Simon Fraser University's innovation ecosystem was on full display last week as researchers, entrepreneurs, students, industry leaders and community partners gathered for SFU Innovation Week. The three-day event showcased how research, partnership and entrepreneurship at SFU are helping turn ideas into real-world impact in areas including health, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, agri-tech and climate innovation.
Hosted by the i2I Research & Innovation Institute, SFU VentureLabs and Technology Licensing Office, the event featured innovation showcases, startup exhibits, panel discussions, networking opportunities, guided lab tours and the annual i2I Innovation Pitch Competition.
"Innovation Week demonstrated the remarkable depth and breadth of talent, creativity and innovation within the SFU community and across our partner network," says Elicia Maine, SFU's Associate Vice-President, Knowledge Mobilization and Innovation.
"Bringing together researchers, entrepreneurs, students, industry leaders and policymakers created valuable opportunities for collaboration and showcased the many ways research can be translated into real-world impact for British Columbia and Canada."
Day one, held at SFU Vancouver, focused on connecting innovators and exploring new ideas through showcase events, discussions and networking opportunities. Day two centred on the Innovation Pitch competition and venture exhibits, while the final day offered participants the opportunity to hear from expert panels and join behind-the-scenes tours of research facilities including 4D LABS, WearTech Labs and the Cedar Supercomputing Centre.
The panel events included a fireside chat with Photonic founder and SFU physicist Stephanie Simmons on the promise of quantum innovation, alongside panels examining how partnerships drive Canada's innovation future, how collaborative approaches can build more sustainable communities, and how advances in research, medicine and technology are shaping healthcare. The healthcare discussion featured David Price, founding dean of the SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine, who shared perspectives on the future of medical education and healthcare innovation.
Innovation Pitch showcases research with real-world potential
A highlight of the week was the annual i2I Innovation Pitch Competition, where researchers and innovators from across Canada presented solutions with the potential for significant social and economic impact.
Finalists of the 2026 i2I Innovation Pitch Competition.
The competition featured finalists who had participated in i2I's innovation and commercialization programs, pitching ventures designed to address real-world challenges. Six researcher-founders, recently graduated from the for-credit i2I program at SFU's Beedie School of Business, took the stage to share technologies spanning textiles, forensics, health, water and sensing. The competition was won by Dr. Maria Cleveland, founder of Nylzyme, a Queen's University spinoff advancing biotechnological solutions for plastic recycling. Second place was awarded to SFU criminology researcher Dr. Vienna C. Lam, who founded Taphos & GRS Forensic Products.
In addition to the Venture Pitch Competition, the event also celebrated leaders who exemplify i2I's mission of moving research from invention to innovation to impact. The award recipients were:
- Innovation Impact Award: Eva Reddington, Mitacs. A long-standing champion of i2I who helped grow the network from an SFU-based initiative into a national platform.
- Social Impact Award: Rocio Zielinski, Stó:lō Community Futures and Dr. Jon Thomas, for co-creating the Indigenous Technology Entrepreneurship Program.
- Ecosystem Impact Award: Dr. Morgan Lehtinen, Reaction (RXN) HUB co-founder and i2I alumnus, for mobilizing Innovation, Cleantech and Chemtech ecosystems across Canada.
- Economic Impact Award: Dr. Stephanie Simmons, co-founder of Photonic Inc. and i2I alumnus, who has built her Canadian quantum research into a $2.7B company.
Showcasing SFU's innovation ecosystem
Throughout the week, attendees explored the many supports available to innovators at SFU, from commercialization and venture-building programs to specialized research infrastructure and industry partnerships. The strong participation across all three days underscored the growing momentum of SFU's innovation community and the importance of bringing together people from different sectors to accelerate the journey from discovery to impact. The event helped strengthen SFU's position as a leader in Canadian innovation and entrepreneurship, and Canada's top-ranked university for innovation (WURI 2026).
