Christine Gabardo
Co-founder & CTO | CERT Systems
Dr. Christine Gabardo is the Co-Founder and CTO of CERT Systems Inc., where she leads the development and scale-up of electrochemical technologies that convert CO₂ into low-carbon fuels and chemicals. She earned her B.Eng (’11) and PhD (’16) from McMaster University, followed by an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto focused on advancing efficient, scalable CO₂ reduction devices. In 2019, she co-founded CERT Systems and led the technical team to the finals of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE. Dr. Gabardo has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals in the field of CO₂ electrocatalysis. She has been recognized with the 2022 Clean50 Emerging Leader Award, McMaster University’s inaugural Engineering Young Alumni Leadership Award (2023), Net-Zero Industries Female Innovator Award (2025), and as a Breakthrough Energy Innovator Fellow (Cohort 2).
30 MINUTES
Breakout Space - Gallery
Lunch Workshop: Scale Beyond Borders with the CTA Program
Ready to take your startup global? In this interactive session, you’ll hear firsthand how Canadian Technology Accelerator programs support high-growth tech companies with market entry, business matchmaking, and on-the-ground mentorship in key global markets. Whether you’re eyeing North America, Europe, or Asia, this workshop will help you understand how to leverage Canada’s international network to accelerate your next stage of growth.
Attendance is first-come first served and limited to 50 attendees. Doors will open 15mins before the session, and lunch will be available in the workshop space. This workshop is presented by Global Affairs Canada.
