¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ is launching a new fellowship designed to help research-driven inventions and innovations move beyond the lab and into the marketplace.
York’s entrepreneurship and innovation hub YSpace and the IP Innovation Clinic, Canada’s largest intellectual property (IP) clinic, are introducing the Inventor to Founder Fellowship, a 13-week program that supports students, researchers, faculty and recent graduates as they navigate commercialization and entrepreneurship.
Building on YSpace’s award-winning entrepreneurial programs and the IP Innovation Clinic’s 15 years of experience supporting IP and commercialization needs, the fellowship is supported by (IPON) Innovation Fellowship program. The initiative reflects the University’s growing emphasis on collaboration across its entrepreneurship and commercialization network to drive social and economic impact.
"York has always been home to exceptional research and innovative work," says Pina D'Agostino, associate vice-president research and founder and director of the IP Innovation Clinic. "Through IPON’s support, the Inventor to Founder Fellowship gives our students, researchers and faculty real runway to take their inventions and innovations forward with funding, guidance and ecosystem connections that help translate discovery into real-world benefits."
Founded in 2010 by D’Agostino, the IP Innovation Clinic is a first-of-its-kind IP law clinic based at . Through partnerships with private practice lawyers and firms, the clinic assists York community members with strategy and planning.
As part of the fellowship, the clinic will embed strategic IP considerations throughout the program, aligning with the University’s broader efforts to advance research-driven opportunities. Since 2023-24, the clinic has assisted more than 125 York community members, including faculty, researchers, students, alumni and venture teams.
Participants in the Inventor to Founder Fellowship will receive a $10,000 stipend and progress through a structured journey that includes invention and venture idea validation, minimum viable product development, go-to-market strategy and pitching to investors. The fellowship concludes with a public showcase where selected founders present to mentors, angel investors and ecosystem partners.
For many participants, the fellowship will serve as a bridge between academic research and the entrepreneurial ecosystem needed to bring their inventions and innovations forward.
"We built this program for people who have an innovative solution and are ready to move forward to determine its market viability and build a business," says David Kwok, director of entrepreneurship and innovation at YSpace. "The stipend helps remove the early financial barriers and creates startup capital, but what we're most excited about is giving York's student and research community a home to build on their innovations with mentorship and accountability that moves their research and businesses forward."
To be eligible, applicants must be undergraduate, master’s or PhD students, recent graduates within the past two years, researchers or faculty members based in Ontario and demonstrate a serious interest in advancing an invention or innovation for social or commercial impact. Participants are also required to complete IPON's virtual IP education modules as part of the program.
Applications are due May 4. Visit the program website for more information.
With files from Jiho Bak