OUR TEAM
Aleta-Jo "AJ" Bird
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
AJ is a First Nations entrepreneur from Deninu Kųę́ First Nation and is the great-granddaughter of Treaty 8 signatory Paulette Chandelle.
AJ is a disruptor in the carbon market and a recognized expert in carbon, biodiversity, and Indigenous-led climate solutions. She advises and strategizes with everyone from Forbes 30 Under 30 founders at world leading startups to executives at multinational corporations & NGOs, First Nations, and everything in between.
She has 9 years of experience in business development in biogas, clean water, bioenergy, and nature-based solutions. Her expertise spans strategy, carbon credits, the emerging biodiversity markets, and Indigenous business partnerships focused on climate solutions.
AJ is a former Toronto Police Officer and trained hostage negotiator. She did a brief stint at law school at the University of Saskatchewan and holds executive certificates in negotiation from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.
Chipewyan "Chip" McCrimmon
Co-Founder & Partner
Chipewyan (pronounced "Chip-we-yawn") is a First Nations entrepreneur from Deninu Kųę́ First Nation and is the great-great-grandson of Treaty 8 signatory Paulette Chandelle.
Chip recently exited LUX BIO, a clean tech startup powered by biotech that engineers proteins to generate light. As Co-Founder & COO of LUX BIO, he helped raise $1.75M from American venture capitalists in 2023. The company's first customer was NASA and its investors include Brickyard, Tawani Ventures, AgFunder, and SOSV - one of the world’s leading venture capital firms specializing in biotech & clean tech.
He has 8 years of experience in tech start-ups, innovation, and clean tech projects working on all things business from strategy, product, marketing, communication, and fundraising dilutive & non-dilutive capital.
Chip is a graduate of the Master’s of Management, Innovation & Entrepreneurship program from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. He is also an alumnus of Creative Destruction Lab, League of Innovators, and NEXT 36 programs.
