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Because he (my father) was so heavily involved in CDL-Atlantic, it allowed me to see the benefits and exciting developments happening

After stints working in the Alberta听oil听sands and then for TD Securities, Michael Huskilson was eager to find opportunities to听help听build听ambitious听ideas in Nova Scotia.听His transition back to this province听took听foot in听2018 when he听purchased听听in Lunenburg, NS.

However,听the idea听to nurture innovation in his home province听may have been planted in him earlier, when his father Chris Huskilson became a founding partner of the 听in 2017, as well as听one of听its听mentors.

Michael watched听his father听Chris,听a prominent Canadian energy executive听who鈥檚听a听Past听President of Emera Inc.,听help ignite this mentorship program.听鈥淏ecause he听(my father) was so heavily involved in CDL-Atlantic,听it allowed me to听see the benefits and exciting developments happening,鈥� says听Michael.听As听he鈥檚听been growing ABCO, Michael听simultaneously has become increasingly听involved at CDL-Atlantic.听鈥淚 got invited to sessions; got my feet听wet and听[that]听sparked a deeper interest in the field鈥澨齢e says.

Exposure to CDL keeps you on your toes and drives you to adapt

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization and mentorship program for seed-stage, science- and technology-based startups focused on massively scalable ventures. In the nine years since its inception, CDL-Atlantic, located at听海角社区app's Faculty of Management, has created partnerships with Atlantic Canada鈥檚 leading entrepreneurs, investors, and scientists.

For example, through CDL-Atlantic, Chris听and Michael听became听early investors听in听, an听ocean data company that gathers听marine data for clients globally.听Michael served as Country Manager for Canada at XOCEAN from 2021 to 2024, helping the听Ireland-based听company establish a strong foothold in North America.

鈥淕etting exposure to the CDL ventures keeps you on your toes and drives you to learn and adapt to听new ideas. Hopefully,听your combination of experience听and support helps a听founder solve a problem or improve their business.听That鈥檚听what makes it fun,鈥澨齭ays Michael,听adding听his dad feels the same way.听

Father and son听share an interest in听investing and supporting听the local business ecosystem.听Their goal is to听help others听build something big in Nova Scotia.

鈥淲e need to create more entrepreneurs and people听who听think big not only in Canada, but Nova Scotia,鈥� says Huskilson. Like his father,听Michael听says he, too, wants to pass on learning, experience,听and opportunities.听In addition to a generous donation Michael is now a mentor, like his father.

It鈥檚 one of the best ways to support the economy听and job creation.

Dal is 鈥渁n aggregator of effort and expertise鈥�

To date,听CDL-Atlantic has helped foster the development of powerful blue-green technology ventures in collaboration with the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI),听and听the NSERC/Tesla Canada Industrial Research Chair.听

As it embarks on听a听yearlong听celebration of its 10th听anniversary听Michael says听CDL-Atlantic听is听cognizant听of the increasingly rapid pace of technical听adoption and听has an even more听important role听to play in fostering people with ambition and ideas.听鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the best ways to support the economy听and job creation听going forward.鈥�

Michael also reflects on听CDL-Atlantic鈥檚听relationship听with 海角社区app鈥檚 Faculty of Management as one of the lab鈥檚 greatest strengths.

鈥淒al has a lot of unparalleled subject matter experts in areas like waste-water studies, batteries, defense,听and marine applications,鈥� Michael says.听It can respond to what the country and economy听needs听to grow and build; he cites听robotics and AI as听other听examples.听鈥淒al鈥檚 ability to bring people together听鈥斕齦ike government and business groups听鈥斕齢as also been extremely strong in听previous interactions,鈥� he says, calling Dal听an 鈥渁ggregator of effort听and expertise.鈥澨�
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Michael鈥檚 path reflects a belief that Nova Scotia鈥檚 future will be built by people willing to take risks, share knowledge, and invest in one another. It鈥檚 a philosophy he learned at home听and now carries forward at ABCO and CDL鈥慉tlantic, helping ensure the province鈥檚 innovation economy continues to grow in both depth and possibility.