National i2I Network launches novel Commercialization Postdoc program to empower Canada’s next wave of Science Innovators

“For myself, the i2I Program has allowed me to quickly yet efficiently, with the support of highly qualified instructors and mentors, navigate the ins and outs of the business world … The i2I Program has broadened my horizons and perspective to think about the purpose of my work beyond the confines of the laboratory.” — Kalsha De Silva, i2I ’25

Burnaby, B.C. — SFU’s i2I Research & Innovation Institute has launched the Invention to Innovation (i2I) Commercialization Postdoc Program, a novel national initiative designed to equip postdoctoral fellows with the entrepreneurial mindset and innovation skills needed to bring scientific discoveries to market.

Funded through the $22.9 million NSERC Lab to Market grant, the program is part of the expanding i2I suite and will be delivered through SFU’s newly established i2I Research & Innovation Institute, which serves as the operational hub of the National i2I Network. This first national Canadian commercialization postdoc program was designed and developed in partnership with Mitacs to meet the needs of the Canadian science innovation ecosystem, and informed by a commissioned white paper.

Starting in September 2025, the program will support postdocs working in deep tech sectors such as biotechnology, clean energy, sustainability, quantum computing / artificial intelligence, and advanced materials. Participants will gain skills in opportunity identification, market prioritization, intellectual property strategy, business model development, commercialization strategy and entrepreneurial finance—preparing them to become venture founders, industry champions or translational scientists.

The 12-month program is delivered in a cohort model, connecting fellows with mentors, incubators, accelerators and regional ecosystem partners across Canada. Supported through NSERC, Mitacs, and collaborating organizations, the commercialization postdocs are enabled to dedicate their full time to derisking their research-based innovation idea and to developing and advancing their commercialization strategy.

Meet the 2025 i2I Commercialization Postdocs

· Sajjad Fanaee, School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University

· Olivier Schott, Département de chimie, Université de Montréal

· Maria Cleveland, Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University

· Kalsha Diaguarachchige De Silva, Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo

· Nahieli Preciado Rivera, Chemical Engineering, McMaster University

· Bara Singh, Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University

· Justin Wyss, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia

· Martin Angerer, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia

· Tianyu Guo, Chemical Engineering, University of British Columbia

· Elnaz Erfanian, Chemical Engineering, UBC BioProducts Institute

Learn more about:

i2I Research & Innovation Institute – https://www.sfu.ca/i2i-research-innovation-institute.html

i2I Entrepreneurship Training Programs – https://inventiontoinnovation.ca/programs/