Olivia Tomic

Technology and creativity collided this past weekend at Toronto’s Maker Festival, a celebration of the city’s entrepreneurs, engineers, artists and hackers.

The fourth annual event featured more than 100 maker displays including 3D printers, digitally printed textiles, lasers, x-ray art and robots. The two-day extravaganza attracted more than 12,000 curious attendees to the Toronto Reference Library’s maker-friendly space.

“Kids’ enthusiasm for building a new gadget was fascinating,” said Neda Ghazi, co-founder and CEO of �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startup Comfable. “As a past volunteer of the Maker Festival and a CEO of a startup, this event is a great opportunity to meet Toronto’s maker community.”

Read about Comfable

Over the weekend, three of the library’s floors housed booths showcasing Toronto makers’ wares. Attendees also had the opportunity to sign up for hands-on workshops where they could construct and race sail boats, participate in an obstacle course challenge, or even solder a robot necklace. (Below, wearables workshop

The �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s Human Powered Vehicle Design Team (HPVDT) was among the group of exhibitors, proudly displaying two of their high-speed bicycle designs.

“Part of our team’s mission is to inspire people,” said Calvin Moes, �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ Materials Science & Engineering graduate student and current captain of the HPVDT.

“We create these designs that have incredible performance and high efficiency. At the Maker Festival we wanted to show people that all this isn’t just possible, but it’s accessible.”

One of the bicycles displayed is designed for high speed, explained Moes. It can only fit one size of rider, only go in a straight line and takes a team to operate: but it’s very fast.

A similar version of this speed bike, produced in partnership by the HPVDT and �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ engineering startup Aerovelo, set the world record for the fastest human-powered vehicle, clocking in at 139.45 kilometers per hour last September.

The second vehicle on display at the festival is a much more user-friendly design with features comparable to a modern car. Throughout the two-day event, kids and adults alike could climb into this bike, put the roof over their heads and imagine what the future of cycling could be like once this design hits the market.

For Moes, the best part of the festival was watching the guests’ faces light up when they watched the promotional video on display behind the two high speed bikes.

“The moment people realize that we’ve built a helicopter that lifts off under human power, or we’ve built a bike that can out-pace a car on the highway, it’s incredible.”

Learn more about the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s Human Powered Vehicle Design Team

For Toronto makers, DIY enthusiasts and masters of the trade, the event also provided an opportunity to network within the community and create valuable connections.

“This year we found two other Toronto-based startups that are offering services that we’re looking for, and we’re going to be the first customer of one of them.” said Ghazi.

While the Maker Festival weekend extravaganza is already over, there will be satellite events such as a paint lounge paint party, casual taxidermy class, stop motion animation workshop and more taking place across Toronto until July 17th.

Printem revolutionizes the printed circuit board

lavende4 — Tue, 17 May 2016 16:55:27 +0000

Printem revolutionizes the printed circuit board lavende4 Tue, 05/17/2016 - 12:55

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They started here: �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ recognizes top inventions

Some of the most inventive minds at the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ are stepping into the limelight.

From alarm clocks, to smartphones, to complex satellites: Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) lie at the core of all electronic devices.

While crucial to electronics, PCBs are expensive, time-consuming and require the use of specialized equipment. That’s no longer the case thanks to the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startup Printem. With just two items – Printem’s custom designed film and any home or office printer – anyone can create a fully functional printed circuit board.

On May 17, Printem was among four products recognized as �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ Inventions of the Year. The awards, which recognize their uniqueness, potential for global impact and commercial appeal, were presented at the university’s third annual �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ Celebrates Innovation (link to story) event in front of an estimated 200 guests, including Ontario Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell.

“Simply put, Printem does for the making of electronic circuits what Polaroid instant film did to traditional photography,” said Varun Perumal Chadalavada, co-founder of Printem and computer science PhD student.

“Just as Polaroid took a multi-step process of developing photographs in a dark room and condensed it into an instant point and click process, Printem allows users to create PCBs in less than two minutes.”

Users simply print their desired pattern onto the Printem film, expose it to the light for approximately 30 seconds and peel off the top layer to reveal a fully formed and functional PCB underneath.

By removing the equipment and cost barriers to producing these key electronic components, Printem has the potential to change hardware development, prototyping and the mass production of electronic devices.

“Similarly to how the ubiquity of affordable and capable personal computers has galvanized the development of software, enabling almost anyone, anywhere with the tools to create and deploy software, Printem could enable people all over the world to quickly create and prototype hardware,” explained Chadalavada.

Chadalavada along with his co-founder Daniel Wigdor, assistant computer science professor, has been working on Printem since 2014.

“We’re very honoured to win this award,” said Chadalavada. “When you’re working in academia you’re working in a narrow space and the people you’re interacting with are people who are mostly in that fixed space. For me winning this award is really encouraging because it means that my work is of interest and will benefit a much larger audience.”

Refugee initiative from �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startup helps newcomers navigate Canada’s health-care system

sgupta — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 07:50:09 +0000

Refugee initiative from �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startup helps newcomers navigate Canada’s health-care system sgupta Tue, 04/12/2016 - 03:50

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After living amid the Syrian refugee crisis in Turkey for a year after graduating from the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ, Nouhaila Chelkhaoui knew she wanted to help make a positive impact on the lives of newcomers.

Her return to Toronto gave her the opportunity to do just that, as she joined �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startup iamsick’s newest initiative, which helps refugees navigate Canada’s complex healthcare system.

iamsick is a digital health platform that focuses on providing people with access to healthcare services. Whether it’s a doctor accepting new patients, a walk-in-clinic that’s open late, a pharmacy, a diagnostic lab or nearby emergency room, iamsick shows users their nearest healthcare option anytime, Canada-wide.

Read about the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ medical community's efforts to support refugees

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To address this, in addition to building new features to help newcomers, iamsick has been working closely with a number of local partners to maximize their impact by sharing resources and information on multiple levels – from government to grassroots organizations.

“A main component of iamsick’s refugee initiative is its partners,” said Ryan Doherty, co-founder of iamsick. “Our partners not only make us stronger and help us spread the word, but they offer feedback and suggestions as experts in refugee settlement work.”

WelcomeHomeTO, an initiative spearheaded by �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ alumna Derakhshan Qurban-Ali together with a team of engaged citizens, is among the partners collaborating with iamsick.

“Working with WelcomeHomeTO has been meaningful for me particularly,” said Chelkhaoui (pictured below at right with Doherty).

“Derakhshan comes from a family who were Afghan refugees,” Chelkhaoui said, “and myself being an international student from Morocco, I believe this kind of partnership represents the student body from a newcomer background and we hope it serves to inspire and empower students from all backgrounds to go after their dreams to make an impact.”

iamsick is also working with Toronto Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs), regional umbrella offices for immigration efforts and organizations that are helping newcomers settle.

Through discussions with partners such as WelcomeHomeTO, and LIPs as well as the refugees themselves, iamsick also plans on expanding its search filters to include gender, mental health services, community health centres and even Interim Federal Health Program providers for those who are not covered by Ontario’s health insurance program.

“The important thing to think about is continuation,” explained Doherty. “There’s a strong focus on supporting refugees when they arrive, but after a number of months they will be settling into their new homes and may begin to experience challenges navigating their new environment. Having a website and app like this, which focuses on language barriers and showing what’s available, is extremely useful to them as it is to any Canadian trying to navigate our complex healthcare system.”

While the initiative was inspired by the newly arriving Syrian refugees, iamsick has identified healthcare professionals across Canada who speak more than 80 languages, in a bid to make the platform friendly to refugees, newcomers and Canadians alike.

iamsick is based in �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s Best Institute and has received startup support from the Impact Centre, one of the university’s nine campus-linked accelerators. To learn more about entrepreneurship at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ visit the Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

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�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ and RBC create startup accelerator for young innovators

lavende4 — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 12:35:36 +0000

�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ and RBC create startup accelerator for young innovators lavende4 Tue, 04/05/2016 - 08:35

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The �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ and the Royal Bank of Canada today announced ONRamp, a major new initiative that will help support Canada’s innovative entrepreneurs.

Located in the Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (BBCIE), ONRamp will provide new collaborative workspaces for students, entrepreneurs and startup companies to support them in developing commercial ideas.

“�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ is a global leader in transforming innovative ideas into products, services, companies and jobs,” saidMeric Gertler, president of the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ. “With RBC’s support, this new initiative will further expand the university’s entrepreneurial efforts and help ensure our nation remains competitive by keeping talented innovators in Canada.”

Set over three floors in the BBCIE, ONRamp will enable these new companies to network with each other, showcase to potential investors and grow their businesses. A $3 million contribution from RBC, Canada’s largest bank, will also be used to create fellowships, prizes and a speaker series intended to enhance the university’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

“We have some of the brightest and best ideas emerging from our universities, but too frequently our young entrepreneurs have to look abroad to get their businesses off the ground. ONRamp should help change that,” said Bruce Ross, group head of technology and operations at RBC. “This initiative will provide the perfect environment to help these innovative start-ups develop and, importantly, to stay in Canada. We are delighted to be partnering with the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ on this exciting program.”

Under the umbrella of the BBCIE, �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s vast ecosystem already consists of more than 60 entrepreneurial program and course offerings, and is supported by a network of nine campus-linked accelerators established to fill demand from the university’s diverse faculties and three campuses.

ONRamp will build on this central program of support in order to continue to serve the university’s innovative students, giving them the opportunity to pitch their business ideas, be recognized, and secure financial assistance as they undertake their entrepreneurship journey.

A number of post-doctoral and graduate scholarships and fellowships have also been created that will recognize, reward, and support innovative students across a broad range of research areas.

ONRamp will also house the RBC Innovation Hub within this new space for incubating startups, located within the BBCIE in downtown Toronto. RBC’s investment will support �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s $2 billion Boundless campaign which addresses the university’s commitment to enhancing the economic and social wellbeing of our communities, and to helping our citizens realize their potential.

“Universities and colleges play a key role in driving innovation and fostering entrepreneurship,” said Scott Mabury, vice-president, university operations. “The �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ has emerged as a leading institution in creating startup companies based on research and ONRamp will further support our startups’ growth so they can create wealth, provide jobs and contribute to the nation’s prosperity.”

“We are excited to partner with RBC in order to provide facilities and programming that will be a launching pad for early-stage companies,” said Vivek Goel, vice-president of research and innovation at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ. “Innovation and entrepreneurship are vital components of a robust economy and this initiative will help foster a rapidly growing hub of Canadian startup culture and support the next generation of successful entrepreneurs.”

ONRamp will provide a collaborative space for �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ students and graduates, and to new young companies from other Ontario universities and colleges.

Hacking Food: �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ initiative tackles food security in Canada’s largest city

sgupta — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 09:48:24 +0000

Hacking Food: �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ initiative tackles food security in Canada’s largest city sgupta Tue, 03/15/2016 - 05:48

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“working together to tackle food security, one of the biggest problems of our time" (photo by Dale Sood)

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Imagine if Toronto became the first large city in the world where everyone could access healthy, delicious, affordable food within walking distance 365 days a year.

Recently, �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ students, faculty and staff, and community partners came together to make the first steps of that vision a reality through a two-day “Hacking Food” event.

“We are working together to try to tackle food security, one of the biggest problems of our time,” said Alex Jadad, director of �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s Institute for Global Health Equity and Innovation (IGHEI). “We’re focusing on Toronto as an incubator to create solutions for an overarching challenge for our society, because in Toronto we have a world within a city.”

Over the two days, participants generated ideas, brainstormed solutions and began to map out whether or not they could create viable business models around three key themes: eliminating hunger, erasing “food deserts” and building a resilient city in the face of a catastrophic incident.

Second-year �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ environmental science student Jiayi Chen attended the event.

“Our group was focusing on minimizing food waste and eradicating hunger,” Chen said. “It was really intense working out a solution in such a short period of time, but even though at the end of the two days we didn’t have a perfect solution to the problem, our ideas changed a lot during the discussion. It’s definitely more clear in terms of what we’re trying to solve.”

Born and raised in Beijing, Chen has been in Canada for two years. Toronto is a change of pace. But, she says, “as I get more exposed to the startup ecosystem, I find that Toronto is definitely the ideal place for this type of initiative. There are more creative ideas here that are working towards the bigger picture.”

Hacking Food brought participants to FoodShare and Evergreen Brick Works, two non-profit staples in Toronto’s food and sustainability community. Participants gained a practical understanding of some of the initiatives already in place in Toronto and were inspired to brainstorm ideas that could be transformed into social ventures to tackle one of the three main themes of the event.

On the second day, three distinct groups formed to shape their ideas into projects around topics identified at the first workshop: food waste, social philanthropy and bringing food to people.

�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ political science and economics alumna Karen Nguyen also attended the event, linking her interest in community development to her desire to help find sustainable food options in Toronto.

“I’m very interested in social entrepreneurship because instead of just trying to gain a profit, you’re making a social impact that is important for your community.” (Learn more about social entrepreneurship)

Even though the event is over, the work is far from done. The teams will continue to develop their business models with support from �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s campus-linked accelerators before returning in July to pitch to a group of partners and funders from the community for a chance to obtain funding to implement their ideas.

Hacking Food is a project under the One Toronto for the World Initiative, a collabortion led by the IGHEI at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ. Inspired by the 2015 Pan Am Games, the initiative seeks to transform the city into an incubator for solutions to the most pressing challenges of our time through public engagement and promotion of social ventures. IGHEI also houses The Agency, a unifying hub which seeks to amplify the collective efforts of departments, faculties, teaching staff, students, institutes and centres that are all focused on or contribute to social entrepreneurship at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ.

The event was jointly sponsored by the Ontario Centres of Excellence, the Institute for Global Health Equity and Innovation, and the Health Innovation Hub at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ, as well as community partners FoodShare Toronto and Evergreen Brick Works.

“We don’t want to duplicate efforts,” explained Jadad. “We just want to create more magic than what is happening already by connecting, linking, aligning and inviting people to create social change.”

Interested in entrepreneurship at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ? Visit the Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

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Professor Cynthia Goh named academic director of BBCIE

sgupta — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 14:53:03 +0000

Professor Cynthia Goh named academic director of BBCIE sgupta Sun, 03/13/2016 - 10:53

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Professor Goh has published more than 80 papers and has started seven companies with her students

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Goh brings “entrepreneurship experience and passion for the translation of scientific discovery to technologies that benefit society,” Scott Mabury says

Professor M. Cynthia Goh, scientist, educator and serial entrepreneur, has been selected as the inaugural academic director for the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (BBCIE).

“The world has changed, and while we provide an excellent fundamental education, our students could use more,” said Goh.“�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ needs to be the leader in training and inspiring our world-class students to use their talents to reach out and create an impact.

“Entrepreneurial skills are not just for building a company. In creating this new position, the university recognizes that we want to foster an entrepreneurial mindset and a culture of innovation in our students because these are crucial elements for their future.”

A physical chemist with appointments in the departments of chemistry, materials science and engineering, the Institute of Medical Science and the Munk School of Global Affairs, Goh is the founding director of the Impact Centre, a �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ campus-linked accelerator (CLA) which aims to bring science to society. She has published more than 80 scientific papers and holds more than 20 patents.

With her graduate students, Goh has started seven science-based companies which employ dozens of people in a variety of industries – from medical diagnostics and agriculture to nanomaterials and science education. As director of the Impact Centre, she has nurtured more than 100 technology startup companies and advised hundreds of entrepreneurs over the past five years on how to turn the results of research into real products and processes.

Professor Scott Mabury, operations vice-president, said Goh is recognized for both her scholarship and entrepreneurial activities.

“Her entrepreneurship experience and passion for the translation of scientific discovery to technologies that benefit society make her well-equipped to enhance the entrepreneurial activity taking place at the university.”

The originator of Entrepreneurship 101, the flagship training program at MaRS which was first offered in the chemistry department and is accessed by about 20,000 annually, Goh has more than 15 years of experience in introducing entrepreneurial skills to students. Her activities within universities in Canada and abroad have inspired tens of thousands of students in science and innovation.

The BBCIE is the central office for student-related entrepreneurial activity across the three campuses of the university. The appointment of an academic director recognizes the important role that innovation and entrepreneurship will continue to play within the academic mandate of the university.

Interested in startups and entrepreneurship? Visit the BBCIE

�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ houses nine CLAs coordinated under the BBCIE umbrella. Each of the CLAs has been established to fill demand from the university’s diverse disciplines and three campuses. In operation for more than three years, the BBCIE takes the administrative lead on all things entrepreneurship at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ and now will be complemented by Goh as the academic link for students.

“The CLAs are the beginning,” Goh said, “but we need to move even further – to reach out to all students, as well as beyond STEM disciplines to build connections and generate new ways of thinking.”

In this new position, Goh said, her goal to reach as many students as possible.

“The appointment of an academic director is part of the university’s commitment to fostering tomorrow’s entrepreneurs,” said Vivek Goel, vice-president of research and innovation. “Considerable work has been done building the entrepreneurial ecosystem so far and this next step will help ensure �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ students are receiving the best experience possible to prepare themselves for the future.”

As academic director, Goh will lead efforts to create opportunities for collaboration on initiatives across the CLAs and the university as a whole. She will spearhead initiatives that will continue to position the university as one of the leading centres for innovation and entrepreneurship.

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Federal government backs three �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startups and their clean tech innovations

sgupta — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 10:39:31 +0000

Federal government backs three �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startups and their clean tech innovations sgupta Wed, 03/09/2016 - 05:39

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Nanoleaf founder and �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ grad Gimmy Chu (photo above by Johnny Guatto/photos below courtesy Nanoleaf))

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Three �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startups are among 36 projects from across the country receiving funding from the federal government in support of their clean technology innovations.

Nanoleaf, QD Solar and ARDA Power Inc. received a total of almost $6 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), a governmental foundation which helps clean tech entrepreneurs commercialize their products by removing the funding barrier that hinders so many high potential startups.

“Nanoleaf is creating truly innovative products right here in Canada, but it’s difficult to get access to the capital needed to compete globally,” said �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ engineering alumnus Gimmy Chu, co-founder and CEO of Nanoleaf. (Visit the Nanoleaf site.)

“With this support from the Government of Canada, we can sustain our already impressive pace of product development and continue to make a truly positive impact for the planet and the people living on it.”

With an infusion of more than $2.8 million from SDTC, Chu said Nanoleaf will continue to develop their low-cost and highly intelligent “Smarter Kit” (pictured at right), adding to their collection of the world’s most energy-efficient LED light bulbs which are already on the market.

Interested in startups and entrepreneurship? Visit the BBCIE

“Researchers at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ are regularly turning their discoveries into marketable inventions,” said Vivek Goel, vice-president of research and innovation. “I’m very pleased to see the support that these three companies are receiving from the government to continue the important work they’re doing in sustainable development.”

(Image below: Aurora lighting system by Nanoleaf)

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National Cancer Institute invests $4 million in �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ-based startup Pathcore

sgupta — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 09:03:06 +0000

National Cancer Institute invests $4 million in �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ-based startup Pathcore sgupta Wed, 03/02/2016 - 04:03

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Michael Mai, Craig Madho (�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ Pharmacology & Toxicology), Anne Martel (researcher and �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ associate professor), Stephane Langevin, Dan Hosseinzadeh, Deyu Wang (�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ Computer Science), Sean Nichols

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There’s a tremendous amount of precision required from pathologists when they make cancer diagnoses, and the results of their work are literally a matter of life or death.

But technology developed by �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ startup Pathcore™ is making the tedious and complex task of reading potentially cancerous tissue samples faster and more accurate.

“We free pathologists from counting cells, searching for those hard-to-find areas through a microscope, and doing other repetitive tasks that software can do faster and better,” said Dan Hosseinzadeh, CEO and co-founder of Pathcore. “Ultimately, that means improved patient care.”

The value of Pathcore’s technology has been recognized around the world; most recently by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the U.S. government’s principal agency for cancer research and training. It will be part of NCI’s platform for cancer informatics, a field that brings together information science, computer science and health care to aid in all aspects of cancer prevention and treatment. The NCI initiative brings together teams from across the United States with a single goal: to share information and advance this important field of expertise.

The $4M (CAD) development project involves six leading cancer centres from across Canada and the U.S. and will allow the startup to expand the translating and validating of automated cancer diagnostics into clinical tools.

Pathcore’s free downloadable software is already being used in over 100 institutions in more than 22 countries with the NCI funding promising to extend that reach even further.

With this investment, Pathcore will be expanding their software – the Sedeen Viewer – which allows researchers to view, annotate and overlay images to make data collection and analysis easy. The Sedeen Viewer also gives researchers access to built-in analysis tools and allows them to write their own algorithms – basically complex computer programs – to detect cancerous tissues.

“This will accelerate the translation of cutting edge research to patient care by allowing the developers of sophisticated analysis software to distribute their work directly to clinicians,” said Anne Martel, Pathcore’s co-founder and associate professor at �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ. “The NIH rarely allow funding to go to non-US labs, even more unusual is for them to fund work done by a foreign company, so this is a testament to the unique strengths of the Pathcore platform.”

The Sedeen Viewer is complemented by Pathcore Web, a cloud-based app that allows pathologists to access their cases anytime and anywhere so urgent cases don’t have to wait.

“With a digital platform for viewing tissue slides, pathologists can review cases within their team or consult with other institutions quickly and effectively so that the best people can always be involved,” said Hosseinzadeh.

Pathcore Web works on both desktop and mobile devices, making diagnosis a tap away.

“�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ is a research powerhouse and one of the things that we love to see is that research being translated into real and practical solutions,” said Karen Sievewright, managing director of the Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

“Pathcore is a great example of how scientific research can be commercialized and applied to a platform that benefits healthcare practitioners, and in turn patients, around the world.”

Based in the Impact Centre, one of �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s nine campus-linked accelerators, Pathcore is a spin-off from research that began in 2006 supported by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and Sunnybrook Research Institute.

"We know the product works," said Hosseinzadeh. “Now we want to get it into more institutions worldwide.”

Interested in entrepreneurships and startups? Visit the Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

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Conference Cloud: siblings' startup brings conferences to entrepreneurs

sgupta — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 11:28:42 +0000

Conference Cloud: siblings' startup brings conferences to entrepreneurs sgupta Tue, 01/26/2016 - 06:28

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Dinesh Ramdhayan, Olivia Simmons, John-Alan Simmons and Jay Engineer (photo courtesy ConferenceCloud)

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For brother and sister Olivia and John-Alan Simmons, juggling an undergraduate education and running a business is par for the course.

As products of an entrepreneurial home, the Simmons siblings say they have an inherent understanding of the hard work, dedication and support that it takes for a business to succeed. So when it came time for them to go to university, they didn't opt for traditional part-time jobs.

Instead, the Simmons siblings created their own startup: ConferenceCloud

“To get us through [my] applied mathematics degree and [John-Alan’s] computer science degree we had a web-development company along with a few of our own side projects,” Olivia says. “We made some good money and it was a great experience building technology for other people, but we always knew we wanted to build something for ourselves.”

Apart from their formal �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ education, the duo also went to a number of events and conferences to learn more about project management and to become better developers. But, like many students, their budget only allowed them to attend reasonably priced events within the GTA.

Which made them ask: why isn’t there a better curated hub for digital conference content? Enter ConferenceCloud

ConferenceCloud is a virtual attendance platform that allows users to live-stream conferences or to watch the event on-demand afterwards. The platform also aggregates ticket sales, virtual networking and interactive content all in one location.

Founded in 2014, ConferenceCloud has worked with UTEST (�ܼ��ѿ��ȫ Early Stage Technology), one of �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s nine campus-linked accelerators, to grow. Over 18 months, UTEST provided the siblings with dedicated work space, mentorship, networking opportunities and educational opportunities.

At the start of 2016, UTEST and MaRS Innovation invested $30,000 in ConferenceCloud. The investment coincided with funding from a new, Toronto-based provincial fund called MLA48 Angel Investment Fund. Affiliated with Maple Leaf Angels, the fund provides pre-seed funding to early-stage startups. Investment decisions are made within 48 hours of application, making the MLA48 fund unique in Toronto’s ecosystem.

“What impresses us most about Olivia and John-Alan is their willingness to pursue a large vision while adapting to market-driven feedback,” says Joel Liederman, vice-president, Physical Sciences, at MaRS Innovation. “While in the UTEST program, they were receptive to their advisors and pivoted several times to arrive at their current product. We’re pleased that external investors like MLA48 share our admiration for this team.”

While ConferenceCloud does support free events, its services are mostly geared to larger, paid conferences, promoting the platform as a new revenue stream for conference organizers. It provides a way for the organizers to expand their audience and get more value out of their content.

“The conference organizers paid for all this content from speakers and put on a one-, two- or three-day conference but then after that all of that value is kind of lost,” says Olivia, co-founder and CEO. “ConferenceCloud not only increases this content’s reach, but it can also save and re-sell that content to new audiences that might have missed the original event.”

Striking the balance

Sounds easy? Don’t be fooled, the siblings say: managing a business while pursuing a post-secondary degree is no small feat. They credit the support they’ve received from their family and the mentorship they’ve received from UTEST and MLA.

“ConferenceCloud is a great example of how students can use �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s vast entrepreneurship ecosystem to accelerate their startup’s growth,” says Karen Sievewright, managing director of the Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

“The programs, courses and CLAs are some of the unique ways that the university is transforming the undergraduate experience and the Simmons siblings are perfect examples of how students can nourish their entrepreneurial spirit while balancing their studies.”

With the new MLA funding, the Simmons siblings and their team will be focussing on increasing sales and getting as much client diversity as possible on their growing platform.

Interested in entrepreneurships and startups? Visit the Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

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Canada’s largest startup career expo at MaRS

sgupta — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 09:31:11 +0000

Canada’s largest startup career expo at MaRS sgupta Tue, 01/26/2016 - 04:31

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Students at last year's You're Next Career Network Startup Career Expo

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Opportunities in finance, healthcare, robotics, software, Internet of Things and more

The vibrant startup community in and around the �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ is continuing to grow and now it needs what all successful companies need – great people.

You’re Next Career Network’s (YNCN) Startup Career Expo is designed to give job-hunting students a glimpse into the world of startups.

Now in its third year, the event aims to give students and young professionals the opportunity to directly connect with more than 90 hiring startups during Canada’s largest startup career fair.

Think of it this way, said U of T engineering undergrad Frank Gu, “when you want to get to know someone, do you look at their resume/CV or would you prefer to have a face-to-face conversation with them?”

Gu was among roughly 2,000 students who attended last year’s event and, after connecting with Nanoleaf’s co-founder Gimmy Chu, he successfully nabbed an internship with the innovative lighting startup. (Read more about Frank Gu and Nanoleaf)

A company’s website can give students an introduction to a startup in the same way that a resume gives employers an introduction to a potential employee, Gu said, but “the Startup Career Expo, on the other hand, brings the students and potential employers together in an exciting social environment where they can connect and mingle.”

This year’s day-long event is taking place on Jan. 29 on the lower and main levels of MaRS, across the street from �ܼ��ѿ��ȫ’s downtown Toronto campus. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. attendees will have free access to more than 90 startups looking for top talent to add to their teams, with opportunities including summer internships, Professional Experience Years (PEY) and full-time positions.

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