Startups & Innovation
BY THE NUMBERS
2023-24 STARTUPS
STARTUP HIGHLIGHTS
Fibra: Leading the Way in Women's Health with Smart Undergarments
Fibra Inc (external link, opens in new window) . is a health-tech startup led by women, for women, that strives for transparency in reproductive health. Their non-invasive, patent-pending smart undergarment outputs health data to their app, with current R&D focused on fertility health.
Founder Parnian Majd, a TMU Biomedical Engineering alum, discovered entrepreneurship through the Science Discovery Zone (opens in new window) . This experience inspired the creation of Fibra, offering non-invasive, hassle-free health data for women.
"I decided to get involved with the Science Discovery Zone (SDZ) and they helped me navigate step by step how to figure out a problem worth solving"
Science Everywhere: Fostering Unity with Innovative Research
Science Everywhere is on a mission to 'undivide' the human population using science. Anthony Morgan (external link, opens in new window) , founder of the startup and a PhD student in TMU's Molecular Science graduate program, is researching 'affective polarization'—exploring ways to unite groups despite their opposing perspectives. His research is put to the test through the company's trademarked party game, Freestyle Socials, where disagreements make you laugh instead of lose faith in humanity.
A veteran science communicator, Anthony is also the current co-host of CBC's The Nature of Things. His innovative approach to fostering unity has been highlighted in TMU's Made of Grit series in an article titled "Chasing the Wonder Dragon as a Foundation and Strategy for Better Conversations" (opens in new window) , showcasing his journey and impact.
Biofect Innovations: Harnessing the power of microbes to change the future of protein production
Biofect Innovations (external link, opens in new window) is a pioneering biotech startup revolutionizing the food system with microbes that produce nature-like functional molecules. By merging advanced biotech with traditional fermentation processes—used in making beer, wine, and insulin—Biofect leads in creating sustainable, potent protein-based sweeteners amongst other high-value ingredients. The company has a market-ready formulation and is currently in talks with customers hoping to secure their first client.
Three of four co-founders of Biofect come from TMU's Molecular Science graduate program, where they've pursued PhD studies in Dr. Costin Antonescu's lab that specialized in fundamental and cancer cell biology.
"The SDZ provided us with the skills and resources we needed to get started, but more importantly, gave us a community to develop entrepreneurial confidence to pursue our venture."
New School Foods: Innovating Plant-Based Seafood
New School Foods (external link, opens in new window) is on a mission to develop a plant-based salmon filet that looks, cooks, tastes and flakes™ like wild salmon. Their proprietory flavour and scaffolding technologies is a world-first and is planned to launch in the latter half of 2024.
Founder Chris Bryson leveraged state-of-the-art labs at TMU, including the SDZ's chemistry and fabrication labs as well as Dr. Derick Rousseau's food and soft materials research lab, to develop their now patented muscle fiber technology.
In recognition of their groundbreaking work, New School Foods' collaboration with Dr. Rousseau was featured in TMU's Made of Grit series. Check out the full article here. (opens in new window)
“Through TMU, we’ve gotten access to office space, lab space through the Science Discovery Zone, access to talent and sponsored researchers through food science professor Dérick Rousseau’s lab.”
Genuine Taste: Revolutionizing Alternative Protein with Real Animal Fat, No Animals Needed
Genuine Taste (external link, opens in new window) produces real animal fat without animals to unlock the future of alternative protein by giving them genuine taste, texture, and aroma. Genuine Taste joined the TMU community after being accepted into the 2023 Launch Startup Cohort at Brampton Venture Zone by TMU. (opens in new window) Now, the SDZ is supporting Genuine Taste with access to its Biology labs so they can scale up their R&D operations.
"SDZ has helped us form connections with other founders and make the most of the resources available for early-stage ventures"
Epiloid Biotechnology: Advancing Neurological Drug Testing with Human Brain Models
Epiloid Biotechnology (external link, opens in new window) (Epiloid), founded by Dr. Mark Aquilino, is leading the way in transforming neurological drug testing with its groundbreaking 3D human cerebral organoid assays. By utilizing human brain tissue models, Epiloid enhances drug efficacy predictions and addresses the high failure rates in neurology drug development, offering a more accurate and sustainable alternative to traditional rodent models.
Mark is currently expanding his expertise through a Post-Doc with Dr. Aziz Guergachi at TMU. Epiloid are leveraging the Science Discovery Zone (SDZ) to scale their innovative technology, taking advantage of its laboratories and bringing on talent through the SDZ’s Apprentice Program, which pairs TMU students to SDZ startups for innovative work-integrated learning projects. Mark’s entrepreneurial journey and the impact of his work were recently highlighted in the Lab2Market program feature (opens in new window) , showcasing how the program has helped him turn his research into a thriving business.
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