Harvest Systems Inc., a leader in sustainable energy solutions launched out of McMaster Engineering, has been recognized as one of Canada’s top 50 most investible clean tech companies by  Foresight Canada.

The ranking highlights the company’s key role in reducing costs and promoting environmental sustainability in the restaurant industry.

“It has been an exciting few months for Harvest Systems, and this recent achievement is completely due to the incredible dedication of the Harvest team,” says CEO Jim Cotton, a professor of mechanical engineering.

Harvest Systems originated from a simple idea, he says:

“Why waste energy when you can harvest it?”

The team designed a method to reclaim heat from commercial kitchen appliances like ovens and fryers, which is traditionally emitted into the environment.

Formerly waste energy, it can now be harvested to provide cost-effective and energy-efficient alternatives to offset gas and electrical heating needs like water heaters, dishwasher sanitation and make-up ventilation air heating

Learn more about Jim Cotton’s work in sustainable energy

The venture got its start in leading the restaurant industry’s shift toward sustainability with $1.7 million in research funding in partnership with McMaster University, Pizza Pizza Limited, Enbridge Gas, NSERC and OCI.

Harvest System’s user-friendly device lowers greenhouse gas emissions and helps restaurants reduce energy costs, improving their environmental impact without compromising service efficiency.

“Moving 10 years of research and development to an effective commercial system that’s cost effective and scalable for restaurants has been an incredible journey,” says Cotton.

“The regulatory changes we championed are being finalized this month, and we are now working with the Creative Destruction Lab towards finalizing our current fundraising round. This means the product will roll out next year with our inaugural customer, Pizza Pizza.”

Harvest Systems has established new benchmarks for energy efficiency in the food service sector by showing how eco-friendly initiatives can also lead to substantial financial savings.

“Harvest Systems is a shining example of McMaster-based research creating real world impact,” says Carlos Filipe, associate dean of Research, Innovation and Partnerships in the Faculty of Engineering.

“We need more innovative and adaptive solutions like that of Harvest Systems to engineering a more sustainable future.”