For the first time, Dalhousie University and the University of Toronto have come together to host a joint cohort of the Lab2Market Validate program for researchers in health innovation. 22 research teams from across Canada are participating in the program running from February to April 2024.
Meet the Teams:
| Description | University | Team |
| Developing a coating for skin-implantable materials to improve their attachment to the skin and prevent infections. | McGill University | Ahmed Saad Dr. Marta Cerruti |
| Oral health improvement with a single brushing step, multiple benefits: a bioactive material for enamel remineralization, cavity prevention, and enamel whitening, leading to a healthier and brighter smile. | McGill University | Akunna Chisokwuo Dr. Marta Cerruti |
| Transforming how electrophysiological brain data is processed at epilepsy units in hospitals, by aiming to improve processing times and efficiency. | Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network | Dr. Alan Diaz Dr. Milad Lankarany |
| Developing a platform that allows researchers and drug developers to test new or repurposed drugs on human mimicking tissue models in a way that is faster, cheaper and more predictive than existing approaches. | University of Victoria | Amir Seyfoori Dr. Mohsen Akbari |
| SynopsAI is streamlining the cumbersome and time-consuming process of medical chart reviews. By using advanced AI on chart data, SynopsAI seeks to make the most of clinicians’ time, empowering them to see more patients without compromising quality. | Dalhousie University | Chloe Robichaud Dr. Abraham Nunes |
| The SmartTile Device by Balliscor provides a non-invasive, unobtrusive method of monitoring patients with heart failure throughout the night. | University of Toronto | Daniel Singh Dr. Isaac Sungjae Chang |
| AI-MD is an AI-driven platform that turns a smartphone into a diagnostic device, allowing people to scan themselves for over 20 vital statistics and biometrics as well as over 2,000 diseases. Our symptom-checking algorithm harnesses inputs beyond text, such as audio, video, and photos to give comprehensive health assessments- all accessible from a smartphone. | McMaster University | Emma Tolsdorf Dr. James MacKillop |
| “RemoteCare” is a novel initiative that empowers individuals to conduct part of their medical assessments independently via a user-friendly remote digital solution. | University of Toronto | Fahim Mohammad Iqbal Dr. Joseph Ferenbok |
| Utilizing a combinational treatment approach that stimulates both neuronal and muscular health in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Huntington’s Disease. | Université de Montréal | Gilles Tossing Dr. Alex Parker |
| Developing a novel, food-based treatment to prevent bladder pain and inflammation and to improve the lives of patients with chronic bladder pain and inflammation. | Dalhousie University | Hannah White Dr. Christian Lehmann |
| Developing a novel therapeutic for the treatment of cardiovascular complications in severe illnesses. | McMaster University | Hasam Madarati Dr. Colin Kretz |
| Developing a non-invasive blood-based test that predicts survival and risk of transformation to leukemia in patients with myelofibrosis and related-blood disorders. | University of Toronto | Jessie Medeiros Dr. Vikas Gupta |
| SilicoLabs: no-code software for creating real-world simulations for humans and AI. | University of Toronto | Kyla Alsbury-Nealy Dr. Blake Richards |
| PrehabRx is a digital health company helping health organizations implement supportive care before, during, and after major healthcare procedures. | University of Toronto | Maggie Chen Dr. Daniel Santa Mina |
| Neuropeutics is a pharmaceutical company developing targeted therapies to extend neurodegenerative disease patients’ survival and improve their quality of life. | University of Toronto | Dr. Marc Shenouda Dr. Janice Robertson |
| Employing artificial intelligence to create intelligent software that screens and excludes alcohol-related content for individuals wishing to avoid such exposure. | Dalhousie University | Mohamad Ahmadinejad Dr. Tina Montreuil |
| Revolutionizing Healthcare with AI: Bridging gaps, breaking barriers and building inclusive careers in Canada’s healthcare ecosystem. | Dalhousie University | Rushikesh Kavathekar Dr. Rina Wehbe |
| NorthMiRs is developing gene therapies for the treatment of sepsis. | University of Toronto | Samantha McWhirter Dr. Gilbert Walker |
| Developing a rapid test that accurately distinguishes urinary tract infection from harmless bacterial colonization, curbing unnecessary antibiotic use and combating antibiotic resistance. | University of Toronto | Siobhan Wilson Dr. Joseph Ferenbok |
| Neuroenhance is a revolutionary pain treatment designed to help improve the quality of life for the ~4 million Canadians living with chronic musculoskeletal pain. | McMaster University | Stevie Foglia Dr. Aimee Nelson |
| We at VRIT are developing a handheld bioprinting system for treating severe or full thickness skin burns. Our mission to empower surgeons with our unique bioprinter, facilitating swift and personalized treatment of severe burn wounds. | University of Toronto | Sushant Singh Dr. Axel Guenther |
| Using an optical sensor for rapid and painless virus detection. | University of Victoria | Yifeng Bie Dr. Tao Lu |
“I decided to join Lab2Market Validate because it was all about customer discovery and I was thrilled about the opportunity to speak with physicians, health authority personnel and patients who could help me better understand the problem and what they were looking for in a potential solution. I’m also looking forward to the business courses in this program as bridging the gap between an academic background in science and creating a successful start-up is sometimes difficult. My hope is that by participating in this program, I’ll be equipped with the essential tools I need to carry my innovation onward by having a strong business case and a product that our customers will want to adopt.”
– Chloe Robichaud, Dalhousie University
“Weekly for about 3 months, we get 3-hour business lectures, weekly meetings with 2 entrepreneurship mentors, plus weekly SCRUM sessions with members of our cohort. The rest of the time we are interviewing stakeholders and iterating over our business model canvas, which is really where most of the fun concentrates! As a research scientist, it’s incredible how all of the tools and techniques can translate to my research workflow to improve everything related to project, time, and people management. Though I first joined Lab2Market to validate the commercial potential of a research idea, now I’m also looking forward to experiencing everything else that the team has prepared for us, as I’m sure it will empower me with either more tools and more knowledge to advance my professional career as a scientist and an entrepreneur.”
– Dr. Alan Díaz, University of Toronto
About Lab2Market Validate:
- Lab2Market Validate is a 16-week program that supports research teams to validate their ideas through customer discovery by identifying a problem with commercial value that they can solve.
- Participants will be provided with hands-on support, access to mentorship, a tailored curriculum, and the opportunity to receive $15,000.00 in funding.
- Each research team includes three participants: a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow, the applicant’s supervisor or primary investigator, and an industry mentor from a related business sector.
- Teams can go on to participate in the Lab2Market Launch accelerator, which is an intensive three-month program that helps teams advance and spin-out new start-ups.
About Lab2Market:
Lab2Market is a pioneering national initiative that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship in Canada’s academic community. The teams comprised of students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty members focused on science and technological innovation will explore the commercial potential of their research-driven ideas by conducting interviews with potential customers to validate the market need.
The Lab2Market Validate Winter 2024 Health cohort is delivered by Dalhousie University and University of Toronto and made possible with support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Mitacs, Springboard Atlantic, the Health Innovation Hub, and the Temerty Foundation.
Interested future applicants and mentors can find more information at lab2market.ca.