Leaving Cynicism Behind: My Takeaways from Web Summit Vancouver 2026

It is human nature to chase the new, the hot, and the fast. Walk the floor of Web Summit Vancouver 2026 and you will see this instinct in full force — an overwhelming sea of "AI-everything," where capital, prestige, and attention flow toward whatever promises the most immediate, frictionless return.

But the timeline required to save our planet doesn't bend to quick-flip economics.

As CEO of Rockburst Technologies, I recently had the privilege of joining the "Emerging Forces in BC Cleantech" panel, organized by Foresight Canada. We spoke honestly about the volatile, grinding reality of building clean technology that actually matters. My biggest takeaway from that stage wasn't a trend or a forecast — it was validation. I felt seen.

The struggles of building physical, deep cleantech — what many now call "hardtech" — are a universal common denominator among founders in this space. Investor sentiment is shifting toward climate solutions, but nowhere near the velocity required to avoid the worst outcomes for our planet.

That challenge is compounded by the industry we operate in. At Rockburst, we are developing technology at the core of mining: one of the oldest, most traditional, and most risk-averse industries on Earth. When your work sits at the extreme end of the risk spectrum, progress can feel like climbing a mountain that keeps growing. Capital rarely flows easily to truly disruptive technologies — especially when that disruption threatens to upend established markets. Money prefers disruption to be incremental and non-threatening.

True transformation, by definition, cannot be either of those things.

In the middle of this grueling reality, I found genuine inspiration from those who have been in the deep-tech trenches far longer than we have. Listening to General Fusion's CEO, Greg Twinney, hold a captivated audience, I was reminded of the sheer endurance required to constantly reinvent yourself while never losing sight of why you started.

I also saw how companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems are shifting the narrative entirely. They aren't quietly building obscure technology in a lab. They are treating the upcoming milestone of generating net-positive energy as an Apollo moment for humanity — and they're bringing the world along for the ride. Through fashion, music, and food, they are embedding their story into everyday culture, making hardtech feel not just credible, but thrilling.

I left Web Summit with one clear mandate: leave the cynicism at the door.

Yes, Rockburst is challenging the status quo of a foundational human industry. But it is also a once-in-a-generation opportunity to write a true before-and-after story for our civilization. We are working to transform mining — long viewed as a necessary evil and a net emitter — into a net carbon sink. We are building a process that delivers the essential materials human progress depends on, without destroying the planet to get them.

This is our Apollo moment. It's time we start telling that story like we mean it.