Chris Burns
CEO, Novonix
CHOSEN BECAUSE:
Chris Burns, 34, is the co-founder and CEO of Novonix, which researches advanced battery materials at its R&D headquarters in Halifax, and makes the materials in Tennessee. Canada, he says, can be a major player in the global auto industry’s electric vehicle shift. His company’s goal is to develop longer-life batteries and ultimately become a major supplier for electric vehicles, using “clean”
power where possible for the energy-intensive production of materials.
The Halifax facility builds batteries on a pilot line and tests them in an accelerated
process that Burns co-developed, allowing researchers to simulate years of battery
life in just a few weeks.
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
“As the industry evolves, and the presence of electric vehicles and energy storage systems grows, the need for technol
ogy and materials that support long-life high-performance applications has
become increasingly prevalent. Canada has an opportunity to play a key role
with our access to critical metals and minerals and clean energy generation
to support low-carbon operations.”