Ocean Startup Project has announced 22 participating teams have been accepted into the second year of the Lab2Market Oceans program, which aims to produce commercial applications for academic research.
Lab2Market Oceans teams comprise researchers from academic institutions, as well as faculty supervisors and industry mentors. The teams work with instructors who provide feedback and coaching during the seven-week program, which includes a training bootcamp, five weeks of customer discovery, and technical and business development workshops. Each team also receives $15,000 in financial support.
The Lab2Market programing is overseen by the Ocean Startup Project, a collaborative group that works with bluetech companies across the region, complementing existing industry accelerators, incubators, and other support organizations.
“It is really exciting for Canada’s ocean sector to see so many teams coming together to commercialize ocean research,” Don Grant, Executive Director at the Ocean Startup Project, said in a statement.
“We’re seeing so much momentum in the ocean sector, including having some of last year’s Lab2Market Oceans founders on our 2021 Ocean Startup Challenge shortlist."
This year’s recruitment process led to a 45 percent increase in overall applications, along with a 50 percent increase in women faculty leads, almost doubling last year’s numbers, the statement said.
Students from Memorial, Dalhousie, Saint Mary’s, University of New Brunswick, McGill, Ontario Tech, York University, University of Alberta, and University of Lethbridge are participating in this cohort.
The teams are innovating sustainable solutions across all ocean sectors with research spanning marine oil spill management, microplastic sensors, and vaccines for fish and seafood waste recycling technology
“Memorial University is thrilled to once again host the national Lab2Market Oceans program in partnership with the Ocean Startup Project. With more than 40 percent of our research related to oceans, Memorial is at the forefront of ocean innovation and ready to develop highly skilled entrepreneurs in this growing sector,” said Dr. Paula Mendonça, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship with Memorial’s Technology Transfer and Commercialization Office.
The teams in the 2021 Lab2Market Oceans are:
University of Lethbridge, Allos Bio-Sensor
Memorial University, Antioxidant Alternative
York University, Bioinspired Unconventional Decontamination (BUD)
University of Alberta, Cold Spray
Memorial University, Compound Connect Microplastics
McGill University, Crustacean Upcycle
Memorial University, Fish Vaccines
Memorial University, Green Crab Products
University of Alberta, In-situ Sensor
Memorial University, Magnetic Particles
Memorial University, Ocean Wave Energy
Memorial University, Oil-eating Fungus
Dalhousie University, QUOREM
Saint Mary’s University, ReCircle
Memorial University, Salmon Collagen
Dalhousie University, Scient
Memorial University, Sea Cage Impact
Memorial University, Sea Ice Monitoring
University of New Brunswick, Seabed Mapping
University of Alberta, Smart Building
Ontario Tech, Wastewater System
Memorial University, Wind Predict
The Lab2Market program is developed and led by Dalhousie, Memorial, Ryerson, and the University of Manitoba. Supporters include the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), FedDev, Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), and Mitacs.
Lab2Market Oceans involves original supporters, with additional funding or support from Canada's Ocean Supercluster, the Ocean Startup Project, and Springboard Atlantic.
