Meet the next generation of young entrepreneurs turning their ideas into viable businesses.
Dalhousie University and Lab2Market proudly welcome 17 ambitious entrepreneurial teams to the Atlantic Lab2Market Launch and Collide Launch summer entrepreneurship program. The 2024 teams, comprising 35 students and recent graduates from eight post-secondary institutions, will form, build, and grow their ventures over the next 12 weeks.
“Lab2Market Launch has established itself as the go-to program for Canadian graduate students, postdocs and researchers and this year, we are pleased to offer Collide Launch to support undergrads and students in broader fields of study,” said Dr. Alice Aiken, vice president, research and innovation. “The innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem at Dalhousie is thriving and we are delighted that both Lab2Market Launch and Collide Launch have a full complement of motivated student teams ready to launch their next ventures.”
Since 2020, 47 teams have successfully completed Lab2Market Launch at Dalhousie University and the number of students inquiring about exploring entrepreneurship continues to grow. To meet demand this year, Dalhousie University, through Dal Innovates, is offering Collide Launch. Collide Launch is for undergraduates, graduates, certificate students, and faculty members with diverse academic backgrounds who are eager to launch a business.
“We are excited to be in the inaugural year of Collide Launch and are looking forward to the advanced training, connections, and mentorship that we will use to launch our company Pucktive,” said Eddie Cobbold, a 2024 Collide Launch cohort member, who previously participated in the Collide Validate program where he validated the commercial potential of developing cut-resistant hockey apparel.
Meet the 2024 teams:
Collide Launch Cohort
| Venture Name | Participant Names | Academic Institution | Company Overview |
| Athlete Aid | Issac Hierlihy Morgan MacKinnon | St. Francis Xaiver University University of New Brunswick | Athlete Aid is developing a subscription-based injury triage mobile app for minor sports athletes. |
| Daku Tech | Jake Young Limysh Kalapala | Dalhousie University | Daku Tech is pioneering advancements in personal locator beacon technology to enhance safety for fishers and facilitate swift search and rescue operations during emergencies. |
| Head First Network | Lauren Mackay Fraser MacKay Sam Peach | Dalhousie University | Head First Network is developing a solution to equip student athletes with the tools and knowledge to manage and prevent concussions to foster safer sports practices across Canada. |
| Mxpert | Barath Sundar Malik Rahey | Memorial University | Mxpert is developing an AI-powered platform to help auto repair shops boost operational efficiency and customer relations by automating customer engagement, with enhanced bookings, reminders, and targeted marketing. |
| Pucktive | Eddie Cobbold Charlie Cobbold | Dalhousie University George Brown College | Pucktive is an innovative protective hockey apparel brand focused on making cut-resistant products to protect hockey players from fatal and serious injuries that occur in exposed areas, such as the neck and wrist. |
| SOASIS | Lihui Qiao Junwen Hu | NSCAD University | SOASIS plans to offer a physical pod that uses AI technology to deliver a holistic experience to people looking to take a short break or meditate to improve their mental health. |
| Willow | Aaron Burlacoff Noah Burlacoff | Dalhousie University Huron College at Western University | Willow will use innovative technologies to streamline estate planning services that include robust security measures for legally compliant digital wills. |
Lab2Market Launch Cohort
| Venture Name | Participant Names | Academic Institution | Company Overview |
| Atlantic Echo Solutions | Len Zedel Mohammad Reza Mousavi | Memorial University | Atlantic Echo Solutions is developing acoustic methods to remotely measure sound speed in the ocean which is critical for all sonar and acoustic system applications such as high-resolution ocean bathymetry mapping and seismic surveys. |
| Bliss Bioproducts Inc. | Roksana Saleh Louis Anthony Odo | Dalhousie University St. Francis Xavier University | Bliss Bioproducts will be creating high quality, cost-effective, organic food and plant-based products. |
| BoviSense AI | Shubhangi Mahato Hariesh Annadevara Sivakumar | Dalhousie University | BoviSense AI uses facial recognition system and AI to support farmers with tailored insights for enhanced cattle welfare and productivity. |
| CoaTech Solutions | Pooya Nikbakhsh Shahzad Karim | Dalhousie University | CoaTech Solutions is developing a uniform and durable protective coating for mold surfaces, with the aim of reducing downtime in tire production while also minimizing resource loss. |
| BravoZulu | Lynette Peters Colin Peters | Dalhousie University | BravoZulu is creating a digital wellness solution that connects veterans and families through art and craft. |
| GamBit | Hamid Maymand Brynn Harris-Shanks | Dalhousie University | GamBit aims to make video gaming more inclusive and immersive through brain-computer interface technology. |
| SensoFluidix | Alireza Zabihihesari Ali Doostmohammadi | Dalhousie University York University | SensoFluidix is developing highly sensitive synthetic receptors designed to integrate into ready-to-use kits, cartridges, and microfluidic sensing platforms to capture samples in harsh conditions for environmental, biomedical, and mining industries. |
| NexaPowder Inc | Elham Afshari Sara Mirzaei Mazraeh | Dalhousie University | NexaPowder Inc. focuses on sustainable advancement in metal 3D printing and crafting top-quality spherical metal powders from recycled materials to reduce energy consumption, costs, and emissions, while meeting industry demand. |
| OEEE | Hamid Jafarzadeh Mohammadali Hemati | Memorial University | OEEE is using satellite imagery and artificial intelligence for rapid detection of oil spills to mitigate environmental damage and protect marine ecosystems. |
| OceanAM | Foroozan Forooghi Mohsen Keshavarzan | University of New Brunswick | OceanAM is developing a fish-inspired remotely operated vehicle (ROV), specifically designed for underwater maintenance of offshore structures and ships. |
These Launch programs are offered through Dal Innovates, an Atlantic hub that teaches innovation and entrepreneurial skills and attitudes to students and faculty. The Launch programs are based on MIT’s delta v program, and will see teams conduct primary market research, define their beachhead market, learn about customers and user’s needs, validate, and quantify the product value proposition for customers, build their founding team, develop their business model, and make progress on starting their venture. Teams receive tailored instruction, mentorship, and coaching from successful entrepreneurs and industry experts and can receive up to $33,000.00 in funding.
Launch participants benefit from Dalhousie’s innovation ecosystem, receiving access to a Founder Council comprised of business leaders. Many successful Launch teams move on to participate in the Creative Destruction Lab and other accelerators worldwide. Program alumni include 3D BioFibR, Myomar Molecular, PragmaClin Research Inc., and Zen Electric Bikes just to name a few.
Dalhousie’s Lab2Market Launch cohorts are made possible with support from the Government of Canada through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Mitacs, Springboard Atlantic, Build Ventures, and Morrison Park Advisors.
About Lab2Market:
Lab2Market is a national suite of programs that gives academic research teams the practical skills to spark their passion for entrepreneurship, validate their ideas, and successfully launch innovative new businesses. Funded by the Government of Canada, Mitacs, NSERC, and the Ocean Startup Project. The program is based on the immersive, entrepreneurial I-Corps training program in the United States, and the leading ICURe program in the United Kingdom. Learn more at www.lab2market.ca.
About Collide:
Collide is a suite of programs that aims to equip undergraduate and post-secondary students in Atlantic Canada with the crucial knowledge and skills to drive their innovative and entrepreneurial ideas into catalysts for change. The program unfolds in three essential stages: Discover, Validate, and Launch. It is funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Learn more at www.dalinnovates.ca
About Dalhousie University:
Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada’s leading research-intensive university. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of the university’s 20,000-plus students coming from outside the province. Dal’s 6,000 faculty and staff foster a diverse, purpose-driven community, one that spans 13 faculties and conducts more than $200 million in research annually. Part of a cluster identified as one of the world’s top international centres in ocean research, the university proudly celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2018.
Learn more at www.dal.ca