Words by Caitlin Lichimo. Photos by Paul Joseph.
The UBC Sauder Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is one of the extensions of a global objectives-based non-profit mentorship program that helps high-calibre technology start-ups activate their commercial potential that benefit society. Along with two global streams (cancer and advanced therapies), the UBC Sauder CDL also offers four local streams (minerals, biomedical engineering, compute, and climate).
CDL Climate Stream: Building environmental innovation from the ground up
Scaling the most promising deep technology sustainability startups is at the heart of UBC Sauder’s Creative Destruction Lab Climate Stream. Along with four undergraduate and graduate courses, the lab offers a nine-month program consisting of four full-day sessions of mentorship, designed to accelerate the commercialization of science-based startups addressing climate and environmental challenges. The Climate stream supports ventures developing scalable solutions in areas such as greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy, circular economy, sustainable materials, and climate resilience.
Participants benefit from mentorship by experienced entrepreneurs, scientists, and investors who help refine their business models, prioritize objectives, and connect them with capital and industry partners. CDL does not charge fees or take equity, making it accessible to early-stage ventures.
Transforming bitumen waste into sustainable carbon fibers
FiberNX is one of the 420+ ventures to partake in the UBC Sauder CDL, having graduated from the 2024-25 cohort. FiberNX has developed a process to transform bitumen waste (a byproduct of the oil industry) into usable, sustainable carbon fibers and nanofibers, offering a low-cost, low-emission alternative to traditional materials. Their technology reduces emissions by 68% compared to conventional carbon fiber production and has applications across industries such as electric vehicles, wind energy, and construction.
A success story: FiberNX sets sights toward materials industry
Carbon fiber and nanofibers are strong, stiff, and lightweight high-performance materials composed of extremely thin fibers of carbon atoms bonded in a crystalline structure. These fibers used in everything from cars and aircrafts to medical devices and sports equipment. The lower input of material and energy required for high-strength output are what makes this material an innovative sustainable option.
The FiberNX lab creates their pioneering sustainable fibers by melt spinning, a low energy-intensive process without the use of harmful solvents. Since their fiber is a product of recycling toxic waste, the final material is less than half of standard commercial fibers, at $12/kg in comparison to $33/kg. However, the startup team is still working through their share of hurdles: generating enough supply for high industry demand and dealing with inconsistencies from the original bitumen waste product.
This is just the beginning: FiberNX was named one of the top 10 startups in 2024 by New Ventures BC and one of the winning solutions during the first two phases of the Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge.
