Our Values

Kevin Krausert is a unique force in the energy industry, balancing visionary goals with deep operational grit over a 25-year career. Starting as a roughneck on the drilling rigs of Northern Alberta, he rose to become Chief Executive of Beaver Drilling, anchoring his strategic perspectives in the practical realities of heavy industrial operations. 

In 2020, Kevin co-founded Avatar Innovations, Canada’s premier energy venture studio and venture capital fund. Under his leadership, Avatar has expanded its footprint across Calgary and Houston, creating a practical sandbox where researchers, corporate engineers, and major operators can build, fund, and scale the breakthrough technologies required for a sustainable energy future. 

A builder of both technology and ecosystems, Kevin is a frequent contributor to The Globe and Mail on national energy policy and industrial innovation. His career highlights include pioneering computerized drilling fleets, executing the first long-reach horizontal well in the Canadian Arctic, and establishing deep partnerships with Indigenous communities to foster Economic Reconciliation. He also led the creation of downtown Calgary’s physical innovation hub, the Energy Technology Centre. 

Extending his impact across corporate governance and the venture ecosystem, Kevin serves as Board Chair for the start-ups Splice & Connect and MBrace. He also helps steer the safety and direction of the sector as a board member for Energy Safety Canada and the Energy Technology Center Foundation, alongside his work on the steering committee of the Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN). Kevin holds a B.Sc. from McGill University and an MBA from the Haskayne School of Business. 

Bryan Trudel is an energy investor, entrepreneur, and capital markets executive with more than 25 years of experience investing across market and energy cycles. He is CFO & Co-Founder of Avatar Innovations and Managing Partner of Avatar Ventures, where he leads the development and investment in emerging energy and industrial technologies.

Previously an Executive Director at CIBC Capital Markets, Bryan brings a capital-markets lens to venture investing and company creation. His work focuses on finding exceptional technologies and entrepreneurs, connecting them with industry, and building commercially scalable businesses around some of the energy sector’s largest opportunities.

Chair of the Board

Vice-President, Programs

Vice-President, Technology Development