With the addition of new members to its team, a plug-and-play emissions testing centre, and the launch of its $35 million venture capital entity, NGIF is ready to support startups from concept to commercialization.
NGIF announced the expansion of its leadership team, placing key staff members in strategic, new roles that align with the organization’s growth strategy.
“We are focused on acquiring new investors, building great businesses, and achieving outstanding results,” said John Adams, President and CEO of NGIF Capital Corporation and Managing Partner of NGIF Cleantech Ventures. “We are excited about the great talent, both new and existing, who are going to build NGIF’s presence across Canada and around the globe.”
Akhil Abat was appointed to Vice President, Technology Strategy and Delivery. Abat, who joined NGIF as its second employee next to Adams, is now accountable for innovation in cleantech energy and operationalizing it into reality. He will focus on creating value for startups, investors, and trusted partners through the NGIF ecosystem and the larger natural gas industry.
NGIF is committed to accelerating cleantech innovation in natural gas, cutting new ground in Canada’s energy marketplace. The company is creating a diversified portfolio of investments, strategic partnerships, and a trusted investment model that delivers on environmental and economic performance for the natural gas value chain.
Recognized for their contributions in shaping NGIF’s flagship model, Ashutosh Pohary and Saad Sarfraz also received promotions. Pohary will ensure the integrity of startup contracts is upheld and projects are delivered in accordance with the respective funding and contribution agreements. Sarfraz is responsible for a comprehensive economic data and information strategy for NGIF, reporting impact on aggregated quantitative benefits and investment outputs to investors, trusted partners, and industry stakeholders.
With the launch of NGIF’s live-emissions testing platform, Adams recruited Dr. Jonathan Bryan to oversee the first-of-kind demonstration facilitated. The Emissions Testing Centre is a testing platform for both simulated emissions testing at the University of Calgary Energy Centre and live testing at the West Wolf Lake gas processing plant, located near Edson, Alberta and owned jointly by Tourmaline Oil Corp. and Perpetual Energy Inc.
Bryan will work directly with NGIF partners and startups to test and accelerate the commercial deployment of technology.
Access to capital continues to play a critical role in accelerating the growth of innovative cleantech startups. With a diversified portfolio of funds and companies, NGIF will advance the most promising enterprises in cleantech innovation and support them through their projects to commercialization and market success.
NGIF Cleantech Ventures is Canada’s first venture capital firm created by and for Canada’s natural gas sector. As Adams nears his second close on the fund, his expansion is supported by two new investment team members.
Venture Capital Associates Isaac da Silva Aboo and Michael Hebert bring vast legal and investment experience. They will bring due diligence and outlooks to early-stage investing and support entrepreneurs in their journey to grow successful businesses. Tasked with sourcing and executing new investments, they will also provide support to the NGIF’s portfolio companies as they look to scale.
“I knew before we closed the first $35M that I wanted to quickly do a second close,” added Adams. “Having a team of highly experienced professionals join NGIF is a significant step towards delivering this on this mission.”
da Silva Aboo will work closely with strategic and institutional investors, accelerators, and the broader startup ecosystem. Prior to joining NGIF, Isaac was a corporate lawyer at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP specializing in the representation of emerging and high growth companies throughout their lifecycle and the investors that fund them.
Hebert’s experience identifying game-changing trends in Canadian innovation, economic competitiveness, and disruptive energy technologies will help advance the most promising enterprises commercialize and realize market success. He previously worked as an advisor to Mac Van Wielingen, founder of ARC Financial, in the Van Wielingen family office.
NGIF’s success to date has been founded through constant knowledge exchange and the building of long-term relationships. In other words, it is all about people and communication. With sights set on being the vehicle of choice for Canadian cleantech institutional and strategic investors, Adams named Sarah Robinson to design the company’s communications strategies, build the brand, and raise the profile of its investors, trusted partners, and innovators.
“Sarah is respected in the energy sector and brings a wealth of communications experience that will be instrumental in advancing the value proposition of natural gas, cleantech investment, and innovation,” said Adams. “She will be critical in positioning Canada’s natural gas as the most competitive gas molecule in the world with the lowest-emission.”
The NGIF team is talented. They are forward thinkers. Innovators. Dealmakers. They are committed to driving innovation in the natural gas sector.
“We know natural gas is critical to the long-term well-being of Canadians, and indeed citizens around the world. And this team believes innovation in the sector will make the future of natural gas – and what it delivers – that much better.”
