The Academy of Research Commercialization (ARC), a new initiative from the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business and the Faculty of Engineering, celebrated its inaugural Pitch Day, showcasing the entrepreneurial potential of Waterloo researchers and their innovative, research-driven ventures.
The Pitch Day, which followed three months of workshops and seminars, allowed ARC participants to present their research-based ventures to experienced judges, mentors and members of Waterloo’s innovation community, giving participants an opportunity to refine their ideas, receive valuable feedback and explore the commercialization potential of their technologies.
The diversity of ventures presented reflects the breadth of research and innovation taking place across Waterloo. From advanced materials and artificial intelligence to sustainable technologies, health solutions and robotics, ARC participants demonstrated how breakthrough research can address complex challenges and create meaningful impact across industries.
"... We work hard to create the conditions that allow students to do exceptional things: conduct world-class research, collaborate across disciplines, engage with industry, own their own IP, and develop the entrepreneurial skills needed to bring ideas from the laboratory into the marketplace."
-Mary Wells, Dean of Engineering, University of Waterloo
This year’s ARC Pitch Day winners included students from the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Math:
Group of ARC students at Pitch Day with the Dean of Engineering.
Nicolas Abboud, HAJ-Machina
An AI-enabled computer vision backbone that allows robots, drones and vehicles to navigate where GPS fails using a single ordinary camera.
Bahareh Arab, Porphyrion
Engineering microbes to produce sustainable, tunable pigments that provide companies with a cleaner and more reliable alternative to synthetic dyes.
Bella Chen, AttentionGo
A home-based system that supports children with ADHD and their parents in training attention without the high cost or time burden of clinical alternatives.
Chuchi Chen, AqualisBio
A cheaper, healthier and more sustainable probiotic for commercial salmon feed producers to replace the current astaxanthin used to make salmon pink.
Drew Davidson, ArcticEdge Technologies Inc.
Protecting firefighters and the public from cancer by using advanced materials to eliminate the need for PFAS forever chemicals.
Pranav Gavirneni, Lumatus Semiconductor
Real-time tissue sensing for surgery to help doctors distinguish cancerous from healthy tissue during procedures.
Silas Ifeanyi, Nanometrix
An AI-driven defect detection system for semiconductor manufacturers that identifies defects in real time and eliminates the need to discard entire production runs.
Jeswin Joseph, Volantek
A framework for satellite manufacturers to improve the accuracy of predicting the probability, timing, location and recovery value of re-entry space debris.
Ali Mohammadnejad, Faradix
Affordable, adaptable and sustainable hydrogen production.
Ellie Sanoubari, Robots Empowering Minds
A unique robot-mediated role-play platform for learning critical social and emotional skills, with an initial focus on teaching interventions for bullying situations.
Maksym Veremchuk, PhysBliss
A real-time AI physics engine that helps mechanical engineers design faster, monitor smarter and address potential failures before they become costly problems.
The Conrad School extends its sincere thanks to the judges, mentors, community members and ecosystem partners whose expertise helped make ARC and Pitch Day a success.
ARC is generously funded by the Norman Esch Foundation, whose support enables PhD researchers to explore pathways for translating their discoveries into real-world impact.
Special thanks to Cristen Brown, Manager, Outreach and International Programs, and Ira Bowering, ARC Program Teaching Assistant, whose leadership and dedication were instrumental in launching and delivering the program.
As the ARC program continues to grow, it will strengthen Waterloo's innovation ecosystem by helping researchers move breakthrough discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace.
Group photo of Waterloo PhD students who participated in the ARC Pitch Day.
