Innovation Masterminds Graduates
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CARM&A joined the imYEG program in the fall of 2021. Led by two very busy but very determined physicians, Dr. Sheny Khera and Dr. Marjan Abbasi, CARM&A has evolved substantially since that time. With the ambitious goal of “higher value care” through their point-of care software platform that allows physicians to detect the risk of frailty from primary care health records, Dr. Abbasi and Dr. Khera have worked over a period of 9 months to advance their vision. Supported by a team of exceptional mentors, CARM&A was able to pave their way towards a position in which they are ready to begin piloting their solution.
Since joining the program, CARM&A has:
Raised over $40,000 in grant funding to cover Business Development and the partial wage of a MITACS student;
Hired a MITACS Ph.D. student;
Conducted customer discovery;
Researched the most suitable beachhead market to pursue;
Developed their value proposition;
Launched their website;
Built connections with EMR vendors and clinics.
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Led by Dr. Craig Chapman, Riley Dawson, and Quinn Boser, Gaze and Movement Analysis (GaMA) joined imYEG in 2021. A suite of tools and services, built on more than a decade of basic science research, GaMA improves sensorimotor performance assessment in the real world, increases the effectiveness of VR/AR training and assessment, all while providing an enjoyable user experience.
Since joining the program, GaMA has:
Secured validation from large, industry-leading multinational IT company.
Priority use-cases and target sectors identified.
First customer secured and pilot project underway.
Primary channel partner selected.
Preparation for raise completed.
Pitched at Alberta Innovates’ Inventures conference.
Selected for further accelerators: Plug & Play and Creative Destruction Labs (CDL – Rockies).
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Swift Charge Inc. (formerly eGrid) is an intelligent microgrid platform that supports electrification and grid modernization. Led by Dr. Zhongyi Quan, Swift Charge Inc. was one of the first innovations to join the imYEG Program in 2021.
Since joining the program, Swift Charge Inc. has:
Refined their investment deck
Hired 14 full time/part time staff (including COO)
Secured contracts with several customers, meeting with 5-7 potential customers per week
Started pilots with the University of Alberta, NAIT, and FortisAlberta
Enrolled in the Alberta Accelerator by 500
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Founded and led by Dr. Tom Jones of the University of Alberta, Jones Microwave has been an impressive part of imYEG since the program’s first months. Jones Microwave develops and manufactures power amplifier technology for high frequency electro-magnetic systems. In essence, he uses lasers to control microwaves. This provides end-users in the telecommunications, satellite, and defense industries with better performance at lower prices and scales versus existing technologies.
Tom has single-handedly steered the company to discussions and collaborations with major multinational companies and has been successful in getting both funding and interest from Canada’s Department of Defense.
Since joining the program, Jones Microwave has:
Completed customer discovery, landed on a business model, and drafted a path to market;
Incorporated and structured its corporate operations;
Raised significant non-dilutive funds;
Successfully agreed to an IP license agreement for its technology with 2 major universities;
Received Canadian Department of Defense grant funding;
Received validation and interest from major multinational players in the telecoms, defense, and measurement & testing industries;
Submitted multiple PCT patents.
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mmHg Inc. is a digital health company, developing software and tools for clinicians and patients. Dr. Raj Padwal, a medical doctor, professor of medicine at the University of Alberta, and CEO of mmHG, along with the company's COO, Peter Wood, have taken part of the imYEG Program since its inception in January 2021.
Through their involvement, they have been able to access mentorship and support to advance their innovation further. Dr. Padwal describes Innovation Masterminds as being in a "class by itself", having benefitted tremendously from the guidance of mentors.
Since joining the program, mmHg Inc. has:
Gained significant business experience and expertise in both strategic and operational areas
Entered into multiple partnerships and agreements, with strategic focuses on sales, distribution, and growth
Progressed to revenue generation
Hired four developers
Participated in partnerships that have allowed it to refine its technology
Begun preparing for a $1 million to $2 million raise.
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Nanode Battery Technologies is a gamechanger in the battery manufacturing industry, providing safe, efficient, and environmentally-friendly battery anodes that rely on abundantly available resources.
Founded by Dr. Bing Cao and Dr. Peter Kalisvaart, both who obtained their PhDs from the University of Alberta, Nanode has had tremendous success in the imYEG Program, gaining connections to a large international battery player. We asked Dr. Bing Cao if she would recommend imYEG to other innovators. "Definitely," she said, "I joined the Program without any hesitation, and you should too."
Since joining the program, Nanode Battery Technologies has:
Built a research plan and budget
Hired five staff members to run studies
Participated in the Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator
Initiated pilot manufacturing
Put together an investor pitch to raise $2 million, of which they have attained $360,000 and received soft commitments of over $750,000 from private investors.
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PulmVita, led by Cole Christianson and Dr. Andrew Martin, is developing a new nasal cannula device that can be used with existing portable oxygen concentrators, providing several advantages to patients, which most notable include an efficient, portable, and reliable exposure to oxygen during low activity times (e.g., sleeping). By doing so, PulmVita’s interface empowers oxygen users to travel more freely and rely on a single and portable source of oxygen.
Since joining the program, PulmVita has:
Incorporated the company;
Created value proposition canvases;
Identified the total attainable market;
Identified the competition in the space and carved a niche;
Developed valuation scenarios;
Positioned itself to raise $1M.
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PulseMedica is creating transformative devices to treat eye disease, with the potential of saving the eyesight of millions of people who would otherwise have to undergo painful procedures that lack the accuracy of PulseMedica’s technology.
Led by Dr. Nir Katchinskiy, a University of Alberta Ph.D. graduate, and Eric Martin, the innovation joined imYEG at the inception of the Program. When asked about his experience with imYEG, Dr. Katchinskiy says: "imYEG helps us with whatever we need, which is quiet unique. When we have an important meeting with a big company, we can arrange a time with the mentors and talk about it."
Since joining the program, PulseMedica:
Raised $2.9 million while in the program
Started animal proof-of-concept studies
Hired 17 new staff and three new advisory board members
Begun licensing discussions with a global partners
Converted patents to world-applications
Begun the manufacturing process
Is putting together a world-renowned medical advisory board
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Led by Dr. Daniel Alessi, an associate professor in the Faculty of Science at the University of Alberta, and Dr. Salman Safari, a former post-doctoral researcher at the University, Recion Technologies is a cleantech company that works on extracting, purifying, and producing lithium products from brines found in Canadian oilfields.
On imYEG, Dr. Alessi says that the program has helped them "move to the next step", connecting them to key industry stakeholders and providing them with mentorship and guidance.
Since joining the program, Recion Technologies has:
Progressed its technology to pilot test it
Hired an engineer to join the team
Hired a MITACS intern to support business operations
Undertaken a number of foundational business requirements to prepare for commercialization and fundraising
Expanded beyond grants to include recurring revenue from industrial clients
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Zero Point Cryogenics (ZPC) joined the imYEG Program in 2022. Led by Dr. John Davis and Chris Cassin, ZPC has developed a dilution fridge for the use in quantum computing. Dilution refrigerators are the only technique to achieve continuous cooling below 1K (1K = - 272.15°C), critical for quantum physics experiments and applications such as quantum computing. ZPC refrigerator has a 75% smaller footprint than other dilution fridges, making it easy to use in laboratories. It also has a shorter turnaround (17 hours instead of 24). With the growing demand for quantum computing, the demand for dilution fridges will grow.
Since joining the program, ZPC has:
Moved into a new facility
Hired 8 additional team members
Presented at multiple pitching events, including Startup TNT and Inventures
Started looking into finding investors to raise $500,000
Have secured contracts for almost $1.2M and have another $1.6M in the pipeline
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