Keith Gillard
Co-founder and CEO of SUSTAERO, Canada’s leader in sustainable aviation fuel economically made from wood
Canada
Overview
Work Experience
Chief Executive Officer
2025 - Current
SUSTAERO is building Canada’s first billion litre Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production infrastructure. With Fortune 100 leadership, mill and fuel refinery operational experts, and four serial entrepreneurs, we’ll convert wood waste into SAF (ASTM D7566 certified) at repurposed paper mills, using proven, fully-scaled technology, leveraging existing infrastructure and low-carbon renewable energy. With aviation emitting over one billion tons of CO2 annually, SAF demand is widely forecast to surpass supply, supporting premium pricing. The global market is projected to grow at a 34% CAGR to $73B by 2030, with Canada reaching $2.7B. SUSTAERO expects to secure a leading share of this market. British Columbia’s strong clean energy policy incentives also offer credits worth $350-450 per ton of CO2 avoided, adding over 20% to topline.
Board Chair
2013
Foresight CAC is a not-for-profit Canadian company with a mandate to help entrepreneurs form and accelerate clean technology companies in British Columbia. Foresight's ultimate goal is to bring entrepreneurs together with strategic corporate partners, universities and government agencies to help focus efforts around areas of strategic advantage and foster the growth of clean technology ecosystems in BC and ultimately Canada.
Producer
1999
Fidgital is an independent music production and publishing partnership. Fidgital has achieved numerous Canadian college chart successes including #1 on Chart's RPM charts in 2002. In 2008, Fidgital entered the US college charts, hitting #17 on CMJ's RPM charts in March. Fidgital won the Canandian Independent Music Award in 2004 for "Favourite Electronica Artist/Band", for which it was nominated again in 2009. Fidgital have twice been selected to represent Canada on national music trade missions, and their music has been heard on numerous television programs and commercials in North America and Japan. Fidgital has released four full-length albums, two EPs and a remix album, before rebranding as Hollowlove for an award-winning and internationally-charting album in 2019.
Board Committee and Task Force Member
2019 - 2025
Keith has served as a member of the board of directors and on the government relations, conference, international, and membership committees, as well as the corporate venture task force. The CVCA is the voice of Canada’s venture capital and private equity industry, focused on broadening industry awareness through market research and networking opportunities so that our members can make the best decisions for their investments. The CVCA also advocates on behalf of the industry to ensure sound public policy that encourages a favourable environment for investment. The CVCA works alongside its members (private and public sector firms managing the vast majority of venture capital and private equity in Canada) to improve the industry and drive innovation and growth.
Chief Executive Officer
2020 - 2025
UpperStage.Capital is growth equity, for good. We combine impact investment and operational experience to boost profitable businesses to their next level of success.
Director
2021 - 2023
Talius is a cleantech building materials company specializing in the manufacturing of solutions for shade, security, and storm protection. Designed to perform well in any climate and resilient enough to withstand forced entry, Talius products are the trusted choice to provide shade, security, and storm protection for residential, commercial, and institutional clients.
Director
2020 - 2022
Keela is a complete platform that gives charities and non-profits powerful, intelligent tools to manage their donors, mobilize their volunteers, market their nonprofit, and raise more money. Keela has helped nonprofit organizations around the world raise over $250 million. From donors to members to volunteers, Keela keeps data in one place. Keela's tools have been created by experts with a first-hand understanding of how to build a successful non-profit.
Director
2019 - 2020
Hazel Technologies is a USDA-funded startup company that develops new technologies to extend the quality shelf life of fresh produce. Founded in 2015, Hazel Tech® works with over 100 of the largest fresh produce packers, shippers, and retailers in the US and Latin America.
Board Observer
2015 - 2020
NewLeaf Symbiotics is an agricultural technology company engaged in discovery, development, production, and commercialization of products containing beneficial plant microbes (M-trophs). NewLeaf's family of products helps farmers increase yield by promoting stronger plants and better nutrient uptake, ultimately contributing to the transformation of agriculture towards a more sustainable future. Its 40-plus member team is based in BRDG Park at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Mo.
Director
2013 - 2015
NewLeaf Symbiotics is an agtech company focused on developing sustainable agricultural products using bacteria and related microbes.
Raised $132,551,078.00 from S2G Ventures, Otter Capital, Gullspång Re:food, Leaps by Bayer, S2G Ventures, Koch Agronomic Services, Leaps by Bayer, Otter Capital and RockPort Capital.
Director
2012 - 2020
Vestaron is a company dedicated to improving the safety, efficacy and sustainability of crop protection through migration from synthetic pesticides to peptide-based biopesticides. Vestaron is initially focused on a class of peptides that kill insect pests efficiently, but are safe for humans, beneficial insects and the environment. As part of this, the company has developed a proprietary platform for peptide optimization, fermentation-based peptide production and in planta expression that will allow it to develop a wide variety of biologic crop protection and trait solutions. Vestaron is the winner of the inaugural 2015 Bernard Blum Award for novel biocontrol solutions.
Chairman of the Board
2014 - 2019
Education
BA
1988 - 1993