(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – econext is extending a congratulations to one of its members this morning following a major investment announcement.
Mysa announced today the closing of a $20.3 million Series B equity funding round which will help the company develop new products and services and expand its international marketing and distribution channels.
“We are very proud of what Mysa has been able to accomplish,” said Kieran Hanley, econext’s Executive Director. “The fact that this company, in a relatively short period of time, has grown from its two co-founders to employing a diverse team of 96 and growing… is nothing short of inspiring.”
Hanley said that Mysa is helping to show entrepreneurs and startups in Newfoundland and Labrador that there is no limit to what they can achieve. “This province’s technology sector is thriving, and as we move towards a cleaner economy the opportunities in front of cleantech developers will be substantial.”
Hanley noted that Mysa has helped to give back to the community even during times of accelerated growth – becoming the first business in Newfoundland and Labrador to achieve carbon neutrality and representing the cleantech sector at-large through support of econext.
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
The Provincial Government is inviting input from stakeholders and the public on the development of a renewable energy plan to provide a sustainable long-term vision for Newfoundland and Labrador to maximize its renewable energy future.
econext is encouraging its members to participate in the stakeholder engagement. “Newfoundland and Labrador has an abundance of clean energy resources that, if developed, would do much to grow and diversify this province’s economy,” says Kieran Hanley, econext‘s Executive Director. “Now is the time to develop our priorities and make the necessary changes that are required to unlock this province’s potential.”
Hanley says that econext members should ‘think big’ with their ideas and feedback. “The resulting renewable energy plan will only be as good as the input provided to decision-makers during the stakeholder engagement,” noted Hanley, “and so it is very important that the private sector put its best food forward over the course of the next 10 days.”
Hanley said that members should consider how government can help enable private sector led renewable energy projects (e.g. supporting policies, removal of regulatory barriers, etc.) – with the understanding that domestic electricity needs are already largely met through clean energy sources. “Let’s think big, but let’s also focus on the clear and present opportunities.”
The stakeholder engagement continues until Thursday, November 4, 2021. Feedback can be provided via engageNL.ca, which includes an online questionnaire and the option of providing a written submission.
Hanley notes that econext will be submitting a series of recommendations to government on behalf of its membership, and asks that members participating in the stakeholder engagement also send their feedback to kieran@econext.ca.
“The emerging importance of clean fuels like hydrogen in the global fight against climate change, and increasing regional electricity demands and cooperation, are opening new doors for the development of renewable energy resources,” says Hanley. “Newfoundland and Labrador is in an excellent position to give the world what it needs – it’s time to take concrete action to seize these opportunities.”
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
econext is offering another iteration of the Caribbean Customized Consulting and Advisory Services for a limited number of companies. The services will be delivered between January and April 2023. Companies who are new to the Caribbean marketplace and are considering applying for econext’s Spring Trade Mission (May 2023) may find it beneficial to utilize this program for market research, strategy development and pre-mission virtual engagement.
Each participant firm/organization will benefit from the following services:
50 consulting hours per firm to address the unique needs of project participants. Participants will be able to select from a variety of services to generate a customized work plan of consulting service support. This support could range from mentorship and strategy development, to support with development of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and project proposals. (See attached application form below).
During the course of the consulting services cycle, the consultants will monitor relevant procurement portals regularly to identify and disseminate relevant Caribbean procurement opportunities to participating organizations in a timely fashion.
Admission criteria include:
Clear articulation of interests and objectives in the application form
Demonstrated completion of follow-up activities including exit surveys (for past participants in the econext/NEIA Caribbean Program)
Export readiness
Substantiated rationale for interest in the Caribbean region
Commitment to necessary level of effort to execute workplan
Company participation:
This program has a limited number of spaces and requires a fair amount of commitment from companies, particularly at the outset. As such, please note the following expectations/requirements.
Companies who cannot commit to the timeline indicated below should not apply to this program.
Selected companies will be expected to:
Complete an introductory interview and provide the consultant with a clear and concise (one-page) description of your company’s product and service offerings to enable accurate procurement opportunity identification by January 13, 2023
Work with the consultant to develop and finalize a work plan by January 25, 2023
Maintain regular communication during the project period
Adhere to the workplan and schedule as agreed upon with the consultant
Complete a detailed exit survey upon conclusion of consulting engagement to report on activities completed, outcomes and results achieved
Companies failing to meet minimum communication criteria will forfeit their remaining consulting hours
Notes:
This is not an “on-call” consultant advisory service. Selected companies will agree (in writing) with the consultant on a clearly defined workplan for this engagement
Bios are available below for the team that will be delivering this consulting service. If you are interested in applying for this program but would like to have a preliminary call with the lead consultant, Amber Mackereth, to discuss your objectives prior to application, please do not hesitate to reach out.
There is a cost of $600+HST per firm/organization, which will be invoiced upon successful admission to the program
Applicants must be in good standing with project partners (econext, IET, ACOA)
Completed applications must be sent to abbie@econext.ca by COB on Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Please fill out the application below
Consulting Team
Amber Mackereth has worked closely with econext and its members on international business development initiatives in the past and has a wealth of experience and well-established networks throughout the Caribbean. She provides guidance to firms across Atlantic Canada on the subject of international business development, conducts international market research, and provides business matchmaking services for international trade missions. In addition to work experience in most of the English-speaking Caribbean, Amber has also lived in the Spanish-speaking markets of Cuba and Costa Rica. She is fluent in English, French, and Spanish. Amber has led, or played an integral role in, the successful execution of more than 20 international trade missions, including fifteen trade missions to the Caribbean region. She has worked with more than 30 of econext’s members to develop customized market entry strategies for the Caribbean region (including English, French and Spanish-speaking markets) and has prepared research reports for NEIA focused on Caribbean Blue & Green Economy initiatives (2020); opportunities and market entry tactics for Spanish-speaking Caribbean markets (2020); and Caribbean Climate Finance.
Marlene Power, International Program Officer at MI International, Marine Institute, and MI International’s lead on engagement in the Caribbean, has worked in the business, education, development, and humanitarian sectors in multiple regions of the world for over 20 years. She has secured and managed numerous international initiatives in the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, and Africa ranging from short consultancies to multi-year projects, working with a variety of clients and funders. Her experience in the Caribbean region includes projects and initiatives within the Blue and Green economy in Barbados, Grenada, Anguilla, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname across multiple sectors. In 2020, Marlene was a member of a team retained by NEIA to conduct research on Blue and Green Economy opportunities in the Caribbean Basin. Marlene has been both a participant of Trade Missions to the Caribbean as well as an organizer of various independent business development missions into the region. She is thus intimately familiar with their challenges and success factors of and brings unique perspective to the team.
Hugh Wilkinson, principal of Coral Hill LLC, is an expert in business development in emerging markets. With a focus on ‘IFI Procurement’ and the strategic pursuit of business funded by the World Bank and other IFIs, he provides end-to-end consulting in international business planning, strategic engagement, partnering, and bidding to win. His clients have included the major IFIs, foreign governments, consulting, law and technology firms, NGOs, and Canadian federal and provincial government agencies. He has been a trusted advisor and business consultant to companies like Microsoft, HP, GE, Hachette Livre, Gowlings, Dillon Consulting, and dozens of Canadian SMEs. With 30+ years’ work experience in global development, Hugh is also a specialist in the design, management, and evaluation of development projects. He has undertaken numerous market assessments throughout the English and Spanish-speaking Caribbean, led multiple project assignments in Guyana, the Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, and Belize, and maintains a broad network of contacts throughout the region. Most recently he was contracted by NEIA to conduct an in-depth analysis of markets in ten Spanish-speaking countries in the Caribbean and to provide related support to five NL CleanTech/OceanTech firms in developing and implementing strategic market plans in the region. He resides in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador.
To inform the development of Newfoundland and Labrador’s renewable energy plan, econext will be hosting a renewable energy strategy roundtable at its 2021 conference on October 22.
“Newfoundland and Labrador has a rich cache of undeveloped renewable energy resources,” said Kieran Hanley, econext’s Executive Director. “Unlocking that potential opens the door to enormous economic growth opportunity for our province.”
Hanley said that industry’s expertise will be vital in informing the provincial plan. “Our members can draw on their knowledge and experiences working on renewable energy projects across the world – insight that Newfoundland and Labrador decision-makers need to use for inspiration and guidance.”
The roundtable, a special component of the econext 2021 conference, will be a facilitated discussion open to industry representatives only. The discussion will serve to inform econext‘s formal submission to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for consideration in the development of its renewable energy plan.
Industry representatives interested in participating in the roundtable can contact Kieran Hanley at kieran@econext.ca. More details on the econext 2021 conference can be found by clicking here.
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
Background
The Minister of Industry, Energy, and Technology has indicated that the provincial government will be moving forward with the development of a renewable energy plan:
“Our province has an abundance of developed and undeveloped renewable energy resources, as well as experience and expertise in our technology and energy sectors. Newfoundland and Labrador is well positioned to advance our status as a Clean Energy Centre of Excellence, leading in the global energy transition. In order to leverage this opportunity, create employment opportunities for our residents, and ensure that our Province’s clean energy resources are developed in a responsible, sustainable fashion, we need a plan guided by industry expertise and the unique perspective of stakeholders.”
A virtual consultation process will take place between October 15 to November 4, 2021. More information on this upcoming engagement can be found here.
econext is hosting its annual conference on October 22 at The Sheraton in St. John’s, NL on Friday, October 22.
“The econext conference is the best opportunity for businesses, governments, and academia to get together to network and explore clean growth opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s Executive Director.
“And those opportunities are vast,” said Hanley. “From clean fuels like hydrogen, to renewable energy, to the pursuit of net zero and extracting value from our waste streams – there is a new excitement in Newfoundland and Labrador around the clean growth potential that exists here.”
More details on the conference can be found by clicking here.
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Public Procurement Agency is seeking input from the public and local businesses to help develop an Environmental Procurement Policy that will help guide the provincial government’s purchases of goods and services with a reduced environmental impact.
“We are encouraging our members to provide the provincial government with their perspectives on procurement,” says Kieran Hanley, econext‘s Executive Director. “The provincial government is one of the biggest consumers of products and services in Newfoundland and Labrador – and the criteria it puts in place to make purchasing choices can have a substantial impact.”
econext members can participate in the public engagement through Engagenl.ca until Friday, October 8. Written submissions are being accepted until Friday, November 5 by email to markdrover@gov.nl.ca.
“When you are allowed to consider environmental performance as a factor in procurement, you can make better decisions for the environment and – we like to think – the economy as well,” says Hanley. “The cheapest options isn’t always the best option, and it’s good to see that government is open to a more holistic and long-term approach to decision-making around purchases.”
Hanley says that econext will also be submitting a response of its own directly to government, and will be engaging its membership on a one-on-one basis to inform its recommendations.
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
On September 16, 2021 econext hosted a panel discussion exploring the concept of the ‘green job’ and what it means in the Newfoundland and Labrador context.
“The energy transition and the greening of the economy will look different depending on where in the world you are,” said Kieran Hanley, econext‘s Executive Director. “The makeup of an economy – from its primary industries and its future growth potential – have a real impact on what green jobs will be created and available.”
“econext was excited to start a discussion about what this could mean for Newfoundland and Labrador, and we were thrilled to gain a diverse range of perspectives from a great group of panelists,” said Hanley.
The panel discussion was broad and included topics like the importance of technical and digital skills, the greening of the economy, buying local, and the export of our expertise. The event was recorded and is available for free viewing on econext On-Demand.
“econext and its members believe that there are significant opportunities for economic growth and diversification within this province related to clean growth,” said Hanley. “Understanding how that relates to the workforce will be an important factor in helping us reach our potential, and with the help of our panelists econext has now taken the first steps.”
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is rebranding to reflect its evolution as an association and its continued work to grow and support the green economy in the province. As Econext the association will accelerate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“We have seen and proven that our association can play a substantial role in helping the province to realize sustainable development opportunities,” says Ashley Noseworthy, CEO of EDGEWISE Environmental and econext’s Chair. “But over the past two years we have also come to recognize that we needed a brand that would allow us convey that excitement and continual pursuit. A brand that would help us draw more attention to what is happening here on national and international stages.”
Noseworthy says that the association believes that it can do more to uncover what’s next for Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy. “This exciting new brand will allow our association to represent our members more effectively and deliver on clean growth projects in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
“In 1992 the founding members of NEIA had the foresight to create an organization that would help grow Newfoundland and Labrador’s environmental industry” says Noseworthy. “Increasing global pressures to fight climate change, decarbonize, and pursue net zero have now brought to the forefront a series of substantial new economic growth and diversification opportunities for our province.”
Noseworthy says that as econext, the organization can do more to work with industries, governments, communities, and institutions at all levels to unlock this vast potential.
econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. econext works on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) has produced and released an information series that explores clean growth opportunities related to oceans industries in Atlantic Canada.
“Conversations around concepts like sustainable development, the energy transition, net zero, decarbonization, etc. are intensifying globally at a rapid rate,” says Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Executive Director. “Atlantic Canada’s oceans industries – which are vitally important to the region’s economy – operate in international markets and as such need to be prepared to thrive in these changing conditions.”
Hanley says that the Offshore Cleantech Information Series aims to provide stakeholders in Atlantic Canada with the necessary insights to understand how these increasing environmental pressures will affect their industries, and where new opportunities for growth and innovation might lie. “We have produced 16 presentations and over 10 hours of content presented by subject matter experts on topics ranging from the fishery to offshore oil and gas to marine renewables,” says Hanley. “We believe this is a meaningful contribution towards advancing Atlantic Canada’s blue economy.”
The series also highlights firms from Atlantic Canada that are already engaged internationally, successfully exporting their clean technologies and environmental services throughout the world. “Investments and decisions are increasingly being made worldwide based on environmental performance indicators,” says Hanley, “and the truth is we have many local firms that have been very successful on the global stage in that regard.”
The Offshore Cleantech Information Series was produced by NEIA in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association (Noia), the Maritimes Energy Association, and Marine Renewables Canada. The series can be accessed for free via NEIA’s new professional development portal: https://neia.myvirtualcampus.co/product/offshore-cleantech-information-series/.
NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.
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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director NEIA
kieran@neia.org
The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) played a supporting role in a study released today which estimates that developing the hydrogen production industry in the province could grow into an $11 billion per year industry by 2050.
The study was coordinated by the OERA (Offshore Energy Research Association) and conducted by Zen and the Art of Clean Energy Solutions with support from Dunsky Energy Consulting, Redrock Power Systems, NEIA, as well as from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), which invested $100,000.
“Hydrogen production represents a substantial opportunity for economic growth, diversification, and innovation for Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Executive Director.
Hanley said that hydrogen is a fuel that emits no greenhouse gasses when used, and can be created through processes that are equally clean. “Hydrogen will be a key driver of the world’s energy transition, and Newfoundland and Labrador is positioned to become a global leader in its production.”
The study provides a technical and economic assessment of the role hydrogen could play in Newfoundland & Labrador’s own energy system transition. It explores the opportunities and challenges hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and use could create for the province while also looking at how NL could interact with the rest of Atlantic Canada in relation to hydrogen.
NEIA helped coordinate stakeholder engagement for the study which included individuals from almost 40 organizations providing input through surveys, virtual workshops, and individual interviews. The study follows a discussion paper that NEIA published in February to introduce the subject and key considerations to provincial stakeholders.
NEIA has formed a working group to better understand the opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador in hydrogen and help create the conditions for the industry to grow and thrive in the province. “NEIA will be working hard in the months and years to come to help this industry meet its potential in our province,” said Hanley.
NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at http://www.neia.org.
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Media Contact Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, econext kieran@econext.ca
