Martha Breithaupt, ICD.D

Executive summary

Martha leads BDO’s Clean Economy Investment Tax Credits practice, advising organizations on strategic access to capital and incentives that advance Canada’s clean economy.

A scientist by background, she is an innovation and funding leader with more than two decades of experience as a strategic advisor, speaker, board member, and tax practitioner. As Founder and Director of State of Science, she built and scaled an educational startup showcasing Canada’s research excellence and industrial capability.

Martha advises executive teams and boards on aligning innovation and governance to strengthen performance and long-term value.

As a former Partner, elected Partnership Board member, Chair of Governance, and National R&D Tax Credit Leader at a $500M national accounting and advisory firm, she built and led multidisciplinary teams while mentoring the next generation of leaders across the profession.

Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at various firms and served on CPA Canada’s SR&ED Advisory Committee.

She holds a Practitioner-level coaching certification from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and has completed the ICD’s Director Education Program in board governance. Martha currently serves as Chair of the International Women’s Forum – Waterloo Chapter and is a member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Manufacturing and Value Chains Committee.

Professional affiliations

Member: Institute of Corporate Directors

Professional designations and education

Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry and Business, The University of Waterloo (2001)

Director’s Education Program, ICD.D, University of Toronto, Rotman School (2023)

Honours and awards

Martha was recognized with the 2025 Women of Inspiration™ Award in the Finance Category for her leadership, impact, and sustained contributions to the finance profession and the communities she serves.

The Faculty of Science honoured Martha with its Young Alumni Award, recognizing her career achievements and her contributions to advancing the field of science.

Martha was selected as one of 92 individuals across Canada for the WXN Wisdom II Protégé program, where she was mentored by a Canada’s Top 100 Women in Business award recipient in recognition of her leadership promise and professional trajectory.