Innovation & Impact
TMU aligns innovative research with the needs of industry, institutions and communities, from the incubation of entrepreneurial projects and startups to the publication of groundbreaking findings.
Collaborations
Jennifer McArthur (Architectural Science) and technology company FuseForward are establishing the Smart Campus Integration and Testing (SCIT) Lab with support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. This cutting-edge new facility will showcase and test smart building technologies with broad applications to cities and utilities.
The Rogers Cyberscure Catalyst, with an investment from Mastercard, is launching two new training initiatives, The Mastercard Emerging Leaders in Cyber Initiative and The Mastercard Cyber Range Capstone Program, to enhance inclusivity and diversity in the cybersecurity sector.
From Idea to Marketplace
Natalie Alvarez (Performance), Naimul Khan (Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering), and Richard Lachman (Media) are working with Dark Slope Studios Inc. on the development of a virtual reality simulation system for police and other first responders to train in de-escalation and mental health crisis response.
Dérick Rousseau (Chemistry and Biology), working with New School Foods and other research partners, saw a patent-pending process for plant-based seafood products selected as a semi-finalist in XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion, a global competition with a $15 million prize pool.
New invention disclosures
Patent applications supported
Championing Entrepreneurs
With access to infrastructure and networks like I-INC and Zone Learning – 10 Zones, each with a different industry focus – faculty and students transform their research and ideas into products and services that launch into the domestic and international marketplace, boosting the Canadian economy.
Innovation + Impact Network of Canada (I-INC)
The Innovation + Impact Network of Canada (I-INC) was established in 2014 by TMU, Simon Fraser University and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology to drive the Canadian innovation ecosystem of university-created technology. Open to graduate students and faculty researchers from any university in Canada, I-INC provides programming, access to industry leaders and mentors, and partnership networks to help scale up ventures.
Programming events delivered
Toronto Metropolitan University Zone Learning
Zone Highlights
Bravesoles, incubated through the Fashion Zone and Social Ventures Zone, produces handmade shoes and accessories made in the Dominican Republic using upcycled tires and reclaimed leather. The company has, to date, reclaimed over 50,000 tires out of landfills and helped co-create pathways out of poverty and exploitation for local communities.
Hyre, incubated through the Innovation Boost Zone and the DMZ, is a workforce management digital platform geared to employment agencies and shift workers in the health care, hospitality, event security and restaurant sectors. The company landed a deal to support the 2022 Academy Awards.
Two graduate enterprises from the Clean Energy Zone, Swtch Energy, an electric vehicle charging and energy management platform, and Peak Power Inc., a Canadian climate tech company, formed a partnership which received a $765,000 investment through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. The funds will support the installation of 117 smart chargers in mixed-use developments across Ontario.
New products and services brought to market
Clients in the digital technology and gaming sector
Full-time jobs created
Total revenue generated, as reported by incubator members
Total funds raised, as reported by incubator members
Knowledge Mobilization
Marusya Bociurkiw (Media) led the international symposium Border Trouble: Migration, Research Creation, Art & Policy, a culmination of a multi-year research project that explored the intersection of forced migration and placemaking strategies through art and storytelling.
Fiona Moola (Early Childhood Studies), her HEART lab (Health Experiences and Arts-Based Research Team) and the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital organized the two-day Listening to the Margins conference centred around childhood disability and race.
Laurel Walzak (Media), Director and Founder of the Global Experiential Sport Lab (GXSLab), brought together over 50 speakers from major North American sports leagues and sports media organizations to move sport and sport culture toward increased inclusivity.
Through conferences and symposiums, TMU researchers engage broad audiences to share the impact of their work on their fields and the lives of others.
Publications & Citations
The influence and impact of TMU’s research continue to grow among scholars through the dissemination and citation of their findings in peer-reviewed publications. During the 2021–22 fiscal year, the university’s faculty saw an increase of 21.61% in publication citations and 7.58% in academic publishing over the previous fiscal year.
*Note: Academic publications include journal articles, conference papers and book reviews. Totals fluctuate as information is made available.
Academic publications*
Citations of TMU researchers by other scholars
Source: Web of Science, Thompson Reuters as of October 16, 2022.