​Hunter Hub Skills Clinic: Empowering Technology & Leadership in Startups

​Join us for an insightful Hunter Hub Skills Clinic featuring Dr. Luis D. Virla, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Systems Engineering at the University of Calgary and CTO of Vortis Carbon Corp. This session will delve into the integration of technology leadership and R&D strategies into startups, providing participants with a unique technical perspective on business development.

​What are Skills Clinic?

​Hunter Hub Skills Clinics are designed to empower Innovation Sandbox members to enhance their entrepreneurial skills. Occasionally, we open additional seats to UCalgary students, faculty, and alumni.

​Who Should Attend?

​This event is open to UCalgary students, faculty, and alumni interested in clean technology, research-driven startups, and advanced technical leadership. Attendees will gain insights from a leader in Calgary’s innovation landscape, enhancing their knowledge in sustainable systems and carbon management.

​Meet Dr. Luis D. Virla

​Dr. Luis D. Virla is an Assistant Professor in the Sustainable Systems Engineering program at the University of Calgary. He earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary (2018) and a BSc. (2008) and MSc. (2013) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Zulia in Venezuela.  

​Luis has 15+ years of experience in research and development on chemicals, carbon management, and industrial decarbonization. He is also the acting CTO of Vortis Carbon Corp., a cleantech start-up focused on carbon capture, removal, and utilization, and co-founder of InnoLab space, an NGO focused on supporting community-led sustainability initiatives.  

​Before joining UCalgary, Luis held research fellowships at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) - University of Sussex (UK, 2016-2018) and the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management (TPM) - TU Delft (NL, 2020-2024), contributing to Horizon Europe projects focused on land-based mitigation strategies (LANDMARC), energy transitions (TRANSrisk), and climate policy (TIPPING+) in Canada, Europe and Latin America.  

​Schedule of Events

• ​12:00 PM - 12:30 PM: Check-In & Lunch

• ​12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Speaker Presentation