Lab2Market Program Receives $95 Million to Boost Innovation and Entrepreneurship
UM researchers will join researchers from across the country to bring ideas and inventions to market with the potential to make a global impact.
A $95 million-dollar investment in the Lab2Market program will focus on building a culture of innovation at post-secondary institutions across Canada. UM will be part of four innovation hubs, led by Red River College, University of Guelph, Simon Fraser University and Dalhousie University. The networks will provide tools and support to foster the development of entrepreneurship skills and commercialization capacity.
Researchers will have access to the tools, resources and expertise they need to transfer scientific, social, and service solutions to market. Those interested in entrepreneurship and innovation will learn how to bring their ideas to life with access to digital resources to enhance awareness and knowledge of commercialization processes, mentorship and business coaching, financial assistance, and opportunities for collaboration.
Dr. Az Klymiuk, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences with students collecting wild rice on South Cross Lake
“This funding is a game-changer for UM researchers and students, enabling them to turn ideas into real-world solutions for industry and society,” said Mario Pinto, Vice President (Research and International). “By investing in Manitoba’s next generation of innovators, it will boost global competitiveness, grow the economy, and create a positive impact for all Canadians.”
An example of how the funding will be used At UM is to help build capacity for advancing an Indigenous model of agriculture, coupled with inland aquaculture, to generate a circular economic route to Indigenous foods and traditional medicines. UM researchers and students are working with partners at Myera Group, Métis and First Nations communities to explore how imaginative ways of farming food and fish could lead to new food options for communities while also providing new food products in the culinary arts.
This funding is administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.