Dal Innovates is excited to announce that its innovation and entrepreneurship program, Collide, has officially rebranded as Campus2Market. This strategic update reflects the program’s continued commitment to equipping students and recent graduates with the skills to transform ideas into market-ready ventures.
The Campus2Market name aligns with the nationally recognized Lab2Market and new AI2Market suite of programs. While the name has changed, the Campus2Market best-in-class delivery model, which includes Discover, Validate and Launch programs, remains the same, ensuring a clear pathway for post-secondary student innovators at every stage of development.
Dr. Graham Gagnon, vice president, research and innovation at Dalhousie University, highlights the growing demand for entrepreneurship programs: “Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada’s innovation economy depends on the ability to translate the technical and analytical capabilities learned at our post-secondary institutions into productive enterprises. By pairing academic training with entrepreneurial skills, Campus2Market prepares students to build new companies and drive innovation within existing organizations, strengthening our region’s capacity for growth and competitiveness.”
Jeff Larsen, assistant vice president, innovation and entrepreneurship at Dalhousie, describes the impact of the new brand, “This new name communicates the program’s purpose: bridging the gap between campus-based ideas and real-world market opportunities. This clarity strengthens Campus2Market’s position within Canada’s innovation ecosystem and reinforces Dal Innovates’ role as a leader in entrepreneurship education.
Jacinta Mordi, BA ’26, a Mount Allison University student and Campus2Market participant, shares her personal journey: “I want to create something meaningful and Campus2Market is helping me grow my network and validate my generational divide storytelling idea of turning challenges into real opportunities.”
Campus2Market programs are open to students at all academic levels. Through the Discover, Validate, and Launch streams, participants gain access to mentorship, resources, and expert-led training to transform ideas into businesses and make a lasting impact on their communities and industries.
This year, Dalhousie partnered with Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) to expand delivery of the program to post-secondary students across Nova Scotia. The program is now delivered in collaboration with the Black Business Initiative, Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED), Saint Mary’s University, NSCAD in Nova Scotia, and with Memorial University, Mount Allison University and the University of Prince Edward Island across Atlantic Canada. The program is funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Province of Nova Scotia.
Since 2020, Dal Innovates’ innovation and entrepreneurship programs have equipped over 1,200 students and researchers with the skills and mindset to launch impactful ventures—ventures that have collectively raised $20 million in private and public funding.