Innovation Catalyst Grant Entrepreneurial Fellowship

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The Innovation Catalyst Grant (ICG) is an entrepreneurial fellowship funded by the Government of Alberta. Learn about the Government of Alberta Guidelines HERE .

Managed locally by the University of Alberta, University of Calgary and University of Lethbridge, this program provides recent Master’s or PhD graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines a 2-year runway to develop and commercialize innovative science-based products and services that contain a hardware component.

Successful candidates will receive up to $250K in funding which includes:

  • an annual stipend
  • seed funding to support company expenses
  • facilitation of lab and office access
  • technical mentorship and support
  • business development and networking opportunities

Deadlines

Applications are now closed. Stay tuned for updates.

Entry Requirements

  • Have graduated from an MSc or PhD program within the past 5 years
  • Be a resident of Alberta, with the legal right to work in Canada throughout the program
  • Be the primary technology innovator(s) of a science-based business or product concept, with a clear hardware component
  • Have secured (or be in the process of securing) IP rights by the expression of interest stage
  • Are willing and capable to commit to the fellowship as their full-time job
  • Are prepared to incorporate their business in Alberta and operate in Alberta for at least 3-years following program completion

University of Alberta Success Stories

Learn how researchers are building their start-ups, commercializing their innovations and becoming entrepreneurs with the critical help of an Innovation Catalyst Grant, and support from the University of Alberta.

View all Innovation Catalyst Grant recipient bios

Cohort 2 (2024-2026)

Atmose Ltd

Tyler Johnson, co-founder, has translated his PhD research on air quality into an affordable and deployable sensor that could become as common and accessible as a smoke detector.

CliniSonix Inc

Mohammad Sobhani, CTO, has developed a probe that promises to shift the way ultrasound imaging is done.

Elementiam

Remy Samson, co-founder, has developed adaptive software and a turnkey robotic system that enables flexibility in industrial robotics used in advanced manufacturing.

Sensilmage Technologies Ltd

Ghulam Ali, founder, has developed an AI-powered signaling system to improve construction jobsite safety.

Aqua-Cell Energy

Keith Cleland, co-founder, is scaling up a saltwater battery to power the grid with stored low cost solar and wind power during peak hours.

T.rex AI

Peter Atrazhev, co-founder, is commercializing an AI-powered edge agent to optimize electrical load balancing across neighbourhoods.

Cohort 1 (2023-2025)

Ultracoustics

Kyle Scheuer and his start-up developed sensors that listen for quieter noises over a broader range of frequencies.

Jones Microwave Inc.

Tom Jones and his start-up developed high-frequency and high-power solid-state switching technology for telecommunications, satellite, and defense industries.

Synapsis MedicalTechnologies

Preetam Anbukarasu and his start-up developed sensors and algorithms to determine cardiovascular health.

Have questions?

Reach out to the program manager:
Claire Kay
claire.kay@ualberta.ca