Where Agricultural Innovation Meets Carbon Reduction
The goals of SPARK V5 are to connect agricultural and environmental technology companies with potential investors; to provide a platform showcasing several innovative businesses in the agricultural sector; and to highlight the impressive business opportunities in agriculture. This year, GRAS is particularly interested in showcasing companies involved in technologies to reduce carbon output in agriculture and to monetize subsequent carbon reduction.
This year, SPARK V5 will feature two People’s Choice Awards valued at $1,000 each! The People’s Choice Awards are based on “which technology will have the greatest impact on net carbon?” and “which company would you invest in?”. These awards will be voted on by attendees at SPARK V5. In addition, pitch companies showcased at SPARK V5 will receive a complimentary ticket to attend the AGRI Tech Venture Forum in Toronto, May 6-7, 2026 to explore further networking and investment opportunities.
EVENT DETAILS:
DATE: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
LOCATION: The GrandWay Events Centre (7445 Wellington County Rd. 21, Elora)
AGENDA:
10:30 am – Doors open, networking, booths in The GrandWay Lounge
11:15 am – Panel Discussion: “How carbon capture programs are evolving.”
Panelists:
Bios below
- Barb Swartzentruber, Senior Advisor, CANZA
- Steve Kehoe, Director-Energy Transition & Sustainability Services, BMO Capital Markets (Radicle Group Inc.)
- Christoph Wand, Livestock Sustainability Specialist, OMAFA
- Deanna Martin, Biogas Operations and Process Consultant, Deanna Martin Biogas
12:20 pm – Lunch, networking, and tradeshow booths open
1:10 pm – Pitch company presentations (See companies below)
3:05 pm – Meet and greet with pitch companies and investors, tradeshow booths open
3:50 pm – Presentation of People’s Choice Awards
4:00-4:30 pm – Networking and tradeshow booths open
$25 attendance fee.
Pre-registration is required. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
**No refunds will be issued for this event.**
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Learn more about our presenters and pitch companies:
Emcee: Dr. Deb Stark
Independent Director
Deb calls herself a leader and a learner with a lifelong interest in Canadian agriculture and the people who feed us. She is a former Deputy Minister of OMAFA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness) and currently the Chair of the University of Guelph’s Board of Governors. She spends her time volunteering and sitting on boards including the Golden Triangle Angel Network (GTAN), Veterinarians Without Borders Canada, and most recently, the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN).
Deborah Whale
President of Grand River Agricultural Society
As President of the GRAS Board, Deborah has spent considerable time working on behalf of Research and Development in the world of agriculture. She has been past Chair of the Agriculture Research Institute of Ontario, the Poultry Industry Council, the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, Saskatchewan, and the Board of the University of Alberta Poultry Research Centre. Her interest in technology also turned to the world of energy and as VP of Clovermead Farms, supporting the installation of one of the first biogas facilities on a farm in Ontario. She is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Independent Electricity System Operator and a current Trustee of the Skyline Clean Energy Fund.
Website: www.grandriveragsociety.com
PANELLISTS:
Dr. Christine Baes
Associate Dean (External Relations), OAC, University of Guelph; Canada Research Chair in Livestock Genomics
Christine Baes is Associate Dean (External Relations) at the Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, and a Canada Research Chair in Livestock Genomics. Her work focuses on improving animal health, productivity, and environmental sustainability through genetics and data-driven innovation, while building partnerships across academia, industry, and government to strengthen food systems.
Website: https://animalbiosciences.uoguelph.ca/abscpeople/cbaes
Barb Swartzentruber
Senior Advisor, CANZA
Barb Swartzentruber is a strategist, catalyst, and connector, working with government and communities to respond to urgent social, economic, and environmental challenges through civic innovation, regenerative practices, and circular economy strategies. She is committed to the power of a shared vision and mission-driven collective action to create regenerative local economies and communities that are inclusive and thriving in harmony with nature.
Website: https://canza.ca/
Steve Kehoe
Director-Energy Transition & Sustainability Services, BMO Capital Markets (Radicle Group Inc.)
Steve is a broad specialist focusing on new energy transition technologies including (among others) low carbon fuels, renewable natural gas, hydrogen, and carbon capture and sequestration. Steve has a Bachelor of Engineering Science (with Distinction) and Master of Engineering Science in Mechanical Engineering (NSERC Scholar, specializing in fluid mechanics) from Western University. Prior to joining BMO, Steve worked in the oil and gas industry in production and exploitation engineering, and then spent 12 years working in Acquisitions & Divestitures Advisory with BMO’s Energy Group evaluating energy assets and executing transactions.
Website: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/
Christoph Wand
Livestock Sustainability Specialist, OMAFA
Christoph is a Livestock Sustainability Specialist with OMAFA, having served on several national and industry-led committees, including the former Pork Value Chain Roundtable sustainability working group and continuing with the Science Advisory Committee of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. He is also appointed Adjunct Professor in the Department of Animal Biosciences of the Ontario Agriculture College at the University of Guelph.
Deanna Martin
Biogas Operations and Process Consultant, Deanna Martin Biogas
Deanna Martin has been in the waste to energy space for over 15 years, leading the operations at one of Canada’s largest commercial anaerobic digesters. She has designed and deployed various automated waste handling systems in the waste to energy space, including incorporating deep learning neural network technology. Ontagri Energy is her newest venture, a facility that will process 300,000 tonnes per year of agricultural crop waste, producing 265,000 GJ/a of some of North America’s most deeply carbon negative natural gas.
PITCH COMPANIES:
1) Competitive Green Technologies
Competitive Green Technologies (CGT) is a Canadian sustainable materials company converting agricultural and forestry residues into high-performance bio-composite resins and bio-carbon products that displace fossil-based plastics. CGT creates new, recurring revenue streams for growers by valorizing low-value biomass while reducing waste, emissions, and landfill dependency. Its patented, drop-in technologies enable scalable adoption across packaging and automotive markets. With ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certifications, academic partnerships with the University of Guelph: Bioproducts Discovery and Development Center, and acknowledged world number one in innovative biomaterials technologies, and globally diversified feedstocks, CGT strengthens agricultural supply chains, advances circular bioeconomy outcomes, and delivers measurable ESG impact alongside long-term financial returns.
www.competitivegreentechnologies.com
2) Fire Rein Inc.
FireRein Inc. is a cleantech company founded by firefighters in rural Ontario, Canada, driven by a single mission: eliminate the toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” found in traditional firefighting foams that cause cancer in firefighters and have contaminated drinking water across North America. Our solution, Eco-Gel™, is a certified 100% bio-based firefighting water additive that is UL listed, effective on Class A and B fires, and uses less water than conventional alternatives. Unlike legacy foams, Eco-Gel™ is completely safe to handle, washes away after use, and can be disposed of as food waste — no hazmat, no contamination, no tradeoffs. What makes Eco-Gel™ truly unique is that over 75% of its bio-based inputs are sourced directly from Canadian farmers, turning agricultural products into a life-saving solution that protects the same rural communities that grow them. Validated by the Royal Canadian Navy to outperform conventional foams, FireRein holds a federal Pathway to Commercialization contract enabling up to $8M in sole-source procurement per department and a signed distribution agreement with an established military supply firm selling Eco-Gel directly into the DND. With active opportunities spanning defence, industrial, and international markets across 23 countries, FireRein is proving that the safest firefighting solution is also the most effective one.
3) SoilOptix Inc.
SoilOptix® Inc., located in Tavistock, Ontario is an agricultural technology company helping farmers and agronomists better understand their soil. Using advanced sensing technology and data analytics, SoilOptix® creates high-resolution soil nutrient maps that reveal variability across every field. This detailed insight supports more precise fertilizer application, improved crop performance, and more responsible input use. Through a growing global network of service providers, SoilOptix® delivers practical, data-driven solutions that strengthen farm profitability while supporting long-term soil health and sustainability.
4) Upside Robotics:
Upside Robotics is a Canadian agritech company founded in 2024 by Jana Tian and Sam Dugan, headquartered in Waterloo, that develops lightweight, solar-powered autonomous robots for precision fertilizer application. The company’s technology combines real-time field data, advanced sensors, and proprietary AI to determine when and how much nutrient each plant needs, reducing fertilizer waste, minimizing soil compaction, and lowering environmental impact while maintaining strong crop performance. Built through hands-on field testing alongside growers, Upside’s robots have logged tens of thousands of autonomous kilometers across thousands of acres, demonstrating significant reductions in fertilizer use and input costs. Backed by seed funding led by Plural, with participation from Garage Capital, Entrepreneurs First, and founders of Clearpath Robotics, Upside Robotics is focused on aligning farm productivity with climate goals by delivering scalable, data-driven automation for modern agriculture.
5) V6 Agronomy Inc.
V6 Agronomy Inc. is a Canadian leader in the field of enhanced efficiency crop nutrition and soil amendment. Founded in 2012 and firmly rooted in Canadian agriculture, V6 has grown to become a proud innovator of soil health & environmental solutions, and a fierce supporter of domestic food security initiatives. With our research partners at Trent University’s School of the Environment, V6 has developed a revolutionary, organo-mineral alternative to chemical-based nitrogen stabilizers.
Our slogan: “Soil health today to feed tomorrow.”
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Questions about the event? Please email Dorothy at dkey@grandriverag.com.
