Professional services firm KPMG in Canada and urban innovation hub MaRS Discovery District announced the launch of the Climate Accelerator, aimed at supporting climate innovation by matching up corporates looking for climate solutions and cleantech startups.

The new initiative brings together corporate clients of KPMG with MaRS’ ecosystem of ready-to-scale cleantech startups. Through the program, KPMG and MaRS aim to implement climate innovation solutions on a large scale quickly by building networks between corporations, startups, and governments.

Yung Wu, CEO of MaRS Discovery District, said:

“The ventures we have at MaRS are creating solutions to some of our most pressing challenges such as climate change, and they’re creating immense value for corporations, governments and Canadians. Our collaboration with KPMG offers a way for startups to partner with large organizations to realize their full potential and take those solutions to market in a meaningful way.”

The Climate Impact Accelerator will combine the capabilities of both organizations to boost economic growth and advance commercialization in Canada’s cleantech innovation economy. According to KPMG, the partnership could be scaled to include other areas, including financial services, healthcare, ESG, and retail.

Armughan Ahmad, President and Managing Partner, Digital, KPMG in Canada, said:

“Canada clearly has a strong foundation in research and innovation, but we’re lagging in commercialization. The Climate Impact Accelerator helps solve that disconnect. KPMG in Canada’s collaboration with MaRS Discovery District is a real step forward in bringing Canadian innovations to market.”