Join us in-person for the Building a Biotech Venture Pitch Competition, where the next generation of regenerative and precision medicine innovators will showcase their entrepreneurial vision.
Six trainee-led teams from the University of Toronto and its affiliated hospitals will pitch their cutting-edge ventures to an expert panel of judges. The winning team will receive $25,000 in research funding to propel their technology toward real-world impact.
This year, the program is led by the PRiME Next-Generation Precision Medicine in close partnership with Medicine by Design, Health Innovation Hub (H2i) and Talk Boutique.
Over the past months, teams have worked with mentors to advance early-stage company concepts based on their research and have participated in a series of workshops to develop their business cases.
This competition represents the culmination of their journey, where ground-breaking research meets commercialization.
Come support these up-and-coming entrepreneurs as they take the stage to drive the future of biotechnology!
Meet the Finalist Teams
A2O
Reprogramming for brain recovery
Many central nervous system diseases are characterized by a loss of oligodendrocytes, the cells that enable fast and efficient communication in the brain, as well as dysfunction of astrocytes. A2O has developed a platform gene therapy technology to generate new oligodendrocytes by reprogramming these dysfunctional astrocytes – a two birds with one stone approach to brain repair.
Team members: Maryam Faiz, Justine Bajohr
BoutIQ Solutions Inc.
BoutIQ Solutions Inc. leverages AI/ML-driven optimization to revolutionize cell culture media. Our cutting-edge approach enables the rapid development of complex, custom formulations. We are pioneering next-generation, chemically defined media that enhances physiological function and maturity, unlocking new possibilities for disease modeling, drug discovery, and cell therapy. BoutIQ Solutions is redefining media innovation for the future of regenerative medicine.
Team members: Julie Audet, Craig Simmons, Neal Callaghan, Alice Feng, Doris Adao, Heta Lad
Chase Biotherapeutics
Breaking barriers to advance tissue regeneration
Chase Biotherapeutics is pioneering a breakthrough therapy to improve the quality of life of stroke and spinal cord injury survivors. With no viable treatments for over 12 million patients worldwide, our disruptive technology enables the precise and localized promotion of neurorepair. Proven safe and effective in preclinical studies, we are now advancing toward clinical trials with expert collaborators, addressing a critical unmet need with a truly disease-modifying solution.
Team Members: Molly Shoichet, Nitzan Letko Khait, Quinton Sirianni, Elisa Guo, David Li
Linker
The missing lnc for regenerative medicine
Linker mined the dark transcriptome of humans to re-engineer long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) molecules into therapeutic products that treat inflammation associated with atherothrombotic cardiovascular disease, which addresses a significant and underserved global clinical need.
Team members: Omar F. Khan, Janice Pang
PI16 Biosciences
Pioneering regenerative medicine-based solutions for skin vitality.
Our vision at PI16 Biosciences is to harness the potential of regenerative fibroblasts to treat skin conditions with clinical grade skincare formulations that prevent infection and promote vitality.
Team members: Matthew Buechler, Anthony Altieri, Maye Cheng, Erika McCartney, Jia Du, Yein Chung
ZearUp
Putting an End to Low Blood Sugar: No Pill, no Pain, just a Patch!
ZearUp is a team of UofT pharmaceutical scientists dedicated to translating their diabetes research technology into a first-in-class clinical solution for hypoglycemia prevention in insulin-dependent individuals. Their patented ‘smart’ microgel formulation embedded within a biocompatible, user-friendly microneedle patch is designed to raise blood sugar only when needed. Eliminating dependence on glucose monitoring and hypoglycemia rescue solutions (e.g., glucose pills/juice, glucagon injections/inhalers), ZearUp’s patch offers unparalleled peace-of-mind, transformative to diabetes management.
Team members: Xiao Yu (Shirley) Wu, Jackie Fule Liu, Brian Lu, Jamie Lugtu-Pe