Social Impact – AwardX 2025

Judges

Connor Burdett

SEED

CEO

Connor is the founder of SEED, a social enterprise on a mission to end the global reliance on firewood for cooking. SEED was born out of a deep understanding of the social and environmental devastation caused by firewood use - deforestation, harmful emissions, diseases and climate damage - and an even deeper empathy for the people who have no alternative. For the 2.3 Billion of them, firewood is not a choice. It’s their only option.

That’s what SEED aims to change. By creating the world’s most accessible and empowering clean energy technology, SEED offers families a real choice - one that is safer, healthier, and more sustainable. Their flagship solution, the SEED SPARK, turns organic waste into clean cooking gas and organic fertilizer, providing households with energy independence and economic opportunity.

Connor believes that access to clean energy should be a basic right, not a luxury. Through SEED, he is building a future where everyone has an equal opportunity in life. And it’s only the beginning.

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Berry Guo

Eureka Program

Researcher

Educator

Berry has spent the past 10 years working at the forefront of project-based education. With hands-on experience with over 700 students, she has led research-based, impact-driven projects that empower teens to think critically, act creatively, and tackle real-world challenges.

Her work sits at the crossroads of education, innovation, and just the right amount of "creative chaos" that inspires young people to discover what they care about—and what they’re capable of!

Ashley Rahul Martis

StartupFuel

Founder

Venture

CEO

Ashley Rahul Martis launched StartupFuel in 2017, serving as founder and CEO of the Toronto‑based AI-powered venture due diligence firm. With a background in consulting and analytics, Ashley previously co‑founded Anchor News App (later acquired) worked as an analyst at Procter & Gamble, and led Pangea Consulting as Managing Partner from 2015 to 2021.
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At StartupFuel, Ashley guided the company’s vision to democratize startup ecosystems through transparent, data‑driven diligence tools grounded in over 30 years of academic research. In October 2024 StartupFuel launched DiligenceGPT™, a patent‑pending AI engine designed to reduce bias, verify data integrity, benchmark startups, and provide risk ratings for venture capital investments. This flagship product aims to help VCs, family offices, and accelerators streamline due diligence and counter misinformation in startup narratives.

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