Innovation Factory

12/12/2025

It turns out great partners also make great guest registration officers. 😊

Huge thanks to Andy Donovan from Life Sciences Ontario for lending a hand at our Holiday Client Social and helping welcome guests into our new Burlington space.

LSO’s ongoing support of the and our broader life science ecosystem never goes unnoticed. It truly takes a community and we’re lucky to have people like Andy in ours.

12/12/2025

Brand new space, same shared vision. 💡Yesterday, Innovation Factory and TechPlace welcomed founders, partners, and collaborators into our new shared office space in Burlington — marking both our annual Holiday Client Social and a housewarming for a strategic hub designed to support entrepreneurs across Halton. ☃️🏢

From flexible workspace to deeper collaboration with partners like Brock University, Burlington Public Library, and the Halton District School Board, this space reflects our commitment to building a more connected, inclusive innovation ecosystem, aligned with the City of Burlington’s Vision 2040.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to tour the space, connect with one another, and toast to a year of resilience, growth, and momentum. Here’s to what we’ll build together in 2026. 🥂

🤝 If you haven't had a chance to drop by, come visit Innovation Factory × TechPlace at 5151 New St, Burlington!

12/03/2025

So thrilled to celebrate the launch of ROZOR at McMaster Innovation Park!

ROZOR, led by founder Yusuf Arsalan (formerly of RoboLabs), is a rapidly growing AI robotics startup and an incredible success story of the Startup Visa (SUV) Program participating in our Runway accelerator. With today's launch, they plan to be expanding their growth right here in Hamilton after arriving from Turkey in September.

Yusuf's mission is deeply personal: he founded ROZOR to build technology that protects people and improves everyday life, driven by the loss of his father to a preventable post-surgical infection. ROZOR is developing AI-powered service robots focused on making hospitals and public spaces safer, cleaner, and more efficient.

Congratulations, Yusuf and the ROZOR team!

11/27/2025

We're so excited to announce the winner of our latest New Venture Pitch Challenge!

Congratulations to Jasmine Jing, Co-founder of TechInu, whose AI and Matrix-pinhole image sensing technology aims to make diabetes care proactive, personalized, and pain-free.

✨ To learn more about TechInu visit https://loom.ly/32uPzmk

11/25/2025

The toughest truth in the startup world is this: A brilliant idea is only valuable if it's protected. Without a strong IP strategy, competitors can copy you, stall your growth, and eat your market share.

Join us on 📆December 2, 12:00pm - 1:00pm for "IP 101: From Ideas to Assets", where experts from Marks & Clerk will demystify the complex world of Patents, Trademarks, and Trade Secrets.

We're tackling the fundamental questions:
*️⃣What IP is necessary for success (Patents, Trademarks, etc.)?
*️⃣How do you access government IP funding?
*️⃣How do you use IP to actively block competitors?

This session is designed to give every founder the fundamentals needed to build a robust protective barrier.

👉Secure your spot: https://loom.ly/38xB8MM

Masterclass on IP basics for founders. Learn to protect your innovations, use patents/trademarks, and access IP funding with experts from Marks & Clerk.

11/24/2025

Hello from our new Halton office! 🏢 In case you missed the big news, we've officially moved our Halton operations to the Robert Bateman Community Centre on 5151 New Street.

We're so thrilled to continue to working alongside our co-location partners, TechPlace, as we officially open the doors to welcome you. 😄

11/24/2025

Last call to register! The New Venture Pitch Challenge: Live Pitch and Business Networking Night, sponsored by nmbrly llp, is happening this week!

Don’t miss your chance to:
✅ Watch five early-stage companies pitch live
✅ Hear feedback from expert judges
✅ Network with local innovators and founders
✅ Enjoy refreshments and connect with the community

📅 November 26, 2025 | 5:00pm – 8:00pm ET
📍 Innovation Factory | 175 Longwood Rd. S, Hamilton

🔗 Register now: https://loom.ly/OrzHSuY

11/20/2025

🚀Ready to accelerate your business growth? 🚀

Hit the ground running with , an interactive 8-week training & mentorship program that can help you grow your startup, access industry expertise and prepare for investment.

👉 Applications are open until December 7, 2025: https://loom.ly/WT0gG2I

11/18/2025

Spent the day at the Niagara College Research and Innovation showcase! The scope of applied research happening here is incredible. 🤯

We saw two huge areas of innovation in action:

👵🦭Healthy Aging: We learned about the amazing therapeutic work being done at their HAWIC centre, using robotic animals like Flo and Coco (the seals!), along with robotic birds and cats to help residents in long-term care, especially those with dementia. Huge shoutout to Christine Wilkinson, research lead for Niagara College's Healthy Aging and Wellness Innovation Centre, for sharing her research!

🥫🌱Agri-Food & Beverage: Getting a look inside the Food and Beverage Innovation Centre (FBIC) and Horticultural and Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC). These centres are national leaders, helping startups with everything from formulation optimization to small-batch canning (yes, even zero-alcohol gin and new beers!) so they can get to market faster.

Big thanks to Innovate Niagara, NRC IRAP, BioEnterprise and all the ecosystem partners supporting this critical research in Ontario!

11/18/2025

Five founders. One winner.🌟 Join us as the finalists of the New Venture Pitch Challenge step up to pitch their innovations and receive feedback from seasoned judges, at the Live Pitch and Business Networking Night, sponsored by llp!

🥂 Complimentary refreshments provided!
📅 November 26, 2025 | 5:00pm – 8:00pm ET
📍 Innovation Factory | 175 Longwood Rd. S, Hamilton

🔗 Limited spaces! Secure your spot: https://loom.ly/OrzHSuY

11/17/2025

Calling all founders! Take a break from the year-end hustle and join us for a relaxed evening of connection and celebration at our Holiday Client Social.

Network with fellow entrepreneurs, Innovation Factory advisors and partners in a welcoming, low-pressure environment, shared with our incredible partners at TechPlace.

📅 December 11 | 3:00pm - 5:00pm
📍 5151 New Street, Burlington
🔗 Space is limited! Save your spot: https://loom.ly/Db4qjHU

Join us for the Innovation Factory Holiday Client Social and experience networking in our new collaborative office space with TechPlace!

11/14/2025

What an incredible day yesterday at the 2025 Femtech Canada Forum in Vancouver!

From the airport hustle to the networking and insightful panel discussions, we were honoured to welcome leaders from across Canada truly committed to closing the gender health gap.

It was inspiring to see leaders from Sun Life, Deloitte Canada, BD, UNFPA, CIHR, IWK Foundation, PeriPharm, Audaxa Ventures, and Health Emergency Readiness Canada collaborate on capturing that $37 Billion economic opportunity in women's health.

Huge thanks to everyone who showed up to drive this important conversation forward. We're already planning the next steps.

➡️ Visit femtech.ca to learn more.