Eco-entrepreneurship in action

Fort Garry

What began as a university class project has blossomed into a promising environmental startup for Alec Massé, a bachelor of commerce (honours) grad with a double major in international management and entrepreneurship from the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba.

Rewind to October 2020. As a student, Massé and his friend Julien Koga, a biology student, pitched their innovative idea at the Lake Winnipeg AquaHacking Challenge, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Aqua Action. Their startup, Typha Co., is named after the scientific term for cattails, which are wetlands plants known for their natural filtration properties and ecological versatility.

“Our goal was to find a solution that not only addressed environmental concerns but also had social value,” Massé said. “We saw potential in something as simple and overlooked as cattails.”

The AquaHacking Challenge provided a platform for young innovators to tackle freshwater issues through technology and entrepreneurship. Massé and Koga’s pitch — turning cattails into biodegradable fibre for packaging — stood out for its blend of ecological science and business strategy, earning them recognition and support to further develop their concept.

Since winning the competition, Typha Co. has evolved from a pitch deck into a functioning business with active research and development, creating new gardening products such as mulch, soil amendment, and a newly launched, peat-free potting mix — a truly renewable and locally-sourced potting mix, available at Sage Garden Greenhouse.

“Cattails are incredible,” Massé said. “They grow abundantly in wetlands, absorb nutrients, and can be used in a wide variety of products. We wanted to explore how this natural resource could be part of a circular economy.”

Massé’s passion for environmental and social entrepreneurship is rooted in a desire to create meaningful change.

“Business doesn’t have to be just about profit,” he said. “It can be a tool for regeneration, for healing ecosystems and uplifting communities.”

As Typha Co. grows, Massé remains committed to collaboration and innovation. Steven Squire, avid Lake Winnipeg cottager and recent graduate of the materials engineering program at McGill University in Montreal, is helping advance research initiatives.

“We’re learning every day,” Massé said. “With support from the University of Manitoba, IISD, Dr. Hank Venema, and the local gardening community. With this collective encouragement, a class project has become something much bigger.”

Typha Co. sees opportunity not just in markets, but in marshes. Find out more at typhacompany.com