Canadian Innovation Week 2022: #InnovateToCompete
Canada’s universities are hubs for talented people with bright ideas. It is often here where innovations and start-up companies are brought to life—helping Canada compete on the global stage.
Life-saving light
Engineer and graduate, Kunal Sethi, from The University of British Columbia, co-founded UVX—a start-up company on a mission to disinfect spaces using safe ultraviolet light. Their secret lies in “far-UVC,” a type of UV light that is harmless to humans but deadly to most germs. They plan to install this life-saving invention in hospitals, long-term care homes and COVID-19 testing clinics. The start-up is part of the entrepreneurship@UBC program and they hope to launch the first device this fall.
Food of the future
The Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre at Queen’s University has supported many successful young entrepreneurs, many of whom have expanded their ventures beyond their university years and the Kingston community. Algi Foods, for example, was founded by two students with a passion for food and sustainability. Founded with the goal to enact meaningful change in the food industry, the company provides algae-based food products that taste great, are packed with nutrients and have a positive impact on the planet.
Helping kids walk
University of Toronto graduate students, Manmeet Maggu and Rahul Udasi, founded their start-up Trexo Robotics to help kids with disabilities take their first steps. Traditional adult mobility devices don’t work well for many children born with a disability, a problem the two students set out to fix with their innovative assistive technology designed for kids. Their device has attracted international attention and been adopted into research pilots at children’s hospitals. As physical therapy offices shut down during the pandemic, the company worked to get their product in the hands of families for use at home, while also creating a guide for teletherapy.
About Universities Canada
Universities Canada is the voice of Canada’s universities at home and abroad, advancing higher education, research and innovation for the benefit of all Canadians.
Media contact:
Lisa Wallace
Assistant Director, Communications
Universities Canada
communications@archives.univcan.ca
Tagged: Research and technology, Strong and inclusive communities
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