Hundred Year Materials
Beyond the Surface: How Hundred Year Materials Is Transforming the Future of Sustainable Building
At the heart of Guelph, Ontario, Boundless Accelerator plays a vital role in propelling early-stage companies towards success. Equipped with the i.d.e.a. Fund, Boundless Accelerator is nurturing the next generation of sustainable businesses. The i.d.e.a. Fund™ assists high-potential startups with an innovative dual approach—providing up to $20,000 in matching seed funding and access to industry experts to help companies grow.
The i.d.e.a.™ Fund is supported by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and is delivered in partnership with the following Ontario Regional Innovation Centres (RICs): Boundless Accelerator, Innovate Niagara, Innovation Factory, Launch Lab, TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario and WEtech Alliance, to support a more sustainable economy while fostering an inclusive and equitable growth in southern Ontario.
The Story of Hundred Year Materials
Among the standout companies supported by i.d.e.a. Fund™ is Hundred Year Materials. While working in Canada’s building industry, founder Garrett Johnson noticed a significant gap: the lack of high-performance, bio-based insulation materials, a standard already gaining traction across Europe.
“One of my roles was exploring various options, particularly looking at the environmental impact and performance of each. I came across all these innovative products being developed or available in Europe—bio-based, sustainable, and high-performing. In Canada, there wasn’t really anything that checked all those boxes. A few bio-based options are made from wood fibre, but don’t perform well as insulation. They are expensive, especially when you factor in all the extra labour needed to meet today’s building standards,” Johnson explained.
Recognizing this opportunity, Johnson began prototyping a solution, but in the early, bootstrapped phase, funding was critical. That’s where the i.d.e.a. Fund™ made a decisive impact.
“The i.d.e.a. Fund™ was a critical source of funding before we had meaningful revenue—supporting our first third-party lab testing and helping us turn promising prototypes into validated products,” said Johnson.
With this support, the team travelled to Alberta to produce larger-scale samples and conduct quantitative lab testing, laying the groundwork for commercialization.
Building for the Long Term
Looking ahead, Johnson believes that the i.d.e.a. Fund™ will continue to accelerate Hundred Year Materials’ journey toward full commercialization, including regulatory approvals, supply chain development, and marketing strategies to engage both customers and investors. Mentorship through Boundless Accelerator has been especially transformative.
“As technical founders, getting lost in the details is easy,” Johnson explained. “Having someone to help reframe the big picture, prioritize goals, and shape the story of the product is invaluable.”
His journey with Hundred Year Materials offers vital lessons for other entrepreneurs, especially around the importance of flexibility:
“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. Be honest, stay flexible, and let evidence guide your path—the final version of your product will likely look very different from what you imagined at the start.”
A Broader Vision for Sustainable Innovation
Hundred Year Materials is one of 12 companies supported by Boundless Accelerator through the i.d.e.a. Fund™, including Aquam Air Water Ltd., Beck’s Broth, Circulr, CKJ Innovations Ltd., Dript Gourmet, Edie Farming, Good Food Farms, LandWise Analytica, LUVPUPS Treats Ltd., Neuston Biosystems Inc., and TensorOne.
“Canada’s economic and sovereign future is linked to innovative entrepreneurs building solutions right here in our communities. The i.d.e.a. Fund is unleashing sustainable building through companies like Hundred Year Materials and helping build Canada strong,” said the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
Hunsperger emphasized the need for continued adaptability and responsiveness in supporting innovation:
“We need to keep listening to entrepreneurs and shaping our support around their real-world challenges. That’s how innovation ecosystems thrive.”
Together with its delivery partners, Boundless Accelerator envisions a future where innovation hubs seamlessly connect government funding, academic research, and grassroots entrepreneurship.
As climate and environmental priorities move to the forefront, funding programs like the i.d.e.a. Fund™ are helping expand access to critical support, enabling green innovations to flourish.
To discover more about i.d.e.a. Fund™, visit boundlessaccelerator.ca/programs/idea-fund/.
To learn more about FedDev Ontario, visit feddev-ontario.canada.ca.