At the opening night of Cleantech Forum North America, Cleantech Group honored eight outstanding visionaries advancing sustainable innovation at an awards dinner.
Among the honorees were seven companies featured in the 2025 Global Cleantech 100 list, recognized for their innovative contributions toward achieving net-zero goals, alongside two individual awards celebrating lifelong dedication to cleantech innovation.
“These innovators give us reasons to be optimistic about the future. Their groundbreaking work demonstrates that progress toward net-zero remains possible and inspires us to double down on the challenge of addressing climate change,” said Richard Youngman, CEO of Cleantech Group.
The prestigious Hall of Fame honor was awarded to Svante, marking its seventh appearance on the Global Cleantech 100 list.
Based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Svante specializes in carbon capture technologies, utilizing unique solid sorbents to filter and remove CO₂ from industrial emissions and the atmosphere. The Hall of Fame recognizes companies demonstrating sustained excellence and investor confidence over many years, with inductees retired from future editions of the Cleantech 100.
The Cleantech Pioneer Award was presented to Wal van Lierop, founder and former Managing Partner of Vancouver’s Chrysalix Venture Capital.
Over a career spanning more than two decades, van Lierop raised over $350 million for Chrysalix and played a pivotal role in facilitating $3.5 billion in venture capital funding for cleantech and industrial innovation. Now transitioning to a part-time role as Founding Partner, van Lierop continues to focus on advancing Chrysalix’s legacy portfolio.
Cleantech Group, established in 2002, has been at the forefront of addressing global environmental challenges. The organization provides research, consulting, and events to help corporates, investors, and public sector entities engage with cutting-edge cleantech solutions, driving the transition from climate commitments to impactful actions.
The recognition of these leaders and companies underscores the cleantech sector’s growing momentum in combating climate change and achieving sustainable innovation.