A Consequential Leader
In his six-year tenure as MaRS CEO, Yung Wu stewarded the organization through a global pandemic and an accelerating climate crisis. He invigorated and inspired the venture, investment and philanthropic communities, while spearheading important social and racial equity initiatives. As he steps into retirement, the legacy of his leadership will be felt for decades to come.
Under Yung’s leadership, Mission from MaRS was launched to address the barriers to the adoption of new cleantech technologies. With the programmatic, technical, and convening expertise at MaRS serving as backbone, the MaRS portfolio of 250 cleantech ventures are ready to rise to the challenge, and the innovation ecosystem is eager to be activated.
In only three years, Mission from MaRS has emerged as one of the flagship programs at MaRS. It is a highly-effective home for cross-sectoral collaboration and breakthroughs, and a driving force behind Canada’s most-promising climate technologies.
A Consequential Leader
Mission from MaRS: From Nuit Blanche to a New Day for Climate Action
It began as a must-see Nuit Blanche installation at the MaRS Centre in 2019. Transformation was a rallying cry for our planet — a sobering look at today’s greatest environmental threats, and a hopeful vision of a sustainable future. Visitors waded through a ravaged river; were dwarfed by giant plastic sculptures; stared up at a blazing sun; and strolled through a 21st-century Eden with special contributions from author Margaret Atwood and Grammy Award-winning producer Daniel Lanois.
Mission from MaRS: From Nuit Blanche to a New Day for Climate Action
Where art provokes and inspires, innovation seeks solutions. What followed was the launch of Mission from MaRS, which seeks out the most-promising companies with scalable, high-impact climate solutions, and pairs them with ecosystem leaders to help adopt and commercialize these innovations. Working in energy, real estate, transportation, carbon management and more, Mission from MaRS and its collection of Carbon Dioxide Removal Climate Champions have the potential to mitigate megatons of GHG emissions and spur economic activity the world over. Our efforts are dedicated to accelerating the adoption of these technologies — in our homes, businesses and economy.
Donors to Mission from MaRS include RBC Foundation, Trottier Family Foundation, HSBC Foundation, Thistledown Foundation, Peter Gilgan Foundation, Grantham Foundation and TD.
The Mission from MaRS Leadership Fund is your invitation to continue the work catalyzed by Yung Wu at MaRS and to leave your own legacy of bringing new climate solutions to the world.
Join us. Your donation will support:
- Critical, sustainable funding to Mission from MaRS: Net Zero Missions.
- The launch of the annual Yung and Katrina Wu Climate Innovation Award, distributed to Canadian climate solutions best positioned to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions through commercialization at scale.
Join us. Your donation will support:
As a valued donor, you will be recognized as a member of the Mission from MaRS Leadership Fund and be warmly welcomed to Mission from MaRS programming. We will also acknowledge your support on the MaRS Supporters webpage and the MaRS Discovery District Annual Donor Report.
We invite you to make a gift that is meaningful to you, and invite you to consider the following giving levels.
| Giving Levels | Gift Amount |
|---|---|
| Bootstrapper | $1,000–$9,999 |
| Series A | $10,000–$24,999 |
| Series B | $25,000–$99,999 |
| IPO | $100,000+ |
Thank you for supporting Canadian climate innovation and MaRS CEO Yung Wu.
Leadership Fund
IPO Level
- One anonymous donor
Series B Level
- Neil Betteridge
- Richard and Donna Ivey
Series A Level
- One anonymous donor
- Bruce Power
- Brendan Calder
- Annette Verschuren
- Mohammad Al Zaibak
Bootstrapper level
- One anonymous donor
- adMare Team
- Inbae Ahn
- Elyse Allan
- Bill & Dawne Benson
- Peter G Bowie
- Graphite Ventures: Aaron Bast, Craig Leonard, and Lance Laking
- Diane Kazarian
- Jodi Kovitz and Lily Shinewald
- Stefan Larson
- Magyne Group
- MaRS Staff
- Gayle and Marc Milgrom
- Al Otton / Otton Consulting Ltd
- Molly Shoichet
To make a gift or to discuss this initiative in greater detail, please contact:
Josée Thibault, Director of Philanthropy | MaRS Discovery District
jthibault@marsdd.com | 647-225-7534