accelerator

Karlye Wong is a PhD candidate in Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Toronto’s Drinking Water Research Group, where her doctoral research investigates the adoption and performance of decentralized water treatment technologies. With over a decade of experience in project management and consulting across more than 20 countries, including the Canadian Arctic, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America, she has led climate-resilient infrastructure and environmental projects, including net-zero municipal water systems, disaster risk mitigation, and waste management and resource recovery. She holds a Master of Applied Science from the University of Toronto and a dual degree in Civil Engineering and Life Sciences from Queen’s University.

Jonathan Landsman is a sustainability and climate finance professional with experience across investment analysis, climate risk research, and early-stage clean energy development. He is completing his MSc in Sustainability Management at the University of Toronto, building on an Honours BSc in Environmental Science from the University of Ottawa. Most recently, he worked on PSP Investments’ Sustainability and Climate Innovation team, contributing to post-close ESG value-creation frameworks, physical climate risk assessments, and investment restriction guidelines. He also has hands-on experience in renewable energy development and policy analysis across solar and wave energy technologies, giving him a practical view of how climate solutions scale.

Jonathan served as a representative for The Energy Network and won first place in the UofT Roots Canada case competition with his MScSM team. He is also the co-author of a published paper examining the sustainability reporting practices of construction firms through the lens of SASB standards.

He aims to build a career in climate finance that helps direct capital toward solutions that meaningfully reduce emissions, by scaling emerging technologies, developing innovative financing approaches, and strengthening the resilience of real-world infrastructure. He is especially interested in roles that combine investment work with climate strategy and technology deployment.

Vignesh Lakshmanan is an MBA candidate at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and a Senior Investment Compliance Analyst at Mackenzie Investments, where he works across investment governance, portfolio compliance, and ESG oversight. His background in capital markets and institutional investing gives him a clear view into how capital is structured, governed, and deployed at scale.

He is strongly interested in climate finance, infrastructure, and sustainable investing, and in how financial systems can better support the energy transition. As part of the GCFA Accelerator In-Residence Fellowship, Vignesh is excited to work hands-on on projects from funding through to completion, helping advance climate solutions from concept into real-world deployment.

CPA, CFA, and MBA candidate with experience in consulting and investments. Passionate about energy transition and sustainable agriculture. Enjoy building clear, analytical solutions to complex business problems.

Kanchan Kargwal is a climate policy professional with five years of experience in climate strategies, stakeholder engagement, impact evaluation, and applied research. She is currently a Master of Global Affairs candidate at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto, where she focuses on innovation and policy in the context of climate and sustainability.

Kanchan holds a Master of Science in Environmental Studies and Resource Management and a Bachelor of Science in Geology, which ground her work in strong interdisciplinary and technical foundations. Across her various academic and professional roles, Kanchan has demonstrated the ability to analyze climate data, trends, gaps, and policy, and to help design strategic and innovative climate solutions that create equitable and lasting impact. She is actively involved in research on climate innovation and the startup ecosystem through her coursework and applied learning experiences at the Munk School.

As part of the GCFA Accelerator In-Residence Fellowship, she aims to advance her expertise in innovative financial mechanisms to scale climate solutions, bridging climate policy, capital flows, and real-world impact.