PROGRAMS
Based on decades of academic research and industry expertise, the invention to Innovation (i2I) suite of programs has been designed as a complementary system, addressing the capacity, culture and connectivity needs of the Canadian innovation ecosystem, and building a growing network of academic experts, industry mentors and translational colleague across Canada. These include the i2I Skills Training, the Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Commercialization, i2I Commercialization Postdocs and i2I Faculty Innovaiton Fellows.
Uniquely, the programs have been designed help masters students, PhD Candidates, Post-docs, recent alumni, faculty members and industry researchers advancing novel research with science, technology and/or systems uncertainty, from fields such as, but not limited to, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Chemical Engineering, Bio-medical Engineering, Material Science, Electrical Engineering, Nanotech, Quantum, Agri-tech, Mechatronics, Robotics, Medicine, Pharma, Digital Health, Health Science, Gerontology, and more.
Whether participants choose to transfer their skills and passions to industry, become a more entrepreneurial scientist or start a venture, they will have the innovation skills, entrepreneurial mindsets, theories and frameworks they need to thrive.
Programs
The i2I Skills Training is designed to help scientists and engineers develop their entrepreneurial mindset so that they can refine their innovation idea, overcome marketplace challenges and commercialize their inventions. The programming uniquely addresses the high uncertainties, costs, challenges and long timeframes that generally face science-based ventures.
On completion of the i2I Skills Training, participants will be able to:
- Gain proficiency in frameworks and skills relevant to science and technology commercialization
- Clearly communicate the technology attributes of your innovation idea
- Match your technology to prioritized market opportunities, including backup and growth options
- Articulate a strong value proposition
- Develop an IP Strategy that is consistent with value creation and capture
- Validate your business model – test and retest assumptions & hypotheses
- Develop proficiency in reading, interpreting, and creating financial statements
- Create resourcing plans to make real-world positive impact with your scientific invention
- Develop proficiency in reading, interpreting, and creating financial statements
- Create resourcing plans to make real-world positive impact with your scientific invention
The i2I Skills Training is the first step in the i2I suite of programs. It has been strategically designed as a flexible, asynchronous, part-time pathway that allows science and technology researchers to continue advancing their research while gaining the innovation skills and entrepreneurial mindset required to open new opportunities to satisfying careers in industry, augment their research skills in the lab and/or translate their research to impact through entrepreneurial ventures.
Candidate streams and benefits include:
- Masters students, PhD candidates & Post-Doctoral Fellows, and alumni 5 or less years out of an advanced research degree looking to develop translational innovation skills, to explore new pathways for the impact of their research and/or match their researh with a plan to meet a market or societal need.
- Faculty members who have engaged in this program have also experienced a transformational impact in their labs, careers, and research trajectory; their ability to secure translational and interdisciplinary grants; how they train their students, and their ability to spin-off or license their research.
- Industry innovators: Individuals in industry who are advancing science and impact objectives and looking to enhance their skills. This includes early-stage venture founders, Technology Licensing Office (TLO) personnel, bench or early-career scientists looking to advance their careers.
Originally developed as a non-credit pathway for interns and alumni from Mitacs programs, the i2I Skills Training is now open to all science and technology focused research students and post-docs seeking to gain industry relevant skills. Faculty and industry innovators are also welcome to apply and can inquire about eligibility through i2I_info@sfu.ca.
On completion of the i2I Skills Training, participants receive a completion certificate as well as badge for LinkedIn, and can choose to apply to i2I Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Commercialization certificate where their participation in the i2I Skills Training counts toward the first half of the graduate certificate.
Over an 8-month period, from mid-September to April, participants will engage in four asynchronous online topics facilitated by expert faculty members from across the country. In the first two courses (Lab to Market and Opportunity Identification & Assessment), participants work together through online discussions with their regional cohorts. In the second two courses (Business Models and Financial Literacy for Entrepreneurs), participants will move into smaller sector-specific learning groups with peers from across Canada and receive synchronous mentorship from successful scientist innovators.
Three national synchronous sessions, opening, mid-point and closing events, as well as regular check-ins with instructors and mentors, build communities and connections throughout the program.
Through the support of NSERC Lab to Market grant program, graduate students and post-docs currently affiliated with a Canadian post secondary institution will have their i2I Skills Training fees covered by this grant program.
Seats can also be arranged for international and/or industry participants. Please inquire at i2I_info@sfu.ca.
Please indicate appropriate affiliations in your application.
$3,000 stipend will be provided, midway through the program, to all eligible i2I Skills Training participants, provided they complete all assigned work and satisfactorily progress through the learning modules and are in good standing.
The i2I Skills Training counts toward 8 credits in the i2I Graduate Certificate.
The i2I Graduate Certificate extends and deepens learning and commercialization planning past the Mitacs i2I, which counts toward the first four courses of the grad certificate. The next four courses augments previous learning and deliverables with leadership, finance and strategy training, as well as 1:1 business planning classes with expert faculty and mentors.
This part-time program is delivered through synchronous online sessions, and provides graduate and post-doc research scientists, faculty, start-up ventures or personnel in existing science-based organizations with essential frameworks, perspectives and techniques to contribute to the translation of knowledge to real-world applications, start ventures, lead business development or new product development and increase commercialization in labs or industry.
In addition to the outcomes of the i2I Skills Training, in this program, participants will:
- Create a succinct and refined business plan for the commercialization of a unique product or service
- Validate your business model: test and retest business assumptions and hypotheses
- Develop a well-grounded entrepreneurial plan and compelling pitch for partners, investors or funders.
- Learn leadership skills to drive ideas forward as part of team, as a designer of organizations and as member of a leadership team.
- Improve your communication skills through opportunities for live pitching and storytelling
- Work with a national cohort of innovators and entrepreneurs
- Receive a chance to compete in the final i2I Innovation Pitch Competition.
The i2I graduate certificate has been called a ‘mini-MBA in commercialization. Participants seeking to earn a for-credit graduate certificate can apply directly into the graduate certificate. Those accepted into the program will start their journey alongside the i2I Skills Training participants and continue through the second half of the program as part of a part-time, synchronous, national cohort.
Candidate streams and benefits include:
- Masters students, PhD candidates & Post-Doctoral Fellows, and alumni 5 or less years out of an advanced research degree looking to develop translational innovation skills, to explore new with new pathways for the impact of their research and/or match their researh with a plan to meet a market or societal need.
- Faculty members who have engaged in this program have also experienced a transformational impact in their labs, careers, and research trajectory; their ability to secure translational and interdisciplinary grants; how they train their students, and their ability to spin-off or license their research.
- Industry innovators: Individuals in industry who are advancing science and impact objectives and looking to enhance their skills. This includes early-stage venture founders, Technology Licensing Office (TLO) personnel, bench or early-career scientists looking to advance their careers.
Several national research programs have partnerships with i2I for placement in the graduate certificate. Please indicate any relationships with research partners in your application. Faculty and industry innovators are also welcome to apply and can inquire about eligibility through i2I@sfu.ca
Upon completion of the i2I grad certificate, participants can convocate with the i2I Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Commercialization.
The i2I graduate certificate begins with the i2I Skills Training program, where you will study part-time from September to April, with one asynchronous module per week, in learning groups with participants in regional cohorts and then in learning groups creating networks across the country.
Upon successful completion of the i2I Skills Training, you will have the opportunity to apply to ladder into the i2I Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Commercialization to earn University credit at SFU’s Beedie School of Business, with the option to convocate with the certificate,
There are several funding sources available to participants in the i2I Graduate Certificate program.
Tuition amount for the full certificate tuition, or second half after the i2I Skills Training, can be found on the SFU Beedie website; however, the i2I team acknowledge the substantial financial commitment that PhD scientists and postdocs have already committed to becoming experts in world-changing research and the need to for equal access to translational skills and mindset training, and are dedicated to finding additional support wherever possible. In addition to self-funding, other opportunities include funding through partner research projects, grants, competitive scholarships and philanthropic awards.
Candidates do not need to submit a separate funding application. Candidates are assessed for all funding opportunities based on the merits of their application and the strength of their innovation proposal as outlined in their Innovation Statement.
Faculty: Funding for a limited number of faculty seats is generously provided by the Beedie School of Business through a variety of awards and scholarships or may be covered by funding from research groups, or tuition waivers for faculty at SFU.
Graduate certificate seats can also be arranged for international and/or industry participants through SFU executive education. Please inquire at i2I@sfu.ca.
The i2I Graduate Certificate counts toward 10 credits in the SFU Management of Technology (MOT) MBA.
Canada’s world class research can have transformative impact on our most pressing challenges, from clean energy transition, curing/treating disease, environmental clean-up to sustainable agriculture.
Translational innovation skills and mindset will help researchers in taking research to impact and will increase Canada’s innovation capacity. To achieve this vision, the transformational Invention to Innovation (i2I) Faculty Innovation Fellows program has been designed based on world-class research and experience specific to science-based translation, and linked to national networks of academic and industrial mentors, helping researchers unleash their entrepreneurial mindset along three complementary paths: translational scientists, industry innovation champions and venture founders.
As trusted boundary spanners, i2I Faculty Innovation Fellows will help increase Canada’s innovation capacity bringing together expertise in STEM research and developing translational skills and mindset.
Full-time faculty and researchers at Canadian universities and research institutes.
Dates: May 4 – 8, 2026
Location: Kingston, ON
Host: Queen’s University (Donald Gordon Inn and Conference Centre)
Schedule (Tentative):
May 4th (1:00 PM) – Lab to Market
May 5th – Opportunity Identification & Assessment
May 6th – Business Models
May 7th – Financial Literacy
May 8th – Shaping Innovation
For successful applicants, Program and Conference Centre Fees, including meals, will be covered for the duration of the program. For out-of-town participants, overnight accommodation will be provided at the Donald Gordon Inn and Conference Centre.
The i2I Commercialization Postdoc Program develops the entrepreneurial mindset and innovation skills of postdoctoral fellows (PDFs) so that they can refine their innovation idea, make early-stage commercialization decisions, and overcome marketplace challenges. The programming uniquely addresses the high uncertainties, costs, challenges and long time-frames typically associated with science translation. It is particularly relevant to researchers seeking to innovate in the biomedical, health, clean energy, sustainability, quantum, advanced materials, manufacturing or other deep tech sectors.
Must be eligible to hold a postdoctoral appointment at a Canadian academic institution by the start of the program in September
Through our cohort model beginning September 2026, you will join a close network of innovators and innovation researchers, as well as experienced marketing, intellectual property, and investment practitioners. In addition, we connect you with sector specific mentors, incubators and accelerators across Canada so that you can launch into the regional and national innovation ecosystems with confidence.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
- Develop an early IP Strategy that is consistent with value creation and capture
- Identify and prioritize current and future applications
- Identify and validate the value proposition and key stakeholders
- Understand related value chains and industry
- Develop an early business model and competitive and collaborative strategies
- Identify and select early-stage sources of funding
- Create an early-stage development and funding plan
- Acquire leadership fundamentals
DELIVERABLES:
- Develop and refine a detailed commercialization strategy
- Develop a research roadmap and translational research grant application, or develop an industry linked new product development project
- Dedicate at least 50% of your time while in the program to develop your innovation idea towards one of the three pathways
THREE PATHWAYS:
Venture Founder – You want to co-found well-endowed science-based spin-offs
Industry Champion – Your aim is to increase science-based innovation in Industry
Translational Scientist – You are interested in mobilizing knowledge through meaningful translational research in academia
For successful applicants, the program fees and stipends are covered by NSERC and Mitacs.
$60,000 per year, full time with possibility for renewal