A year after securing federal funding to lead the Atlantic region’s participation in the national Labs 4 network, the Nova Scotia Community College is celebrating a successful first year.

Labs 4 supports early-stage research commercialization with the aim of strengthening inter-institutional collaboration and helping student founders move closer to market, the group said in a press release.

As the Atlantic Hub for Labs 4, NSCC coordinates a network of post-secondary institutions that support students and recent alumni working at early technology readiness levels, the group said.

In one recent cohort, students from Dalhousie University and the College of the North Atlantic worked with a technical advisor based in New Brunswick to navigate the ethical approval process required for a medical device under development.

“We’re very intentional about avoiding collaboration on paper,” Barrinique Griffin, Manager of Entrepreneurship at NSCC, said. “The goal is real, practical support that meets founders where they are and accelerates their progress.”

Over the past year, the Labs 4 Atlantic network:

·         Put approximately $192,000 directly into student innovation through grants and stipends;

·         Supported 16 entrepreneurs across seven student teams;

·         Enabled participants to validate hypotheses, build prototypes and assess market demand;

·         And, achieved strong gender equity representation.

So far, more than 80 percent of supported ventures continue to develop their original projects. Several founders have advanced to subsequent funding programs and partnerships.