Early Stage Commercialization Fund: 2021-2022 Funded Projects

Innovacorp's Early Stage Commercialization Fund (ESCF) helps move Nova Scotia university, college and university-affiliated hospital research to market. In 2021-2022, we were delighted to team up with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR) on the ESCF projects focused on technologies that reduce carbon emissions (we've noted those projects below).

Below is a list of the 2021-2022 funded projects.

Fall 2021 Round

DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY

• Researcher: Alan Fine
  Project: Rapid tests for COVID-19
• Researcher: Hong Gu
  Project: Artificial intelligence system for emergency patient diagnosis
• Researcher: Kevin Hewitt
  Project: Optical device for assessing liver fat content in humans
• Researcher: Sean Hinds
  Project: Camera for imaging greenhouse gasses
• Researcher: Rebecca Moyer
  Project: Device to identify muscle atrophy biomarkers
• Researcher: Wade Watson
  Project: Aerosol holding chamber for inhalers

Winter 2022 Round

DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY

• Researcher: Mita Dasog
  Project: Technology to produce hydrogen on demand (ESCF funding matched by DNRR)
• Researcher: Sean Hinds
  Project: Camera for imaging greenhouse gasses (ESCF funding matched by DNRR)
• Researcher: Sean Myles
  Project: Genome editing technology to improve apples
• Researcher: Vincent Sieben
  Project: Sensor for evaluating carbon sequestration (ESCF funding matched by DNRR)
• Researcher: Lukas Swan
  Project: Long-life batteries for electric bikes

VERSCHUREN CENTRE

• Researcher: Beth Mason
  Project: Compostable replacements for single-use plastics

Note:

In 2021-2022, Innovacorp helped support two research projects at Dalhousie University through the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI)'s Seed Fund. The support came from Innovacorp's ESCF budget since OFI's competition shared ESCF's goal of encouraging technology commercialization at post-secondary institutions.

• Researcher: Craig Brown
  Project: Technology for sediment profile imaging of coastal environments
• Researcher: Anna Metaxas
  Project: Technology to maintain and restore healthy kelp beds