An alumnus of Waterloo Engineering has been named to an international list of the 100 most influential people driving business climate action.
Stephen Lake (BASc ’12, mechatronics engineering) appears on an annual list published by TIME magazine with an eclectic mix of world decision-makers, executives, researchers, and innovators that includes California Governor Gavin Newsom, actor Samuel L. Jackson, King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV.
Lake was recognized as co-founder and CEO of Jetson Home, a Vancouver-based company that is out to reduce carbon emissions and save customers money by initiating a move away from gas furnaces to electric heat pumps for home heating and cooling.
“These 100 people represent the power of individuals to make significant progress in influencing the climate economy,” the magazine said in a story on its TIME 100 Climate list for 2025.
Lake founded Jetson in 2024 with fellow Waterloo Engineering graduates Matthew Bailey and Aaron Grant (both BASc ’12, mechatronics engineering) after the trio first had business success with Thalmic Labs, a startup rooted in their Capstone Design project.
Their new startup’s first product, Jetson Air, is billed as a fully integrated smart home heat pump platform that can be integrated with existing ductwork to operate quietly and reliably in temperatures as low as -30° C.
“Heating and cooling are among the largest sources of residential emissions, and the majority of homes in North America still rely on gas furnaces,” Lake told TIME in a Q and A.
“Cleaner alternatives often feel too complicated or too expensive, so my focus this year is on making that switch easier and more affordable for homeowners.”