Keith Gillard is a former Fortune 100 executive, who founded, led, invested in, and exited dozens of sustainability companies. He is co-founder and CEO of Sustaero, building Canada’s first billion-litre sustainable aviation fuel production capacity. He is also CEO and co-founder of UpperStage.Capital, an impact-focused lower middle market private equity firm, as well as co-founder and chair of Foresight, Canada’s largest cleantech accelerator. Mr. Gillard is an operator and investor with decades of hands-on experience with dozens of companies, funds, and not-for-profit organizations. He is a proven leader, fund-raiser, dealmaker, and business development matchmaker with an extensive international network, having close relationships throughout multinational organizations and industry leaders across North America, Asia, and Europe.
Sustaero is developing Canada’s premier sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production infrastructure. Canada is rich with abundant, responsibly managed forests, renewable energy from hydroelectricity, and vast quantities of fresh water: the ideal conditions for the production of the highest-quality, lowest-carbon, economically produced SAF from sustainable wood waste. Regulatory and social pressures around the world are pushing the aviation industry to reduce its carbon footprint by adopting ever-escalating portions of SAF blended into fuels. Sustaero aims to supply Canadian airports with 1 billion litres of SAF by 2035, establishing Canada as a leader in sustainable aviation.
Mr. Gillard previously served as President of BASF Venture Capital America, where he was responsible for the establishment of the Silicon Valley office, as well as all direct and fund investments. Mr. Gillard spent five years with Mitsubishi Corporation, managing venture investment and business development activities with a specific focus on cleantech. Mr. Gillard also served as General Partner of Pangaea Ventures Ltd., an impact investor with a focus on deeptech. In his 20s, he was a serial entrepreneur in software and media, who began his career in investment banking, structuring lower middle market mergers and acquisitions as well as manufacturing technology joint ventures into China.
Mr. Gillard is co-founder and chair of Foresight Canada, which has grown to national scale over the last twelve years, becoming Canada’s largest cleantech accelerator with over 1,300 client companies to date. He is a venture partner with Pioneera Ventures, a board committee member of the Canadian Venture Capital Association, a voting committee member of Canada’s Best Private Boards, and a mentor with the Scotiabank Women Initiative. He has served as chair of Vestaron, and director of Talius, Keela, Hazel Technologies, NewLeaf Symbiotics, Advanced BioNutrition, Sciona, SDCmaterials, and other companies. Mr. Gillard served on the advisory boards of ARCH Venture Partners, Chrysalix Venture Capital, and NGEN Partners. He served as advisor to the World Economic Forum on sustainability and collaborative innovation in chemicals and materials, speaking at Davos in 2020. He is the co-author of “Inside The Minds: Best Practices for Energy Venture Capital.” Outside of work, he is a high-energy father of three, cyclist, and an internationally-charting, twice-nominated Canadian Independent Music Award winner.
