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Climate Solutions Prize Unveils 2026 Top 10 Finalists Ahead of Largest Festival Yet in Montréal, June 8-9

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The festival will feature leading voices in climate capital, policy, and innovation — seven thematic tracks and over $1.5 million in prizes

MONTREAL, May. 21, 2026 /CNW/ – At a moment when scaling proven climate technologies has become the central challenge of the transition the Climate Solutions Prize (CSP) Festival has announced the 10 finalists for the 2026 Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize, selected from the strongest applicant pool in the Prize’s history. The finalists will pitch live to a jury of investors and industry leaders in a Dragons’ Den-style event on the final day of the Festival, with the winner revealed at the closing ceremony. The 2026 edition of the Festival will take place at Marché Bonsecours in Montréal on June 8–9. With seven thematic tracks — three of which are new — more than $1.5 million in prizes, and 2,000 expected participants, the 2026 edition will be the largest to date.

Confirmed speakers include David Suzuki, renowned Canadian scientist, broadcaster and founder of the David Suzuki Foundation; Jean Charest, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and former Premier of Québec; Henry Stern, California State Senator, former environmental attorney and longtime clean energy advocate; Sage Lenier, climate educator, founder of Sustainable & Just Future and a 2023 TIME Next Generation Leader; and Bruce Friedrich, founder and CEO of the Good Food Institute and a TED Fellow. They will take the stage alongside entrepreneurs, researchers, innovators and public sector actors from 20+ countries and 5 continents.

“The research and solutions exist, and there is a growing base of climate-focused investors and the talent to lead. The challenge is building the connective infrastructure: the mechanisms and platforms that help innovations survive the journey from lab to market. That is what the CSP is designed to provide,” says Galith Levy, CEO and co-founder of the Climate Solutions Prize.

2026 Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize: The Top 10 Finalists

The 2026 Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize finalists represent BC, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec and span sectors including Built Environment, AgTech, Water, Resource Technology (green chemistry, critical minerals, industrial decarbonization), Energy and Power, Nature and Biodiversity (restoration), and Changemaker — each recognized for the strength and impact of their climate solutions.

Local Energy (Daniel Bastien) — Helps factories, industrial parks and cities reduce emissions by capturing and redistributing excess energy that would otherwise be wasted.Tydra Biomaterial Labs Ltd (Jaiya Varshney) — Transforms food waste into chitin through microbial recycling, creating a powerful material for water remediation, wound healing and soil health.Cellulotech Inc (Romain Metivet) — A fast, low-cost green chemistry process that makes paper water- and grease-resistant while keeping it recyclable, offering a plastic-free packaging alternative.Cardinal Volta (Nan Ge) — Captures wasted industrial heat and converts it into reusable energy, helping factories reduce costs and emissions.Planetary (Michael Kelland) — Removes carbon by safely restoring ocean alkalinity, enabling seawater to absorb and permanently store more CO₂ while reducing ocean acidification.Alter Biota Inc (Mark Masotti) — Uses biochar from wood waste and computer vision aggregate analysis to help concrete producers make stronger, lower-carbon concrete.TerraFixing (Samantha Usas) — Stores low-cost renewable electricity as high-temperature heat, replacing fossil fuels in heat-intensive industrial production.Tersa Earth Innovations Inc (Earl Oliver) — Uses microbe-powered water treatment to clean mine-impacted water, neutralize acidity and recover valuable metals.Tree Track Intelligence (Amir Soleimani) — Combines engineered Seedpods and precision UAV deployment to restore wildfire-damaged landscapes with stronger seedling survival rates.Neptune Nanotechnologies (Aaron Guan) — Turns discarded crab and lobster shells into a bio-based fire-safety additive for plastics, reducing reliance on toxic chemicals.

Three more prizes recognizing climate leadership

In addition to the Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize, the Festival will present three additional awards recognizing innovations with strong environmental and economic impact:

The 2026 Breakthrough Research Prize, recognizing leading climate research from Canadian universities and non-profit institutions, with awards directed to the host institution to support continued innovation.The 2026 Climate Startup Equity Prize Powered by Cycle Momentum, recognizing early-stage Quebec-based climate startups with strong commercial and environmental impact.The 2026 Student Entrepreneur Innovation Prize, recognizing the next generation of climate solution builders.

The 2026 edition drew a record level of interest, with a 30% increase in applications over the previous year. The full list of finalists for all prizes is available in the attached fact sheet and at www.climatesolutionsprize.com.

Bridging the gap between climate innovation and deployment

Since its founding in 2020, the CSP has become an international platform that has supported more than 1,400 innovators across 20 countries, awarded over $12 million in prizes, and helped generate more than $111 million in follow-on funding. The 2026 edition marks a new phase of expansion. Three new thematic tracks — Nature & Biotechnologies, Resource Technologies and Energy & Power — join four returning tracks to bring the total to seven.

“I’ve been to hundreds of sustainability conferences over the course of my career, and most times cannot wait to get home. The Climate Solutions Prize Festival is different — one of the most incredible experiences of my entire career. Being surrounded by leaders from across sectors, all sharing ideas to reduce our carbon impact, made it one of the most inspiring and impactful few days I’ve ever had in sustainability.” — Rob Johnson, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Seattle Kraken & Climate Pledge Arena

“Events like the Climate Solutions Prize Festival are wonderful opportunities to highlight concrete solutions and bring initiatives forward. In this province, there are extraordinary initiatives and extraordinary creativity to support. We are proud to be part of it.” — Grégoire Baillargeon, President, BMO Financial Group, Québec

Click here to discover the full program and register.

To register as media, please contact Emmy Vande Rosieren at emmyvdr@copticom.ca or (514) 603-3209.

About the Climate Solutions Prize

Founded in 2020, the Climate Solutions Prize acts as a catalyst for the ecological transition by accelerating innovation, investment and collaboration. Through its flagship annual event, the Climate Solutions Prize Festival, the initiative brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, public sector actors and strategic partners to foster the emergence, funding and global reach of innovative environmental technologies.

FACT SHEET

2026 Climate Solutions Prize Festival : Full List of Finalists

The 2026 Climate Solutions Prize Festival will recognize finalists across four prize categories. Below are the complete lists of finalists.

2026 Breakthrough Research Prize: The Top 10 Finalists

The Breakthrough Research Prize recognizes leading climate research from Canadian universities and non-profit institutions, with awards directed to the host institution to support continued innovation.

University of British Columbia — Armand Bonakdarpour (Narval Energy): A safe, low-cost sodium and iron battery for long-duration energy storage that performs in extreme temperatures and can replace diesel power in remote communities.University of Toronto and Western University, in partnership with Xatoms Inc — Diana Virgovicova: AI-discovered, light-activated materials that break down industrial water pollution without chemical additives or secondary waste.National Research Council of Canada — Parisa Karimi (Hyperion): A circular carbon recycling system that captures CO₂ from cement production and converts it into useful low-carbon minerals.RXN Hub, in partnership with CERT Systems — Steacy Coombs: Uses clean electricity to convert CO₂ and water into ethylene, replacing fossil-based production for plastics, fuels and everyday materials.RXN Hub, in partnership with Secant Fuel — Sandra Walker [confirm name]: Turns CO₂ and water into clean syngas, creating a scalable pathway to lower-carbon fuels for shipping and aviation.Biopterre — Rodrigue Dasani [confirm spelling]: Transforms stored mine-site soils into biologically active carbon sinks, turning land restoration into a measurable climate solution.Université Laval — MicroMea — Juliette Gagnon: Converts businesses’ organic waste into onsite biogas through compact, bacteria-powered containers, reducing landfill use and emissions.University of Waterloo, in partnership with CarbonLume Inc — Abdelaziz Gouda: Uses modular, light-driven technology to convert methane into battery-grade carbon nanotubes and clean hydrogen.Simon Fraser University — Majid Bahrami [confirm spelling]: A waste-heat-to-cooling platform that uses heat from buildings and data centres to produce affordable, low-carbon cooling.Concordia University — Ashlee Howarth (Anodyne Chemistries): A reusable sorbent-based process that turns captured CO₂ into carbon-negative chemicals with lower energy and emissions.

2026 Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize: The Top 10 Finalists

The 2026 Climate Tech Trailblazer Prize saw a 30% increase in applications over last year. This year’s finalists represent [X] countries and span sectors from [X to Y]. The finalists will pitch live to a jury of investors and industry leaders in a Dragons’ Den-style event on June 9, with the winner revealed at the closing ceremony.

Local Energy (Daniel Bastien) — Helps factories, industrial parks and cities reduce emissions by capturing and redistributing excess energy that would otherwise be wasted.Tydra Biomaterial Labs Ltd (Jaiya Varshney) — Transforms food waste into chitin through microbial recycling, creating a powerful material for water remediation, wound healing and soil health.Cellulotech Inc (Romain Metivet) — A fast, low-cost green chemistry process that makes paper water- and grease-resistant while keeping it recyclable, offering a plastic-free packaging alternative.Cardinal Volta (Nan Ge) — Captures wasted industrial heat and converts it into reusable energy, helping factories reduce costs and emissions.Planetary (Michael Kelland) — Removes carbon by safely restoring ocean alkalinity, enabling seawater to absorb and permanently store more CO₂ while reducing ocean acidification.Alter Biota Inc (Mark Masotti) — Uses biochar from wood waste and computer vision aggregate analysis to help concrete producers make stronger, lower-carbon concrete.TerraFixing (Samantha Usas) — Stores low-cost renewable electricity as high-temperature heat, replacing fossil fuels in heat-intensive industrial production.Tersa Earth Innovations Inc (Earl Oliver) — Uses microbe-powered water treatment to clean mine-impacted water, neutralize acidity and recover valuable metals.Tree Track Intelligence (Amir Soleimani) — Combines engineered Seedpods and precision UAV deployment to restore wildfire-damaged landscapes with stronger seedling survival rates.Neptune Nanotechnologies (Aaron Guan) — Turns discarded crab and lobster shells into a bio-based fire-safety additive for plastics, reducing reliance on toxic chemicals.

2026 Climate Startup Equity Prize Powered by Cycle Momentum: The Top 10 Finalists

The Climate Startup Equity Prize recognizes early-stage Quebec-based climate startups with strong commercial and environmental impact.

AgFlo — Brings precision to feed inventory, reducing costs and emissions at scale.Partake (Partage Club Inc.) — Live more than you own.PakVille — Reinventing construction with high-performance building panels made from recycled materials.PlasmaGear — PFAS is being phased out, and PlasmaGear is ready to replace it.Local Energy — Uses AI to turn complex thermal and industrial energy systems into flexible energy assets.BeNat — Waste less. Build more.Carbon Saver — Embeds carbon intelligence directly into existing building design tools, making emissions reduction automatic, fast and cost-effective.Altiro — Patented iron fuel technology that stores clean power and delivers it anywhere in the world.Polaris Aerospace — Redefining access to space.Secant Fuel — Turns captured CO₂ and water into low-carbon syngas, creating a simpler, lower-cost pathway to cleaner fuels and chemicals.

For more information: www.climatesolutionsprize.com

SOURCE Climate Solutions Prize

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Technology

Monport MEGAS Brings Advanced LightBurn Features to Desktop CO2 Laser Engraving

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New 70W desktop CO2 laser engraver brings LightBurn’s advanced feature set — autofocus, wireless connectivity and live camera placement — directly into the software, closing a gap most “LightBurn compatible” machines leave open.

SEATTLE, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As LightBurn continues to be the preferred software for makers, educators, and small manufacturing businesses, Monport is emphasizing the advanced workflow capabilities of its MEGAS 70W desktop CO2 laser engraver. The system enables users to perform autofocus, wireless connectivity, and live camera positioning directly inside LightBurn, creating a more streamlined production workflow than the basic compatibility offered by many desktop laser systems.

The integration allows users to complete nearly every production step directly inside LightBurn rather than switching between multiple software applications.

The announcement positions the MEGAS as a candidate for best CO2 laser engraver among software-focused buyers: makers, Etsy and Shopify sellers, and small production shops who run LightBurn daily and have grown frustrated switching between a manufacturer’s app and the software they actually use to build and send jobs. The feature announcement coincides with Monport’s Summer Sale, which drops the MEGAS to $2,799.99 for a limited time.

Why “LightBurn Compatible” Doesn’t Always Mean Full Support

LightBurn is the industry-standard control software for hobbyist and small-business laser systems, but compatibility varies widely between machines. Many desktop CO2 laser engravers can send basic cut and engrave jobs to LightBurn, yet require a separate manufacturer app for autofocus, camera alignment or wireless setup—breaking the workflow and adding extra steps every time a job changes materials or needs repositioning.

Industry buyers researching a 70W laser engraver often discover this gap only after purchase: a listing says “LightBurn compatible,” but autofocus still means picking up a manual gauge, and camera alignment means opening a second piece of software just to preview where a design will land.

Going Beyond Basic LightBurn Compatibility

Many competing desktop laser systems support basic LightBurn functions for cutting and engraving. Advanced features such as autofocus, wireless camera positioning and complete wireless workflow integration, however, are often limited, and may require proprietary software, or are unavailable inside LightBurn itself.

The Monport MEGAS was engineered to provide these advanced functions directly within LightBurn, helping users spend less time switching between applications and more time producing finished products— one of the reasons Monport designed the MEGAS specifically for LightBurn power users.

Autofocus Without Leaving LightBurn

On the MEGAS, autofocus is triggered and confirmed directly inside LightBurn, so operators can set material height and start a job without switching to a separate focusing tool or app. For a 70W laser engraver running frequent material changes—from thin acrylic sheet to thicker basswood board—that single-window workflow removes one of the more repetitive steps in a typical production day.

Wireless Connectivity Simplifies Shop Workflow

The wireless connection also enables operators to send jobs to the machine without repeatedly reconnecting USB cables, making the workflow especially useful in classrooms, shared makerspaces and production environments where multiple computers may access the laser.

The MEGAS connects to LightBurn over Wi-Fi, removing the tethered USB connection many desktop CO2 laser engravers still require. That means the machine can be positioned away from a workstation and run jobs sent wirelessly, a common request among small-shop and classroom users managing limited floor space or shared equipment.

Live Camera Placement Inside LightBurn

An onboard wireless camera streams a live view of the work surface into LightBurn, letting users position and align artwork on pre-printed or irregular material directly on screen instead of manually measuring and test-firing the laser.

From Design File to Finished Product

For many laser users, efficiency is measured by how quickly a design becomes a finished product. With the MEGAS, users can import artwork into LightBurn, position the design using the live wireless camera, activate autofocus with a single click, and begin engraving without leaving the software.

By keeping every major production step inside one interface, the workflow reduces setup time, minimizes alignment errors, and simplifies repeat production for businesses engraving dozens—or even hundreds—of personalized products each day on their desktop CO2 laser engraver.

Real-World Material Performance

To demonstrate production versatility, during internal testing, Monport evaluated the MEGAS across several materials commonly used by Etsy sellers, gift businesses and production workshops:

Plywood — crisp engraved wooden signs with clean edgesAcrylic — polished awards and plaques with sharp detailLeather — high-contrast wallet engraving with minimal scorching

The testing demonstrates that a single desktop CO2 laser engraver can handle multiple product categories without requiring significant workflow changes.

Better ROI for Small Businesses

Monport also compared estimated material costs with typical retail pricing across four popular product categories:

Engraved plywood sign: Approximately $35 retail price with about $5 in material costs.Engraved acrylic award: Approximately $45 retail price with about $8 in material costs.Engraved leather wallet: Approximately $55 retail price with about $12 in material costs.

Based on estimated material costs alone, these products show potential material-cost margins of approximately 75% to 85%, before accounting for labor, packaging, shipping, platform fees and other operating expenses. Monport says the combination of higher-margin products, intelligent batch engraving, and a streamlined LightBurn workflow can help small businesses, Etsy sellers, and Shopify merchants recover their investment more quickly as production scales.

Built for Professional LightBurn Users

While M-Design Hub, Monport’s free Windows and macOS software, offers AI-powered image processing, one-click material settings and intelligent batch engraving, Monport says the MEGAS was equally designed for experienced LightBurn users who prefer complete control over every project.

Supporting both software environments gives creators the flexibility to choose an automated workflow for everyday production or LightBurn’s advanced tools for more complex engraving jobs—a combination Monport believes makes the case for the MEGAS as a best CO2 laser engraver choice regardless of skill level.

“LightBurn has become the workflow that thousands of makers and small businesses rely on every day,” said Monport CEO.

“Our goal with the MEGAS was to eliminate unnecessary software switching by bringing advanced features like autofocus, wireless connectivity and live camera positioning directly into LightBurn. That lets users focus on production instead of setup.”

Explore Advanced LightBurn Features on the MEGAS

Monport is positioning the MEGAS as an entry point for LightBurn users who want to explore the software’s advanced feature set without adding a second app to their workflow. Full setup guides and LightBurn configuration walkthroughs for the MEGAS are available on Monport’s website.

Summer Sale Pricing

As part of Monport’s Summer Sale this July, the MEGAS desktop CO2 laser engraver is available at a special offer price of $2,799.99—the limited-time promotional price on the machine to date. The discount is applied automatically at checkout; no promo code is required. The offer runs for a limited time or while supplies last and includes two complimentary laser marking spray bottles, used to prepare bare metal surfaces such as stainless steel for laser marking.

Availability

The Monport MEGAS 70W desktop CO2 laser engraver is available through Monport’s official website.

About Monport

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Seattle, Monport designs desktop and industrial CO2 and fiber laser engraving and cutting machines for makers, small businesses and workshops, backed by U.S.-based technical support.

Media Contact:

Monport Laser
Email: official@monportlaser.com
Website: https://monportlaser.com

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SOURCE Monport

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Tredence Launches Domain Native Forward Deployed Engineering to Close the Last Mile of Enterprise AI

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The FDE practice builds an elite class of engineers at the intersection of domain expertise and data & AI, solving enterprises’ hardest business problems.

BENGALURU, India and SAN JOSE, Calif., July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tredence, the world’s leading data & AI services company, today announced the launch of its Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) practice, committing to build a dedicated pool of 200 FDEs over the next 12-18 months. Through this practice, the company intends to build the most domain-native engineering capability in the market, helping clients move faster from problem to impact.

Built to tackle high-impact challenges for Fortune 100 enterprises, Tredence’s FDEs are domain specialists first and engineers second. A Retail FDE understands markdown cycles and assortment planning. A supply chain FDE understands network constraints and demand volatility. A revenue growth management (RGM) FDE understands trade spend and price elasticity.

Each Tredence FDE brings that depth to the work of building and scaling agentic systems, applying deep engineering expertise to the business decisions that matter most, from pricing and promotions to the data and semantic foundations that power enterprise operations. They are platform agnostic by design, working across clients’ existing technology stack, including Databricks, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Snowflake, AWS, and leading frontier model providers.

Enterprise AI often struggles at the last mile, where data, systems, and business decisions must come together to create measurable value. Tredence’s Forward Deployed Engineers combine speed, powered by deep AI, data, and engineering expertise, with depth, built through years of domain experience, to turn AI into business outcomes faster.

“Enterprise AI is at an inflection point, and success now depends on combining AI-native engineering with industry depth to turn technology into real business outcomes. Our FDEs are designed to solve the hardest business problems, lead end-to-end AI transformations, and take ownership all the way from business problems to enterprise-scale deployment. That’s the level of accountability enterprise AI needs today,” said Shub Bhowmick, Co-founder and CEO, Tredence.

Why Tredence’s FDE Model Is Different-

More than a decade of deep domain expertise across industries
FDEs bring years of experience in supply chain, customer analytics, built through work with 100+ Fortune 500 clients.AI native engineering as the default way of working
FDEs build with AI from the start, reinforced by Tredence’s AI Forge program, which is centered on AI-first problem solving.Frontline ownership, powered by specialized teams
Tredence FDEs lead from the front, anchoring small, elite teams and owning everything from business problems to enterprise-scale deployment.Hands on depth across hyperscaler, frontier AI, and data platforms
Tredence FDEs help shape the very platforms they build on, with seats on the product advisory teams of leading hyperscalers and ISVs.

About Tredence

Tredence is a global AI and data science solutions provider focused on solving the last-mile problem in AI, the gap between insight creation and value realization. Tredence leverages deep domain expertise, advanced data platforms and accelerators, and strategic partnerships to provide tailored, cutting-edge solutions to its clients. The company has 4,200+ employees across the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Riyadh, Dubai, London, Toronto, and Bengaluru, serving top brands in Retail, CPG, Hi-tech, Telecom, Healthcare, Travel, and Industrials. For more information, please visit www.tredence.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

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Fractus and Geotab settle U.S. patent litigation

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Additional agreements reinforce Fractus’ role in the IoT technologies ecosystem

BARCELONA, Spain, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fractus, a pioneer in antenna technology and patent licensing, today announced that it has reached a settlement with Geotab, resolving the patent infringement litigation filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The terms of the agreement are confidential.

The settlement is an important milestone for Fractus in the connected fleet and transportation market. It brings an end to the dispute with Geotab and confirms the relevance of Fractus’ patented antenna technology in IoT applications where reliable wireless performance is essential.

Fractus also welcomes the growing list of its IoT licensees, which further strengthens Fractus’ position in the IoT ecosystem and demonstrates the growing value of its technology in fleet management, cargo visibility, and mobile asset monitoring.

Fleet telematics and cargo tracking are expanding quickly as transportation and logistics companies look for better visibility, safety, compliance and efficiency. According to Berg Insight, fleet management systems in active use in North America are forecast to grow from 19.2 million units at the end of 2024 to 33.2 million units by 2029. Berg Insight also expects the global installed base of tracking devices for trailers, containers and other cargo-carrying units to grow from 13.8 million units in 2024 to 26.9 million units by 2029.

In these markets, antenna performance is more than a technical specification. Connected devices must communicate across networks, frequency bands, countries and difficult operating conditions, often within space-constrained designs installed on vehicles or other mobile assets. Fractus’ patented antenna innovations help enable the compact, high-performance, multiband connectivity that these IoT devices require.

“We are very pleased to have reached this resolution with Geotab and to see Fractus’ technology gaining further recognition in the IoT market,” said Jordi Ilario, CEO of Fractus. “Fleet management, trailer monitoring and asset tracking are clear examples of how wireless connectivity is transforming transportation. These recent agreements are an important validation of our innovation, and they encourage us to keep building constructive licensing relationships with companies that value strong technology and intellectual property.”

About Fractus

Fractus is an early pioneer in the application of advanced geometry and mathematics to antenna design. The company’s patented innovations enable compact, high-performance, multiband antennas used across smartphones, IoT devices, network infrastructure, connected health and transportation applications. Fractus holds a portfolio covering more than 40 inventions and licenses its technology to leading companies across the wireless ecosystem.

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