebrating the founders and projects leading Canada’s climate economy. Awards include:

  • Seed and Series A Venture Awards
  • The Fasken Climate Tech Founder of the Year Award
  • The Catalyzing Canada Award, sponsored by RXN HUB
  • The Decarbonizer Award, sponsored by St. Marys Cement and the Cement Association of Canada

Passes are limited and include full access to over 20 sessions, the Catalyst stage, venture pitches, curated networking forums between startups and corporate partners, the company expo and the closing summit reception.

For the full agenda and to register, visit: climateimpact.marsdd.com

About MaRS

MaRS Discovery District is a charitable organization and one of North America’s largest urban innovation hubs, helping Canadian science and technology companies commercialize and scale. Building on a 25-year legacy of supporting founders, MaRS connects ventures with capital, customers, talent and expertise — through venture programming and partnerships, MaRS IAF (one of Canada’s most active seed-stage venture funds), MaRS Connect (a live digital marketplace linking commercially ready ventures with buyers, partners and sources of capital), and more than 1.5 million square feet of world-class lab, office and event space across the MaRS Centre and MaRS Waterfront in downtown Toronto. Since 2010, MaRS-supported ventures have generated $11.5 billion in cumulative revenue, raised $19 billion in funding and created and maintained more than 33,000 jobs. Learn more about the RBC Women in Cleantech Accelerator and this cohort.