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When Lisa Learning’s sons became sick with Lyme disease, she drew on her NunatuKavut roots and connection to the land to develop a natural tick repellent, working with Acadia researchers to test and refine it. That idea became PureGard, a growing Canadian company whose sales doubled between 2025 and 2026.

techNL works alongside startups, scaling companies, government partners, post-secondary institutions, and industry leaders to help turn shared ambition into coordinated action.

Back in 2012, Made with Local Founder Sheena Russell identified a gap in the market for tasty, sustainable snacks made with local ingredients people recognize. It didn’t take long for the nourishing bars to become a hit, gaining fans one farmers’ market at a time.