LEADERSHIP. COLLABORATION. CAPITAL. IT’S HOW WE’RE TURNING ENERGY TRANSITION INTO A MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY.
Avatar was born from the simple premise that solutions to the complex challenges of climate change and energy transition must come from within the energy industry.
By working inside incumbent heavy industry, Avatar Innovations unlocks industry validated solutions and technologies for the industries most difficult to decarbonize. Through a ground-breaking and proven process, large caps gain the nimbleness of a start-up and emerging technologies gain the horsepower of a large cap.
The result? Engaged and empowered employees in the future of energy and access to needed technologies, solutions and capital faster, simpler and cheaper than many other forums.
A PROVEN INNOVATION PARTNER.
Unstoppable Movement
Unprecedented industry demand
Over 3500 applications in just over 2 years. Nearly 1000 Alumni generated. 67 oil and gas companies participating.
Leader of Tomorrow
Re-invigorated Energy Workforce
Of 272 98% of Avatar 2022 Participants found the program valuable. 74% would like to re-enroll in 2023. 54% asked if they could volunteer with Avatar on their off-work hours.
US Expansion
Houston In-Person Presence
Completed successful pilot in US with about 30 Houston participants supported by Enbridge, TC Energy, Williams, Kiewit, Emerson & GHD with keen interest to expand Houston presence for 2024 Program.
Industry Builder
Driving North America’s Energy Leadership
By connecting energy innovation hubs across North America, including Calgary and Houston, we’re building a global community of like-minded entrepreneurial energy professionals and ensuring the best technologies are shared and scaled rapidly.
Global Leader
Partnership with XPRIZE
Awarded 2 technology finalists in Elon Musk’s top 60 for the prestigious $100M Carbon removal XPRIZE in first year of operations.
Technology Development
Putting oil and gas in the driver’s seat
30 technologies generated in first 2 year of operations supported and sponsored by oil and gas companies.
THE AVATAR PROGRAM
Avatar Ignite
- Technology, Business & Idea Generation Process
- Emerging Professionals work together as semi-autonomous, cross functional teams under guidance of industry leadership
Avatar Studio
- Prototyping, Customer Fit, De-risking
- Strategically sponsored teams enter co-development process with UCalgary and Innovate Calgary to build investable technologies & businesses with a customer already in place
Avatar Ventures
- Unlocks Cleantech capital to help companies’ transition
- Provides exclusive deal flow for industry built, vetted & de-risked projects with customer and product in place
Avatar Ignite
Emerging professionals work together to generate new business ideas to industry challenges.
Avatar Ignite takes market-pulled needs and turns them into business opportunities. Ignite brings emerging professionals together to work in cross-functional teams and empowers their leadership.
Ignite provides a proven and successful means of engaging employees in the future of energy while building internal innovation and entrepreneurial capacity. With access to global business leaders, Avatar Ignite builds the workforce the future of our industry needs while generating needed solutions.
HOW IT WORKS
- Emerging professionals apply to participate
- The group is divided into multi-functional, semi-autonomous teams that participate in a 16 week program led by industry experts and Ucalgary faculty
- Sessions include topics ranging from Net-zero Energy Economics to Entrepreneurship in the New Energy Economy
- The output typically results in 5 – 15 innovative, implementable and ground-breaking technologies and solutions
AVATAR STUDIO
Taking early-stage solutions emerging from Avatar Ignite and partnering them with the customers, capital and expertise to create investor-ready business opportunities. Avatar Studio is based upon several successful models of “enterprise co-creation” in the automotive sector as they work to transform their entire delivery model and supply chain for a fully-electric 2035.
Avatar Studio takes early-stage solutions emerging from Avatar Ignite and partners them with customers, capital and expertise to create investor-ready business opportunities.
The most compelling and innovative projects generated in Avatar Ignite will be selected for the Avatar Studio.
HOW IT WORKS
- Organizations sponsor a project aligned with their business needs
- Sponsors are teamed with industry collaborators capable of solution implementation
- Organizations, teams and IP are protected under an NDA. Collaboration and training occurs through workshops facilitated by industry experts, UofC and business coaches
- Teams advance the solution and develop a business case for their initiative
- Initiatives are pitched to executive sponsors and investment professionals to determine if they’re ready for venture capital financing & implementation
AVATAR VENTURES
Unlocking CarbonTech capital to implement solutions that help decarbonize our economy.
Putting oil and gas in the driver’s seat of the energy transition. We believe that many of the world’s most compelling solutions to decarbonization exist within oil and gas, yet the access required to implement and the capital needed to scale have long been a limiting factor.
Avatar Ventures is the vehicle to provide access to the capital required to launch these emerging solutions. Validated by a robust process, sponsored by industry, and capitalized by Avatar’s many partners, we provide the full cycle ecosystem that successful energy innovation demands.
While the Avatar Studio prepares teams to win in the extremely competitive marketplace, Avatar Ventures is working with the investment community to prepare them for funding opportunities.
HOW IT WORKS
- After 4 months of critical thinking, problem validation, and customer discovery, the teams will present at “Demo Day”
- A panel of investors will assess the teams and their business solutions
- Capital will be raised for the most compelling opportunities
- Successful teams will create a NewCo. where the best structure for commercialization will be implemented. Developed content and IP required for business success will be passed into that structure
