Innovation + Entrepreneurship @UAlberta
The university has many programs, services and resources to foster and support innovation, tech and knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship. We can help researchers and innovators at various stages—pre-commercialization, to technology transfer services such as IP assessment and protection, to commercialization such as licensing or creating a spinoff, to mentoring and entrepreneurship education.
The following are our key innovation programs and supports:
Innovation Masterminds Edmonton (imYEG)
imYEG is an industry-led pre-accelerator program designed to increase the quality and viability of commercial ventures leaving the University of Alberta and entering Alberta's business and innovation ecosystem. imYEG's team of industry leaders and investors help to overcome barriers that face researchers and students in the early stages of their commercialization journey. Co-created by the university and Brass Dome Ventures Inc., the program is designed to scale to other postsecondary institutions across Edmonton.
Health Innovation Hub
Advances early-stage health and life science companies created by UAlberta researchers, faculty and students. The program supports ventures build, test, validate and grow via mentorship, education & workshops, and connections to resources and service providers, and offers physical co-working and lab space. Biannual program intake occurs in May and November. Companies are accepted based on program capacity.
Northern Alberta Clinical Trials + Research Centre (NATRC)
NACTRC is a collaboration between UAlberta and Alberta Health Services and the University of Alberta. Their mission— better medicine, better outcomes. NACTRC helps researchers conduct clinical research, develop new treatments, and bring them to the market for use.
ST Innovations
Provides access to experts in health/digital/smart tech and devices, and artificial intelligence, R&D and applied research, and clinical/end-user validation. As well as some of Canada's most advanced labs/facilities and tools that are hard to find elsewhere such as the modular prosthetic limb (the first and only one in Canada), a bilateral Kinarm exoskeleton, VR immersion system, high-throughput cell-culture testing, and a laser microfabrication suite that supports R&D of implantable/wearable medical devices, advanced optics and diverse lab-on-a-chip (LOC) applications.
ThresholdImpact University of Alberta Venture Mentoring Service
Helps develop strong and capable entrepreneurs via coaching and guidance so they own their decisions, rather than relying on others for answers. The program is open to all U of A members (alumni, faculty, staff, students) and is modelled on MIT's (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) highly successful VMS program.
eHub
As a research-driven ideas lab, eHUB provides inclusive experiential learning opportunities for students from all disciplines to explore how the entrepreneurial mindset can enable them to solve significant social or economic problems. eHUB supports entrepreneurship initiatives and clubs and offers resources, networking opportunities, and mentorship to help transform early-stage ideas into projects, initiatives and ventures.
Student Innovation Centre
Collaboration space for students that encourages creativity and innovation. Modelled after business incubators and startup offices, the centre is a basecamp for undergraduates to explore turning ideas into reality. Student led student activities include competitions, maker projects and ventures. Examples of student teams using the centre are: iGEM who is working to combat diseases in honeybees with genetically engineered organisms, and AlbertaSat who designed and launched Alberta's first satellite.
Additional Resources
Home to top AI experts, this UAlberta research institute advances AI and machine learning research. In 2018, a business arm was spun-off to become 1 of 3 national AI hubs designed to sustain Canada's AI strength and to help industry build AI capacity and capability.
A national, open-access training, service, and collaboration centre, focused on academic and industrial applications in micro- and nanoscale fabrication and characterization.
Network for academics, start-ups and SMEs to explore commercialization opportunities and pitch to legal, business, marketing, financial and investment experts.
A 6,000-square-foot makerspace shop where engineering students can bring their ideas to life, as well as meet and mentor students
The Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Program is an initiative comprising curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular entrepreneurial resources developed by the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta.
The ICE Technology Incubator is part of experiential learning offerings and integrates with campus makerspaces to provide a dedicated space for students and recent alumni interested in commercializing technology and launching new start-ups and social ventures.
An open-access facility whose design and manufacturing technologies lets students bring their ideas to life.
Offers low-barrier access to 3D printing technology through a mediated service (ie. we print your models for you). This is open to all students, faculty, and staff for any creative or educational purpose.