Age: 36
Occupation: Co-founder and CFO, Akira Impact
According to Eva Kiefer, the values of work ethic, innovation and courage were instilled in her early on during her upbringing in impoverished, post-communist Bulgaria. Her move to Alberta fostered her appreciation for entrepreneurship and transformative finance, and inspired her to dedicate her career to advancing innovation in Calgary’s energy sector. “My passion for sustainability stems from a deep sense of responsibility towards creating a more equitable and habitable planet for current and future generations,” Kiefer says.
Her impact on Calgary’s energy sector (and her astute business acumen) is evident in her ability to rapidly scale businesses through strategic finance. Along with securing capital for multiple private companies in her role as the CFO of Grafton Asset Management Inc., Kiefer was part of Pipestone Energy’s founding team in 2015. Under her stewardship, Pipestone Energy grew from four to more than 100 employees, and was valued at $650 million when she left in 2019.
That same year, Kiefer co-founded Akira Impact with her business partner Geeta Sankappanavar. Akira is an energy transition investment firm that focuses on three primary initiatives: supporting Green Impact Partners (the company developing the largest carbon-negative energy plant in North America), founding the equipment financing and manufacturing firm Northbase Finance, and funding innovative projects in Calgary’s energy transition sector, including energy storage solutions that strengthen Alberta’s electricity grid.
Kiefer works to break down barriers for women in the industry via mentorship and through her role on the board of directors for The Prosperity Project. She also serves on the University of Calgary’s Board of Governors. “Education is how you get out of poverty,” she says. Kiefer adds that educating an individual has an amplifying effect on communities; her revolutionary effect on the energy sector is proof.
Thank yous
“My business partner, Geeta Sankappanavar; my husband and son; my supportive parents, and many colleagues.”
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