IPON Demo Day at TMU
See what's next in Canadian deep tech! Join us on August 26 for the IPON Demo Day, the exciting culmination of a 13-week IBZ Innovation Fellowship Program where Ontario’s brightest academic researchers came together to transform breakthrough science into world-changing commercial reality.
Supported by Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) and delivered by the Innovation Boost Zone, the Fellowship accelerates the growth of deep-tech academic spin-outs through three program streams, guiding researchers from validating the commercial potential of their innovations to market readiness. Demo Day will bring together academic founders, industry advisors, investors, and institutional partners to celebrate the achievements of the cohort, showcase cutting-edge ventures, and connect teams with opportunities to support their next stage of growth.
Don't miss the keynote panel, Navigating Canada's Post-Secondary IP Evolution. Panellists Isi Caulder (Smart & Biggar), Hina Ahmed (Council of Canadian Innovators), Paul Paolatto (IPON), and Michael Rowell (U15) will discuss shifting tech transfer offices into accelerators, creator vs. institution-owned IP models, keeping publicly funded IP in Canada, and closing the IP literacy gap for student founders.
Event Agenda:
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM | Interactive Showcase: Networking and interactive demo booths hosted by early-stage Stream 2 teams.
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM | Opening Remarks: Kickoff from TMU and program leadership.
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM | Keynote Panel Discussion: Navigating Canada's Post-Secondary IP Evolution.
1:15 PM – 1:30 PM | Break: Short intermission before the pitches.
1:30 PM – 2:45 PM | Stream 3 & 4 Pitch Competition: 15 cohort teams deliver rapid-fire 3–5 minute pitches to expert judges.
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM | Networking & Judges' Deliberation: Live product demonstrations and networking with founders while judges deliberate.
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM | Awards & Closing Remarks: Prize announcements for Streams 3 and 4 and final remarks.