Toronto – The City of Toronto is pleased to announce the winners of the fourth annual Women4ClimateTO pitch competition. Ten local entrepreneurs pitched their climate-related initiatives to a panel of judges for a chance to claim the first prize of $20,000 and two secondary prizes of $5,000 each.
The 2024 Women4ClimateTO pitch competition winners are:
- Winner: Katherine Festeryga, Edie Farming – Edie Farming is building Toronto’s first urban commercial rooftop greenhouse, utilizing the newest machine learning and AI, a closed-loop hydroponic system, and powered entirely on renewable energy to grow the most sustainable produce in the world.
- Runners-up: Nasim Naderi, Intocharge – Intocharge is a unique woman-owned business, focusing on Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure.
- Omowunmi Badmus, Omo Bamboo Shop – Omo Bamboo is a zero-waste shop based in Toronto, where a range of bamboo products, handmade soaps and body butters can be found.
These prizes will help further advance climate-related projects or businesses.The pitch competition was hosted by the City and presenting sponsor EY Canada. The event featured keynote speaker Dr. Shirook Ali, CEO of Ecosystem Informatics Inc., a pioneering clean tech firm dedicated to transforming environmental monitoring.
Through its Women4ClimateTO mentorship program, the City provides a combination of mentoring, training and networking opportunities to help local women entrepreneurs advance their climate-related projects and business ventures. Now in its fourth year, the 2024 program supported 12 local women and their climate initiatives.
Women4ClimateTO supports the City’s TransformTO Net Zero Climate Action Strategy, which set Toronto on the path to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040. Toronto’s program is co-championed by Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park) and Selina Young, Director, Indigenous Affairs Office, City of Toronto.
More information about Women4Climate Toronto is available on the City’s Women4Climate Toronto Mentorship Program webpage: https://www.toronto.ca/women4climate
“Thank you to all of the mentees and mentors that participated in the fourth cohort of the Women4ClimateTO mentorship program. Your participation and projects are critical to building a more sustainable future for our city.” – Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Women4ClimateTO Co-Champion and Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee