“The i2I Program transformed my journey from a surgeon with an idea into the founder of Rise Medical Innovations, equipped with a clear business strategy and the confidence to speak the language of entrepreneurship,” said competition winner Dr. Shubha De. “Balancing life as a parent, PhD student and full-time clinician, I found the program’s mentorship, community and curriculum to be a powerful catalyst—proving that with the right support, innovation truly is within reach.” — Dr. Shubha De, 2026 i2I Innovation Pitch Winner
Simon Fraser University hosted its inaugural Innovation Week celebrating the innovators, researchers and students creating social and economic impact at SFU and with collaborators across Canada through the National Invention to Innovation (i2I) Network.
Innovation Week kicked off with the annual i2I Innovation Pitch event at SFU’s Beedie School of Business which celebrated its 10th year of delivering the Invention to Innovation (i2I) Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Commercialization (GCSTC) program to scientists seeking to mobilize their research.
On October 8, five finalists from the national graduating cohort—spanning P.E.I. to B.C.—were invited to pitch their science innovations to a panel of expert judges, competing for financial awards and invaluable mentorship opportunities. National i2I academic director Dr. Sarah Lubik hosted the evening.
Dr. Shubha De won first place and a cash prize of $5,000 for Rise Medical Innovations which is developing a new surgical endoscope, to help move procedures out of the operating room.
“The i2I Program transformed my journey from a surgeon with an idea into the founder of Rise Medical Innovations, equipped with a clear business strategy and the confidence to speak the language of entrepreneurship,” said competition winner Dr. Shubha De. “Balancing life as a parent, PhD student and full-time clinician, I found the program’s mentorship, community and curriculum to be a powerful catalyst—proving that with the right support, innovation truly is within reach.”
Second place was awarded to Dr. Stacey Goldberg, of PhyCo Technologies, who won a cash prize of $2,500. PhyCo is developing a bio-based plastic alternative from seaweed that is earth-digestible and non-toxic in partnership with Indigenous Nations.
2025 Finalists
Dr. Shubha De
Rise Medical Innovations
Shubha De grew up in Halifax and is currently a surgeon and associate professor at the University of Alberta. Academically, Shubha focuses on outcomes research and education, establishing a new endourology fellowship, and national hands-on surgical training course residents across Canada.
Dr. Kalsha De Silva
BioPSci Therapeutics
Kalsha De Silva is a biomedical science researcher at the University of Waterloo with expertise in diabetes, murine models of disease, nutrition and metabolism.
BioPSci Therapeutics is developing a new way to treat obesity using a unique method that increases levels of GLP-1, a hormone that helps control appetite and blood sugar. Their approach involves blocking the effects of a specific natural substance in the body, which could lead to a new kind of weight-loss medication.
Dr. Stacey Goldberg
PhyCo
Stacey Goldberg holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Prince Edward Island and an M.Sc. in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University. A scientist-turned-entrepreneur, Stacey is passionate about turning science into solutions, developing innovative biomaterials to combat plastic pollution, cut carbon emissions and build a sustainable circular economy.
Dr. Mersede Mokri
MyoScan AI
Mersede Mokri is a biomedical engineer and data scientist specializing in medical imaging and artificial intelligence. She completed her PhD in biomedical engineering at the Université de Montréal, where her research focused on developing AI-driven methods to accelerate and enhance dynamic cardiac PET imaging.
MyoScan AI, is a venture aimed at translating research into practical solutions that improve patient care, reduce scan times, and optimize hospital workflows.
Dr. Subash Rajasekar
Farade Research Corp.
Subash Rajasekar is a clean energy innovator with 9+ years of experience advancing hydrogen and CO₂ utilization technologies. Collaborating across leading labs, industry, and academia, he has delivered patents, publications, and scalable solutions. His mission: transform scientific breakthroughs into practical innovations that address the world’s toughest climate and energy challenges.
From waste CO₂ to clean fuel, Farade Research Corp. is redefining a climate burden as a sustainable energy solution.
Finalists pitched their ideas to leaders in Canada’s science innovation ecosystems. This year’s panel of judges included:
- Dr. Modestus (Modi) Obochi, Investment Advisor, 2Flo Ventures
- Dr. Paula Wood-Adams, Vice President Research and Innovation, UNBC
- Dr. Peter Payne, entrepreneur, lecturer and mentor; former CEO of Acetech Leadership
- Dr. Michelle Chretien, Vice President, Research and Innovation, Conestoga College
“Congratulations to all of the finalists for their compelling pitches and thank you to the judges for lending their expertise to the competition,” said Dr. Elicia Maine, who founded the i2I program in 2015. “It is wonderful to celebrate our scientist innovators, hear about their inspiring innovations, and catch up with i2I alumni, mentors, faculty and supporters on the tenth anniversary of i2I.”
On October 9, the celebration continued with innovation panel discussions and the Annual General Meeting of the i2I Research & Innovation Institute. Elicia Maine, SFU’s associate vice-president of knowledge mobilization and innovation (AVPKMI) and director of the i2I Institute, opened the day with reflections on the program’s origins, its national expansion, and its role in shaping Canada’s innovation ecosystem.
She acknowledged the contributions of SFU’s leadership, national partners and the i2I team, and celebrated the program’s impact on over 650 participants from 35 universities. With nearly $23 million in long-term funding secured through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Lab to Market initiative, the i2I program is poised to reach thousands more researchers—empowering them to translate deep tech inventions into real-world solutions to global challenges in healthcare, clean energy, and sustainable industries.
Informative Innovation panels were chaired by the National i2I Network leadership, and featured a mix of i2I innovation leaders, industry champions, scientist-entrepreneurs, as well as the director of SFU’s Technology Licensing Office, Kam Singh Sembi.
Interactive innovation displays featured the prototypes of i2I alumni, spinoff founders and SFU innovation ecosystem support units. A highlight was the XoMotion exoskeleton prototype demonstrated by Human in Motion co-founder and SFU mechatronic systems engineering professor Dr. Siamak Arzanpour.
Innovation Panel chaired by National i2I research director Dr. Jon Thomas (far left) with chief strategy officer, Ionomr Innovations, Inc., Dr. Ben Britton (second from left)
SFU professor Siamak Arzanpour, demonstrates the XoMotion exoskeleton prototype created by his company, Human in Motion
Innovation Week concluded on October 10 with the graduation ceremony for the newest cohort of the i2I Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Commercialization, at SFU’s Burnaby campus, a reception attended by NSERC president, Dr. Alejandro Adem, and tours of SFU’s Cedar Supercomputing Centre and microfabrication and prototyping facility 4D LABS, both SFU Core Facilities.
i2I GCSTC graduates with NSERC president, Dr. Alejandro Adem, i2I national academic director Sarah Lubik, SFU vice-president research and innovation Dugan O’Neil, and AVPKMI Elicia Maine
The week celebrated the invaluable partnerships and people that have supported the i2I program over the last ten years. I2I has contributed to the thriving innovation ecosystem at SFU, which was recognized as Canada’s top university for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit according to the World University Rankings for Innovation 2025 rankings.
Thanks to NSERC funding, SFU with its 13 leading Canadian research universities and health research institutes and 57 partner organizations, are collaborating on the National i2I Network, which offers a suite of entrepreneurial training programs coast to coast in English and French.