Your Opportunities
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The Forge Find out more
For students and faculty
The Forge is an entrepreneurial hub backed by McMaster University, catering to startups in the Hamilton, Greater Toronto and Niagara regions. Established in 2015, it actively engages with entrepreneurs, providing them comprehensive support in transforming their business concepts into thriving ventures. Regardless of industry, The Forge offers cohort-based programs to facilitate idea development, validation and ultimately, sustainable growth.
The Forge welcomes students, faculty or community members looking to take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey.
McMaster Industry Liaison Office (MILO) Find out more
For faculty
The McMaster Industry Liaison Office (MILO) supports researchers at McMaster and our affiliated hospitals, including Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, by evaluating inventions, discoveries and copyright materials to assess their commercial potential.
MILO secures intellectual property protection, through patents, copyright, trademark and other means to protect and enhance research discoveries. It identifies industry receptors or investors who can support further development and commercialization of these discoveries. MILO also assists with the creation of spin-off companies by connecting researchers with industry representatives, early-stage investors, management and other service providers.
McMaster Entrepreneurship Academy Find out more
For faculty
McMaster Entrepreneurship Academy is focused on introducing mechanisms to inspire, support and reward researchers and students working toward entrepreneurship and commercialization. The goal is to fill the gaps that currently exist in entrepreneur support, multidisciplinary matchmaking, access to lab space and mentorship.
The academy includes a professor entrepreneurship fellowship which releases faculty who have started a company from teaching one course. Meanwhile, a matchmaking initiative will connect teams from across campus who will compete in a pitch-style competition for $75,000+ in funding. The academy also has lab space available for startup companies at a flat rate for one year to allow companies to develop prototypes and proof-of-concepts. A mentorship program through the academy provides McMaster entrepreneurs with mentors from the global community of innovators and industry leaders.
McMaster Seed Fund Find out more
For faculty
The McMaster Seed Fund supports the development of research-intensive startups that involve at least one member from McMaster University or its affiliated hospitals. The venture must involve game-changing innovation with the potential to bring significant economic and social benefits to Canada.
The fund, which invests $200,000 to $500,000 to successful applicants, aims to maximize the impact of McMaster’s research by investing in new business ventures.
Marnix E. Heersink School of Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Find out more
For students
Established in 2022, the Marnix E. Heersink School of Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship sits within the Faculty of Health Sciences and is based in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery. The Heersink School’s course and degree offerings include immersive clinical experiences to identify problems, form solutions and explore the use of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on health care and innovation.
The Clinic Find out more
For students and faculty
The Clinic health innovation hub equips emerging health innovators with education, resources, and support to move innovations forward. The Clinic brings together students, staff, faculty, and entrepreneurs to explore innovative ideas with the potential to change the face of health care. Innovators coming through The Clinic can expect to grow their critical networks and connect with other health entrepreneurs, receive coaching and mentorship to work through any roadblocks, and get the support needed for next steps towards commercialization.
MACcelerate Find out more
For students and faculty
MACcelerate is a unique startup incubator launched by McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine Waterloo Regional Campus. Based at Communitech in downtown Kitchener, MACcelerate brings medical professionals and aspiring practitioners together with engineers and entrepreneurs to redefine the future of health care and enhance clinical outcomes.
McMaster’s Waterloo Region campus has long been an incubator for health research and innovation, focusing on areas such as health technology, mental health and care for older adults. MACcelerate is strategically located in the Waterloo region ecosystem of innovation and commercialization.
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Innovation minor Find out more
For students
McMaster University’s minor in innovation is designed to give students the tools they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced, innovation-driven marketplace. Developed by the Faculty of Engineering, the DeGroote School of Business, and the Forge Startup Incubator, the minor gives students the opportunity to work with entrepreneurs and startups or develop their own venture.
It is intended for students from all Faculties who wish to learn more about innovation and develop a level of innovation literacy, as well as those who are themselves innovators and wish to develop skills to create their own enterprise.
Student Success Centre Find out more
For students
Committed to student transformation and growth, the Student Success Centre, as part of Student Affairs, champions a holistic support model for students that begins with the Access Program and extends up to five years after graduation. For students interested in entrepreneurship, the Student Success Centre has opportunities to explore and discover, such as through short-term projects with start-ups, hackathons, partnerships, and summer programs.
Innovation Factory Find out more
For students and faculty
The Innovation Factory is a not-for-profit business accelerator and a regional innovation centre, serving as a catalyst for technology innovation in the Greater Hamilton Area. It works to elevate key industry sectors including advanced manufacturing, clean tech, information technology, smart transportation, life sciences and health care, and social innovations. The Innovation Factory provides business services, training, mentorship and strategic connections for entrepreneurs bringing new ideas to market or those scaling a business trying to get to the next level.
Hamilton Health Sciences – DRIVE platform Find out more
For students and faculty
The Hamilton Health Sciences DRIVE team is committed to accelerating the translation of innovative ideas into solutions that improve patient outcomes and advance health care. The team guides, supports and mentors innovators with a commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse community of health innovators. It recognizes that the best ideas come from a variety of perspectives and experiences.
The Hamilton Health Sciences DRIVE $50,000 Spark Funding Competition supports groundbreaking ideas that are poised to reshape the landscape of health care. The funding helps each recipient advance the conceptualization, prototyping, development or commercialization of their innovative idea or solution.
St Joseph’s Healthcare – The Research Institute Find out more
For students and faculty
The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton is focused on the growth of research and innovation within St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and across St. Joseph’s Health System.
The Research Institute supports the work of more than 700 researchers, staff members, postdoctoral fellows and learners in their clinical, translational, evaluative and fundamental research endeavours. It facilitates more than $45 million in research annually and manage more than 77,000-square-feet of dedicated research space.
The Research Institute and the hospital have a long and celebrated history of impactful research, which continues to improve diagnostics, care and treatment for patients in the community and across the globe.