Aviation is not an industry many associate with sustainability. But a startup launched out of Montreal is hoping to reduce the environmental impact of high-pollution flying.
Azzera was established in 2022 by Nick Houseman and Puja Mahajan—who studied alternative fuels for fuel cells for the Canadian Department of National Defense and Burnaby-born Ballard Power Systems—to clean up the carbon chaos that the aviation industry contributes.
The upstart’s flagship offering is a tool called CELESTE. Launched in 2023, the software platform acts as a smart assistant for plane operators. The tech plugs into flight records and calculates how much carbon planes spew. Then it provides options to clean up the mess, such as through Sustainable Aviation Fuel, an alternative to regular jet fuel.
“Azzera’s flight emissions calculator leverages the largest private aircraft database in the market to help you calculate your flight carbon emissions and mitigate your impact,” reads the firm’s website. “Designed for business aviation, this tool provides a detailed analysis of your flight emissions and offers effective solutions for reduction and compensation.”
Not every airport has SAF, so Azzera’s “Book and Claim” system lets operators pay for it elsewhere and still get credit for cutting emissions. They can also buy carbon offsets through various projects.
To achieve net-zero aviation, Azzera presents “an extensive selection of high-quality carbon credit projects, all of which have undergone a comprehensive assessment and rating process.” This means that all projects offered have been evaluated to ensure effectiveness in compensating for carbon emissions, according to the Canadian company.
“We continue to invest in CELESTE, ensuring it remains ahead of rapidly changing environmental regulations and providing operators with a future-proof tool to manage their emissions and SAF usage strategies,” Mahajan stated last year.
Azzera has worked with Action Aviation, Transport Canada, Stack.Aero, Flair Airlines, and more.
The Quebec company made the Foresight 50 list, an annual recognition of investible cleantech ventures across Canada, in both 2024 and in 2023.