Sustainable Engine Technology Inc. is one of the inspiring student companies we have working at The Loft. Tom Ross and Joshua Eidelberg, both 23, joined our Summer Incubator through the Univeristy of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Brilliant Entrepreneurship Program. Their business has been rapidly expanding and these two are a great example of the innovative talent we have in Durham Region looking to make an impact worldwide.
Have you ever been behind a truck or bus forced to breath in its thick black smoke? Tom and Joshua created ACE Systems, created to make that experience nothing but a bad memory by greatly reducing the diesel smell and particulate matter from the exhaust.
Spark Innovation Centre sat down with Tom Ross, Sustainable Engine Technology Inc. President at Co-Founder to talk about the impact his business will have on the environment and what’s next for his team.
What is the ACE System?
The ACE System stands for After Market Combustion Enhancement Systems. ACE Systems enhances the combustion process by adding fractional amounts of hydrogen and oxygen gas which will allow you to burn more fuel instead of spitting it out of the tailpipe. By burning more of the fuel you will have increased fuel economy and a cleaner engine, which prolongs engine life and reduces maintenance costs. This means an increase from 5-20% in fuel economy and reductions in maintenance, oil degradation, and most of all pollution.
We can prolong the life of existing transport trucks and also bring any previous truck up to current emission standards. Any one pre-1988 trucks are equal to 60 of today’s trucks worth of emissions. The ACE System can bring any truck no matter what year up to 2010 emission standards.
Tell me about your team?
I’ve been working with my father for five years now developing and marketing onboard hydrogen generators which has influenced me to go into Energy Systems Engineering at UOIT. I’ve also taken some business courses at UOIT which have been hugely beneficial now that I’ve started in entrepreneurship. Josh has graduated Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technician at Algonquin College. His hands-on experience has been beneficial in manufacturing and installation. Our success is in large part to the combination of his hands-on experience and my theoretical knowledge, which has made us a really good team. We are also rapidly expanding! We have hired on three individuals on contract basis, two are handling sales in Texas, and one doing sales in Vancouver. They are currently working with private and government enterprises to secure orders.
What’s next for your company?
This month we are going to China to install six units on government and private vehicles in both the airports and ports. This should lead to a larger order after the initial trial period.
Our focus now is to try and secure an investment in our company. Our product is completely ready for commercialization so we are now at the stage where we need to secure investment or a large enough order to propel us to the next level of manufacturing.
What advice do you have for other young entrepreneurs?
The number one thing is just get started. If you have a good idea and something you are passionate about, don’t wait. Just get started. There is no better time than now. Young Entrepreneurs have a lot at their disposal right now. There are so many programs and resources out there and government and academic funding. The UOIT Brilliant Program and Spark Centre have been so helpful for us. I would highly recommend anyone to join Spark Centre as it’s been hugely beneficial to just be in this environment.
How has Spark Centre helped your company?
The help that we’ve received from Spark Centre has been great. Kristie Arbour from Spark has been a huge help with our website and we wouldn’t have what we have now without her. Meetings with Robert Weese and Dennis Croft have been beneficial for our company strategy, future plans and direction. Also, just being in the environment at The Loft and talking to other young entrepreneurs has been helpful to bounce ideas off each other and have an environment like this.
To learn more about Sustainable Engine Technology and their ACE System, visit www.getSETnow.ca.
