Ekstera Graduates from Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) Rockies Energy Stream
Toronto, ON – May 16, 2025 – Ekstera is proud to announce its successful graduation from the Creative Destruction Lab - Rockies (CDL-Rockies) Energy Stream. Hosted in Calgary, Alberta, the rigorous, nine-month program is a highly selective, objectives-based mentorship initiative designed for science and technology-based companies.
Founded in 2012, the Creative Destruction Lab is a global startup program with a mission to enhance the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind. Operating across 17 sites worldwide, CDL pairs early-stage founders with experienced entrepreneurs, scientists, and angel investors to scale their innovations.
Admission to the CDL program is very competitive. Continuation in the program requires companies to earn sustained mentor support at each session, resulting in an average historical graduation rate of approximately 40% in the CDL-Rockies Energy stream.
Over the course of the 2024/2025 cohort, the Ekstera team received guidance from the many CDL Energy mentors and formal mentorship from eight different CDL Energy mentors. The company actively leveraged this mentor feedback to refine its technical and commercial direction and built durable working relationships within the CDL network. Throughout the program, Ekstera consistently achieved their aggressive eight-week objectives.
This strategic mentorship has been instrumental in advancing Ekstera's mission to commercialize its patented Stirling engine technology, which converts industrial waste heat into carbon-free electricity.
"I'm incredibly proud that Ekstera has graduated from the CDL-Rockies Energy Stream," said Brendan MacDonald, CEO of Ekstera. "A huge thank you to all of our mentors for their incredible advice, for pushing us to challenge assumptions, and for their help in developing a robust strategy to scale our technology.”
About Ekstera
Ekstera is a Canadian hardware and energy technology company dedicated to developing innovative Stirling engine technology to convert industrial waste heat into clean electricity. Ekstera is building cost-effective, scalable, and rapidly deployable electricity generation to decarbonize and reduce costs for heavy industry.
