# 2025 Impact Report Canonical URL: https://gabrieldalton.com/writing/newsletter/2025-impact-report Date sent: 2026-01-25T22:23:55.361Z Author: Gabriel Dalton Original Substack URL: https://gabrieldalton.substack.com/p/gabriel-daltons-2025-impact-report [All newsletter issues](https://gabrieldalton.com/writing/newsletter) 25 Jan 2026 Won the 2025 Impact in Innovation Award from the City of Vancouver, Graduated from TKS, Joined PlasticBank, Worked Alongside Microsoft and IKEA, Travelled 4 Countries, Presented to the TransLink Board ## Hey friends 👋 2025 was, without question, the most productive, meaningful, and surreal year of my life (so far). This newsletter only captures the tip of the iceberg of what I worked on, built, and experienced this year. I wanted to share a snapshot of the journey, the milestones, and what’s coming next. Thank you for being part of it. ## **Achievements & Highlights 🏆** - **Impact in Innovation Award — City of Vancouver 🏅** I was honoured to receive the *Impact in Innovation Award* from the City of Vancouver, and even more grateful to celebrate it with Mayor Ken Sim and City Councillor Lisa Dominato. ![Gabriel holds his Impact in Innovation Award between Councillor Lisa Dominato and Mayor Ken Sim.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/afeb4695b514f933.webp) *City Councillor Lisa Dominato \[Left\], Gabriel Dalton \[Middle\], and Ken Sim \[Right\], Mayor of Vancouver* - **Joined The Dais @ Toronto Metropolitan University 🌍** I joined The Dais’ *Screen Break* program (now called **Heads Up**) as a **National Coach (Fellow)**, mentoring 20 youth champions across Canada on running real-world events to show policymakers the impact of phone use in schools. - **Proclamation for ‘Sustainable Technology Week’ 📜** Mayor Ken Sim officially proclaimed *Sustainable Technology Week* (October 20–27, 2025) — recognizing digital sustainability as a real civic priority. ![Gabriel holds the City of Vancouver’s Sustainable Technology Week proclamation outside a building entrance.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/99261e8ddb3eb41b.webp) - **Graduated from The Knowledge Society (TKS) 🎓** I graduated from the youth accelerator program The Knowledge Society after 10 transformative months. This experience pushed me far outside my comfort zone, and many of my closest friends today are people I met there. I’m forever grateful for the community, the mentors, and everything I learned along the way. If you want a deeper look at the journey, [here’s my 25-minute reflection](https://gabrieldalton.medium.com/the-knowledge-society-tks-review-vancouver-irl-6d7fbb42284f) on what those 10 months meant to me. ![Gabriel and mentor Pranav Menon sit beside the TKS stage letters holding Gabriel’s certificate of completion.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/2f74ac1e83e9e0d3.webp) *Pranav Menon, the best mentor ever.* - **Inaugural Web Summit Vancouver 🌐** Attended Web Summit with my fellow TKS alumni, where I met two NBA players, the BC Minister of Finance, and an incredible group of founders, builders, and innovators from around the world. [View my reflection on the event.](https://medium.com/@gabrieldalton/my-experience-at-the-inaugural-web-summit-vancouver-youth-voices-at-a-global-tech-gathering-48afd91db7fc) ![TKS attendees gather beneath the Web Summit sign for a group portrait.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/ab630bfd963535cf.webp) *The Knowledge Society (TKS) group who went to Web Summit together.* ![Gabriel, Darien Yang and Yousef Soliman stand with British Columbia Finance Minister Brenda Bailey at Web Summit.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/82c1390a1edbe3b6.webp) *My fellow TKS alumni, Darien Yang and Yousef Soliman, and I, with the Honourable Brenda Bailey, British Columbia’s Minister of Finance.* - **LinkedIn Growth 📈** Grew my LinkedIn following by 9.5% compared to the previous year, reaching 6,300+ followers by the end of 2025. - **Irish Consulate Visit 🇮🇪** Visited the Irish Consulate to present my Impact in Innovation Award and my proclamation for Sustainable Technology Week to the Consul General. It was wonderful meeting **[Consul General Cathy Geagan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-geagan/)** and discussing youth innovation, digital sustainability, and how Vancouver is leading the way through initiatives like *Sustainable Technology Week*. [More Information (LinkedIn)](http://linkedin.com/posts/gabrieldalton_sustainabletechnologyweek-digitalsustainability-activity-7387669063864442880-Rici). ![Collage shows Gabriel with Consul General Cathy Geagan, his innovation award and the Sustainable Technology Week proclamation at the Irish Consulate.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/dd3e3eda9553ce47.webp) - **Formaloo Internship (Product Marketing Program) 🧠** Completed a Formaloo internship with a recommendation from the Co-Founder and the Chief Marketing Officer. I was selected as the youngest participant among eight accepted into Formaloo’s Product Marketing Program. I worked directly with the Chief Marketing Officer on marketing campaigns, customer data analysis, and growth strategy initiatives, and contributed to the development of the Memory Forms feature. - **Wealthsimple HQ Visit (Toronto) 🏦** Visited Wealthsimple HQ in Toronto and met up with fellow TKS alumni [Noah Barbaros](https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-barbaros/). ![Gabriel and Noah Barbaros stand together beneath the Wealthsimple sign during a visit to its Toronto headquarters.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/7ebf096fa623f9b9.webp) - **Worked Alongside Microsoft 💡** This presentation explores a groundbreaking cooling solution for AI data centres that intelligently redirects coolant to chip hotspots - dramatically improving energy efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and unlocking **$2.4 billion in potential savings** **by 2050**. By leveraging advanced computational fluid dynamics and topology optimization, this hotspot-aware system lowers temperatures, prevents performance throttling, and supports Microsoft’s commitment to sustainable innovation. [Watch the video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zR2EWPhxGM) - **Worked alongside IKEA 🛋️** This presentation introduces **Sven**, a conversational AI system designed to transform IKEA’s customer support by eliminating wait times, automating up to **70% of routine inquiries**, and delivering real-time, human-like assistance at scale. By leveraging natural language processing, voice-enabled AI, and intelligent call routing, Sven reduces average response times to **under 5 seconds**, improves first-contact resolution rates to **90%**, and addresses the root causes behind IKEA’s **1.5-star Trustpilot rating**, where **76% of reviews are one star**. The system is projected to reduce annual customer service costs by **$256–$512 million**, achieving an ROI of over **25,000%** and unlocking **$1.2–$2.5 billion in savings within five years**, while reinforcing IKEA’s commitment to customer-centric, scalable, and sustainable innovation. [Watch the video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ULp8q-vuG4) - **Presented to the TransLink Board of Directors 🚌** I presented for five minutes in front of the TransLink Board of Directors, advocating for website sustainability and more energy-efficient digital infrastructure. [View my reflection on the experience from start to finish here.](https://medium.com/@gabrieldalton/speaking-at-the-translink-board-meeting-march-26th-2025-gabriel-dalton-05bad8b6bf90) - **Joined the Plastic Bank Team ♻️** I achieved my goal of joining the Plastic Bank team. It had been my goal since the beginning of joining TKS, and now it’s finally happened. I’m now on their team exploring and experimenting with new generative AI technologies. - **Presented to Senator Hay 🗣️** I had the opportunity to present some of the key outcomes of the Screen Break program by **[The Dais @ TMU](https://dais.ca/)**to **[Senator Hay](https://sencanada.ca/en/senators/hay-katherine/)**. ![Video call shows Gabriel and four other participants during his presentation about Screen Break outcomes to Senator Hay.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/99ab526e549463bb.webp) - **Joined the TED Translators Program** 🌍 Joined the TED Translators program and started transcribing content to help make global ideas more accessible. - **Vancouver Public Library Teen Advisory Group** 📚 Joined the Vancouver Public Library Teen Advisory Group to help shape more engaging and inclusive library services for youth. - **Published in Teen Magazine** 📝 Published an article in *Teen Magazine* titled *“[The Hidden Carbon Footprint: How Sustainable Web Design Can Help Save the Planet](https://www.theteenmagazine.com/the-hidden-carbon-footprint-how-sustainable-web-design-can-help-save-the-planet)”* — check it out! - **Oasis of Change Impact** 🌱 On February 25, 2025, Oasis of Change planted **675+** mangrove trees in Madagascar using funds from our website projects. This is equivalent to a CO₂ offset of **33,750 kg**. These trees were planted by Eden Reforestation Projects, one of the leading reforestation organizations in the world. - **School Milestone** 🎒 Completed Grade 11 and officially started Grade 12. **Cool Statistic** 📊 My newsletter now has subscribers across 3 U.S. states and 14 countries around the world. ## **Public Speaking 🎤** 1. **Vancouver Emerging Technology Showcase — Hosted by TKS** Spoke at the Vancouver Emerging Technology Showcase hosted by The Knowledge Society (TKS) at Robson Square, University of British Columbia (UBC), in front of 250+ people. This was the first panel I’ve ever been on, and I was the moderator. ![Gabriel speaks into a microphone beside another panellist at the TKS Vancouver Emerging Technology Showcase.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/9ec938afae44ec9a.webp) ![Gabriel moderates a seated panel at the TKS Vancouver Emerging Technology Showcase while another panellist speaks into a microphone.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/947ce43cdb3745e5.webp) 2. **URL to IRL — Hosted by The Dais @ Toronto Metropolitan University** Got flown out to Toronto to speak on an intergenerational panel at the Ted Rogers School of Management during the URL to IRL event hosted by The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, in front of 120+ people. ![The Dais and Toronto Metropolitan University poster announces “URL to IRL”, an intergenerational dialogue about education policy, technology and youth futures.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/457af47e10943e5f.webp) ![Gabriel speaks on a panel at URL to IRL, alongside event portraits and a screen showing Elizabeth Dowdeswell’s closing remarks.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/16a4428f69c6fa5f.webp) ## **Featured 📰** ### **Articles:** - Featured in an article by the **Centre for Social Innovation (CSI)** – [View it here](https://socialinnovation.org/news/2025/03/31/building-sustainable-websites/) ![Centre for Social Innovation article highlights Gabriel Dalton under “Efficient Coding and Optimization” in its guide to sustainable websites.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/344c2bb63ae39478.webp) - Stanley Park Ecology Society promoted my winning of the award along with the amazing Rebecca Bollwitt, Miss604. [View article](https://stanleyparkecology.ca/2025/10/22/vancouver-awards-of-excellence-2025-recipients/). ![Stanley Park Ecology graphic celebrates award recipients Gabriel Dalton and Rebecca Bollwitt as “Change-Makers in the Stanley Park Ecology Community”.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/350541799905db47.webp) - Featured in *Dragon’s Pen* June [https://www.thewestendjournal.ca/blog/2025/6/1/the-dragons-pen](https://www.thewestendjournal.ca/blog/2025/6/1/the-dragons-pen) - Featured in *Dragon’s Pen* November [https://www.thewestendjournal.ca/blog/2025/11/1/the-dragons-pen](https://www.thewestendjournal.ca/blog/2025/11/1/the-dragons-pen) ### **Podcast** The Ethan Jong Podcast happened on January 11, 2025. [16-Year Old CEO of Oasis of Change | Gabriel Dalton | Saving the Earth One Line of Code at a Time](https://open.spotify.com/episode/13KunhOM4W8eYKdUywKeJE) ## **Countries Visited ✈️ (Record-Breaking Year for Me)** - Ireland Dublin and outskirts - México Quintana Roo - Croatia Dubrovnik - United Kingdom Wales and London I visited around 12 airports this year. My favourite, no bias, was YVR, Vancouver International Airport. I also visited México and Croatia for the first time. ## **Top Craziest Things from This Year 🤯** - Got a reply from the CEO of Vancity Credit Union after pitching a potential collaboration. ![LinkedIn message from Vancity CEO Wellington Holbrook says, “Would love to see our organization connect with you.”](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/8b23c4fabc5b5064.webp) - **Touched a 4.5-Billion-Year-Old Space Rock:** I visited Greenwich, home of the Royal Observatory, where Greenwich Mean Time was defined, saw the Prime Meridian, and touched a meteorite from the early days of our solar system. ![A hand touches a meteorite beside a sign saying it is about 4.5 billion years old.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/2025-impact-report/ef1bd48dea10d021.webp) ## **Best Meetings with People** 🤝 Some of the most meaningful moments of 2025 came from conversations with incredible people who challenged my thinking, shared their experience, and helped shape my growth across policy, sustainability, business, and impact. **John Matheson** Former advisor to the Trudeau government, currently working with the Carney government. Thank you for meeting with me to discuss online harms affecting young people. **Abhilash (Abhi) Tripathi, CPA** I really appreciated your openness and help when it came to my nonprofit. Your guidance and perspective were incredibly valuable. **Sofia Castillo** We had multiple meetings where I got to learn from your experience as a social media influencer. Super insightful and inspiring conversations. **Philip Galloway** Had a great discussion about sustainability and a possible Web-Ready x Ecosend collaboration. Really enjoyed exploring how our work could align. **Senator Katherine Hay** I truly appreciate the time you took to meet and talk about the progress of the Screen Break program and youth-focused policy impact. ## **What’s coming in 2026? 🚀** - Planning to boost the amount of publicity I have. I will be on multiple podcasts. For example, in February 2026, I already have two scheduled. - Graduating from high school and starting at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) for Business Management. **Quick ask 🙏** Know someone who’d enjoy following a young entrepreneur’s journey? Please forward this email and invite them to subscribe - every new reader helps me grow and keeps the adventure going. Thanks for spreading the word! Best, **Gabriel Dalton** P.S. Want more behind-the-scenes? Check out my [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrieldalton/) or [Medium](https://gabrieldalton.medium.com/) for deeper dives. [Read this issue on Substack](https://gabrieldalton.substack.com/p/gabriel-daltons-2025-impact-report) [Subscribe on Substack](https://gabrieldalton.substack.com/subscribe)