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How Canadian technology can help stabilize the rocky market for rare earth elements This week’s Tech Update also highlights big reports on marine carbon sequestering and medical misinformation — and some promising pilot projects

Toronto-based Cyclic Materials is working to meet the growing demand for rare earth elements with its mining-free solution. Read our interview with the company's CEO, along with other big news from CURA, Cyder, Kiwi Charge, Tinybox and Birdseye in our Tech Update.

What really happens to the online purchases you return? Easy, free returns have become the expectation of online shoppers and a big problem for retailers and the environment.

Canada is among the top ten markets for e-commerce, but what happens when even a fraction of those items are returned?

Learn how Toronto-based GoBolt is optimizing the returns process, and in turn, lightening the load for both retailers and the environment.

On Thursday, February 26, our next MaRS Mornings will explore the topic of housing as healthcare.

Tickets are on sale now and going fast — secure your spot today.

How Seacork is transforming seaweed into sustainable construction materials After moving to the west coast, Annie Dahan realized that invasive aquatic plants could be repurposed as a low-carbon sound-dampening option.

Today, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate Annie Dahan, founder and CEO of Seacork Studio, which turns destructive aquatic plants into sustainable acoustic panels.

How Seacork is transforming seaweed into sustainable construction materials After moving to the west coast, Annie Dahan realized that invasive aquatic plants could be repurposed as a low-carbon sound-dampening option.

Take a deep dive into how west coast startup Seacork is creating sustainable acoustic panels from a surprisingly abundant source: seaweed.

How Intrepid Labs found the perfect home for its HQ The biotech startup needed a flexible workspace that could grow with the company as it scales.

For Intrepid Labs to effectively scale, the company needed its lab and office space to grow as well. Learn how the Toronto-based venture found a flexible hub to help expand its solution that uses AI to speed up drug formulation.

5 Critical challenges that Canadian biotech startups face in Canada For years, Canada’s biotech strategy was simple: Woo large multinational companies to provide an anchor for the sector. The idea was that these firms

Introducing Building Biotech: A new series where experts across Canada's health ecosystem share their insights on what it will take to ensure our country's brightest biotech solutions are developed, tested and commercialized here at home.

How is AI going to change health care? With the launch of Anthropic’s Claude for Healthcare in the United States, experts assess how AI could help — or hinder — Canada’s health-care system.

Artificial intelligence is playing a more predominant role in helping patients advocate for their health and how doctors provide care. But how can our healthcare system build trust in this technology, without being over-reliant?

Startup shutdown: Canadian tech leaders respond to the Y Combinator news The incubator program is closing its doors to startups registered in Canada. Is this another wake-up call for the innovation ecosystem?

Experts across the innovation ecosystem weigh in on the news that Y Combinator will no longer invest in Canadian-registered ventures.

Are the headlines worth the worry? Or is this a stern wake up-call? Read their perspectives and insights.

12 Canadian companies hiring in February Whether your interests are in climate tech, finance, healthcare or software, explore the 12 Canadian tech ventures looking for fresh talent, and start the new year in an exciting new role.

If you're looking for a role in climate, health, finance or software tech, explore the Canadian ventures hiring now!

Featuring CoLab, Jule, Klir, Electric Effect, Maple, Verto Health, Borrowell, Loop Financial, VoPay, Loopio, Top Hat and TRIYO.

What the “Carney Doctrine” means for Canadian trade This week’s Tech Update also features cleantech startups scoring big in global competitions.

EDC's VP and chief economist weighs in on cross-border tension, Xatoms makes a splash in Davos, and other news from Tewari De-Ox Systems, Brickeye, Cyclic Materials and more. Get the latest in our tech update.

How ALT-PRO is shrinking pet food's environmental pawprint The Toronto-based company is reframing how we think about nourishing our furry friends

Solving a kibble conundrum: ALT-PRO Advantage founder Sofia Bonilla shares how she developed a more sustainable pet food, with all the nutritional benefits you'd want in your dog's food bowl. (Just ask her 140-pound dog, Snoofy the Newfie).

Infinity quest: Is the hubris of tech billionaires endangering the planet? There’s no denying that technology plays — and will continue to play — a critical role in addressing the climate crisis. But could super-intelligent AI

Could over-reliance on AI-driven tech be a distraction from taking meaningful, tangible action on the world's pressing problems?

In our latest episode of Solve for X, host Manjula Selvarajah speaks with astrophysicist and author Adam Becker to answer this question.

The climate goals Canada needs to hit in 2026 Here’s how we can strengthen our food supply, secure the critical minerals we need and ensure a sustainable future.

The opportunities to meet climate goals are plenty. Tyler Hamilton, senior director of climate at MaRS, lists out what Canada needs to work toward this year to ensure a sustainable future for our country and our planet.

Is there anywhere I can get virtual health care for my child in Toronto? Emergency rooms across the country are packed with sick kids whose parents don’t have access to primary care providers. Staffed 24/7 by real doctors, nurses and social workers, KixCare’s virtual

Canada's emergency departments are notoriously crowded. Learn how pediatric health platform KixCare is helping parents get the care their children need — without the long wait in the ER.

The dawn of a new energy age Not too long ago, solar energy was considered expensive, inefficient and unreliable. Then everything changed.

As we mark the International Day of Clean Energy, we're taking a closer look at the recent global surge of solar power tech and where Canada stands in this new energy age.

Learn more, with expert insights including Morgan Solar.

A short guide to restoring trust in medicine The mess of misinformation.

Samantha Yammine (AKA Science Sam) weighs in on the concerning spread of medical misinformation and what needs to happen to restore trust in evidence-based care.

She'll take part in next week's MaRS Morning, which will explore the topic of debunking "miracle cures".

Mapping Canada’s emerging adaptech market The Canadian Adaptation and Resilience Innovation Playbook tracks public and private demand alongside startup and investor activity to identify where climate risk awareness is — and is not — translating into scalable solutions.

Insured weather damages exceeded $8 billion in 2024 — nearly triple the losses in 2023.

This is why MaRS and Tailwind Futures have developed the Canadian Adaptation and Resilience Innovation Playbook, to help unlock the full potential of the adaptech market.

Mapping Canada’s emerging adaptech market The Canadian Adaptation and Resilience Innovation Playbook tracks public and private demand alongside startup and investor activity to identify where climate risk awareness is — and is not — translating into scalable solutions.

Insured weather damages exceeded $8 billion in 2024 — nearly triple the losses in 2023.

This is why MaRS and Tailwind Futures have developed the Canadian Adaptation and Resilience Innovation Playbook, to help unlock the full potential of the adaptech market.

This Toronto startup is diverting tonnes of building materials from landfill Canada generates 4 million tonnes of construction waste a year. Adaptis helps building managers salvage and reuse materials while also reducing carbon emissions.

"The end of a building’s life is as important as the start." Adaptis founder Sheida Shahi shares how her Toronto-based startup is helping to curb the four million tons of construction waste generated in Canada each year.

Recent breakthroughs in Parkinson’s disease laying groundwork for new treatments Also in this week’s Tech Update: Nine Canadian firms make the 2026’s Cleantech 100 and venture capital firms contend with a dry spell.

In our latest Tech Update: Founder and CEO Jonathan Brotchie of MaRS tenant Atuka weighs in on the recent breakthroughs in Parkinson's research.

Meanwhile, nine Canadian companies cracked this year's Cleantech 100 list.

12 Canadian companies hiring right now Whether your interests are in climate tech, finance, healthcare or software, explore the 12 Canadian tech ventures looking for fresh talent, and start the new year in an exciting new role.

Start 2026 in an exciting new role: Canadian tech startups are hiring now, including Multiverse Computing, New School Foods, Parity, Able Innovations, Intellijoint Surgical, Synaptive Medical, Instant Financial, Tacit, Tulip, Blue J, ODAIA and Veriday.

Five climate resolutions Canada needs to make in 2026 Here’s how we can strengthen our food supply, secure the critical minerals we need and ensure a sustainable future.

A new year brings new opportunities. Tyler Hamilton, senior director of climate at MaRS, lists out the top five cleantech resolutions Canada needs to make in 2026 to prioritize sustainability for years to come.

How innovation can help Canada build a sovereign food system Trade upheaval and climate change underscore the need for new strategies to strengthen Canada’s agri-food supply chain.

Trade tensions and climate change are putting strain on Canada's food supply chain. Read how homegrown ventures Haven Greens, Clearwater Farms and Growcer are helping to strengthen our country's food sovereignty.

How RetiSpec wrote its own success story The Toronto startup developed tech that can catch early signs of Alzheimer’s. But it struggled to get the word out about this potentially game-changing tool. Here’s how MaRS helped.

January is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. We're proud to support ventures such as RetiSpec, which is making strides in the detection of this disease. Learn how MaRS helped the Toronto-based company get more attention about its non-invasive eye scan.

10 Canadian tech entrepreneurs to watch in 2026 These leaders are working on tech that turn greenhouse gas emissions into rock, AI tools that help farmers boost yields and other boundary-pushing solutions.

Happy new year! 2026 is already off to a promising start, thanks to purpose-driven innovations. Meet the ten entrepreneurs developing solutions set to make our world a better place this year and for years to come.

Easy, free returns have become the expectation. Here’s why they also present a big problem. The holiday season is upon us — the time of giving gifts, receiving gifts and, increasingly, returning gifts. But what really happens to the online purchases you return to the retailers? Where do they go?

The rise of free and easy returns is creating massive headaches for retailers. Here's how Toronto logistics company GoBolt is making it simpler, faster and more cost effective.

A Toronto company is reinventing how we feed our furry friends By setting her sights lower on the food chain, scientist and entrepreneur Sofia Bonilla developed a formula to deliver kibble with a smaller environmental footprint — and huge health benefits.

Solving a kibble conundrum: Learn how ALT-PRO Advantage founder Sofia Bonilla (with a little help from her pup Snoofy the Newfie) developed a line of alternative pet food with all the nutrition a growing dog needs, but with a smaller environmental impact.

Made in Canada: This AI tool is helping businesses solve their Goldilocks problem In a world where having too much or too little inventory can come with hefty, tariff-enhanced financial tolls, Toronto startup Moselle enables companies to ensure their supply is just right.

Between tariffs and delicate supply chain logistics, entrepreneurs need all the help they can get. We've got the goods on Moselle, an AI tool that's helping business owners keep in-demand products in stock.

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A recap of the biggest MaRS stories of 2025 ABOUT MaRS DISCOVERY DISTRICT MaRS is the world's largest innovation hub located in Toronto. We support impact-driven startups in health, cleantech, fintech and enterprise. --------------------------------------------------------------- ▶ SUBSCRIBE T MaRS year In review 2025

2025 was a great success, and we're recapping our biggest stories in our MaRS year in review.