UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN
USask graduate student's startup wins big at Opus Innovation Expo

When Kara Friesen began her master's degree in food and bioproduct sciences at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), she grew a fascination with tempeh, a fermented food product usually made from soybeans.

USask graduate student Kara Friesen won the People's Choice Award at this year's Opus Innovation Expo for her FoodTech company Cultured Bites. (Photo: Submitted)

"My research focused on adding value to Saskatchewan crops by adapting traditional fermentation techniques to local ingredients," said Friesen. "When speaking to potential customers, they kept telling me they'd love to see more products like tempeh and that there was enough market demand for a product like this in Saskatchewan and Canada."

This led Friesen to create her company, Cultured Bites, a startup that focuses on tempeh-based food and offers a one-of-a-kind soy and gluten-free product made from peas, oats, and lentils.

Friesen's fermented, plant-protein product has since received a lot of attention, winning the People's Choice Award at this year's Opus Innovation Expo a special event dedicated to celebrating the incredible work and achievements of Opus i2Build founders over the past 10 months.

With degrees in both food science and nutrition, Friesen understands the importance of healthy and sustainable food options.

"I worked for several years as a dietitian, mostly with patients with reduced heart health and kidney disease," said Friesen. "I counselled my patients to eat more plant proteins, but adoption of these foods was often hard, and I often struggled to help my clients find options that worked for their lifestyle."

It was Friesen's unique methods of using mathematical modelling to ensure a pristine amino acid profile for her products that really wowed the crowd at this year's Opus Innovation Expo. Her description of the health benefits of her products, coupled with her dedication to working with local farms, made her a front-runner for the prize.

"I really appreciated that connection that I had with the audience and winning the award just confirmed that my product is relevant and that we're doing good research here at USask as well," said Friesen. "It just boosts my confidence in those areas."

Friesen said that she has had a team of people, both from the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and from the College of Engineering, and industry mentors who helped her earn this award.

"Opus is a really good way to get plugged in. They give you lots of support and it's recognized across campus."

Kara Friesen

Last Updated: March 12, 2025

While Friesen has gained skills through several local entrepreneurship programs, she found that Opus i2Build gave her more mentors and resources to build on her success.

Opus i2Build is a cohort program that teaches USask faculty, researchers and students how to launch deep tech startups and receive access to entrepreneurial programming, infrastructure and a network of mentors and coaches to help successfully build ventures on campus. 

Overall, Opus programs provide support and resources that address the unique needs of deep tech founders. These founders typically need more research and development, intellectual property knowledge, and more time and money than traditional digital tech startups. What's more, Opus also offers founders the opportunity to refine their products and business model before they enter the competitive market, with real-world feedback in a safe environment.

Opus can help connect FoodTech founders like Friesen with resources such as the Bioprocessing Pilot Plant (BPP) in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, which can help entrepreneurs upscale their products.

This access to on-campus collaboration and resource sharing at USask sets Opus apart from other accelerators and incubators in Saskatchewan, helping founders get their footing and thrive.

"Opus is a really good way to get plugged in. They give you lots of support and it's recognized across campus. It's been a great next step for me to continue work on my venture," said Friesen.