I’m pleased to share an update on the growth of ClimateDoor Impact, an initiative shaped by years of relationship-building and direct experience with the gaps existing models do not address well. For a long time, we’ve operated at the intersection of two important spaces: the First Nations work we champion through Unify Partners and the climate technology acceleration we drive at ClimateDoor. While our growth-partner models have been successful, we realized there was a missing piece: a way to unlock catalytic capital to fund projects that standard models often overlook.

This nonprofit isn't just an extension of our existing work. We built ClimateDoor Impact because we kept running into the same problem. Communities and companies doing critical climate work, especially Indigenous-led projects, would hit a wall when it came to funding. The money was either too slow, too restrictive, or structured in ways that didn't fit. We're not here to replace the funders and partners already doing good work in this space. We're here to fill a specific gap: getting catalytic capital into projects that traditional models pass over, and doing it in a way that centres Indigenous sovereignty from the start.

A New Chapter in Leadership

The most significant aspect of this launch is that this organization is Indigenous-led, and that helps shape every decision going forward. We are honored to welcome Roman and Damon Brochu to our Board of Directors. Their vision and wisdom will be the North Star for this initiative. Roman brings a rare combination of community credibility and institutional experience. A Metlakatla First Nation member and Indigenous Partnerships Lead at Unify Partners, he has spent years working directly with Nations across BC on governance, funding strategy, and community-driven development. He helped lead the raising of a totem pole outside Prince Rupert in honour of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women along Highway 16, and served as Executive Director of the Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce, where he revived the organization post-COVID. That combination of cultural grounding and institutional leadership is exactly what this work requires.

Moving forward, I am eager to work under their leadership. Our team’s deep experience working alongside Elders, Chiefs, and Councils has taught us that true innovation only happens when it is rooted in respect and long-term relationship-building. By centering Indigenous leadership, we are ensuring that the projects we explore are meaningful, community-directed, and built on a foundation of trust.

This builds directly on what Sam Kullar accomplished with ClimCanada. Sam spent years building relationships with climate experts around the world, spanning all facets required for climate technology to solve the problems the world needs. The approach was straightforward: connect early-stage companies with the right people to tackle their biggest obstacles in 90 days, not 9 months. 

The Opportunity to Share 

We’ve spent years developing systems for scaling climate tech and moving Nation-led projects forward, and through this nonprofit, we are able to offer access through alternative sources of capital to increase accessibility of our support and maximize our impact. 

This will allow us to share our system learnings and networks with companies and communities that are ready to make a real-world impact but need the right gateway to do so. This isn't just about capital; it’s about capacity.

Key Objectives & Strategic Frontiers

As we look toward the horizon, our nonprofit will focus on several critical pillars:

• Entrepreneurship and Co-Innovation: Developing the capacity for technology co-innovation with Indigenous communities. We aim to act as a gateway for communities, industry, and other partners to access global, leading-edge technologies while ensuring those technologies are vetted and culturally appropriate.
• Data Sovereignty: We are exploring community-controlled data monitoring for climate issues. In an era of "big data," ensuring that Nations own and control their own information is a matter of both climate resilience and self-determination.
• Future Workforce Strategies: Building on our foundational work in Treaty 3 Territory, we are committed to developing a workforce that is ready for the green economy—merging traditional knowledge with technical expertise.
• National Resilience & Supply Chains: Strengthening capacity for entrepreneurs and communities to build Canada’s low-carbon supply chains, critical materials, and infrastructure resilience. Sustainable sovereignty is at the heart of where we focus. 

Looking Ahead

The work ClimateDoor Impact unlocks is a commitment to a future where the technology and solutions that we need for a resilient future get into the hands of those who use it. Where technology can be shaped by those who have been stewards of the land since time immemorial. I couldn't be more excited to get to work.