Labs4

Canadian Innovation Week wraps today, and we’re closing by highlighting the foundation Labs4 was built on: Canada’s colleges and polytechnics. Canada produces world-class research. Too often, the challenge is moving that research into practical use, market-ready products and ventures that can grow. That is where colleges and polytechnics have a distinct advantage. They are built for the space between discovery and market. They work close to industry, respond quickly to real-world needs, mobilize technical expertise and student talent, and test ideas in applied settings where products can be refined, validated and improved. They prototype. They iterate. They help founders pivot when the evidence points in a new direction. And because they are deeply connected to their regional economies, they understand the industries, communities and market needs around them. Labs4 brings that capacity together at national scale. Follow the momentum beyond Canadian Innovation Week. Visit our news page for more Labs4 stories, then sign up for our e-news to stay updated on upcoming opportunities, success stories and events. https://labs4.ca/news/ Thank you to every innovator, Hub team, partner and supporter who shared their work with us during Canadian Innovation Week. Labs4 acknowledges the support from Lab to Market funding administered by @nserc_crsng @sshrc_crsh and @cihr_irsc #CIW26 #Labs4 #CanadianInnovation #AppliedResearch

Across Canada, Indigenous innovators are building ventures rooted in community, culture and self-determination. For Canadian Innovation Week, Labs4 is celebrating the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Hubs helping make that work possible: @mittohnee at @rrcpolytech , pawâcikêwikamik at @siitlive and @flint_hub at United College - @uofwaterloo . These Indigenous-led Hubs offer innovation and entrepreneurship support that is locally grounded and shaped by Indigenous knowledge, relationships and priorities. Founders receive mentorship from Indigenous entrepreneurs, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, along with culturally grounded curriculum, peer circles, business planning, coaching and practical supports such as micro-grants. Just as important, they are supported to build in ways that honour who they are, where they come from and the communities they serve. Together, these stories point to what Indigenous-led innovation makes possible: stronger communities, founders building with purpose and a shared commitment to lifting each other up. Read more: “We Know What Works”: https://labs4.ca/we-know-what-works/ “We Lift Each Other Up”: https://labs4.ca/we-lift-each-other-up/ Labs4 acknowledges the support from Lab to Market funding administered by @nserc_crsng @sshrc_crsh and @cihr_irsc #CIW26 #Labs4 #IndigenousInnovation #IndigenousEntrepreneurship #IndigenousBusinessVisual

It’s Canadian Innovation Week, and today we’re celebrating the people doing the work: the innovators. Meet Labs4’s Winter 2026 Technology Readiness Level-Up cohort: researcher-entrepreneurs from across the country who spent four months in applied research environments, doing the technical work that moves an innovation closer to market through prototype development, testing and validation. This cohort tells the Canadian innovation story in microcosm. Health technology. Accessibility and mobility. Climate and sustainability. AI and data. Agriculture and biotech. Different problems, different communities, all of them connected to the same nationally coordinated engine. That’s “Local Roots, Global Reach” in practice: Canadian innovators, Canadian research, Canadian-built solutions ready to compete anywhere. Meet our innovators and find out more: https://labs4.ca/levelling-up-labs4s-second-trl-cohort-moves-34-research-ventures-closer-to-market/ Labs4 acknowledges the support from Lab to Market funding administered by @nserc_crsng @sshrc_crsh and @cihr_irsc . TRL is supported by @mitacs . #CIW26 #Labs4 #InnovatorsInMotion #TRL

Canadian Innovation Week starts today, and there’s plenty to celebrate. This year’s theme, Local Roots, Global Reach, captures something essential about Canadian innovation: strong ideas often begin close to home, in a Manitoba lab, a Nova Scotia workshop or a Québec CCTT, before reaching industries, markets and communities far beyond their starting point. That is where Labs4 comes in. Labs4 brings together 40 post-secondary institutions, 11 Regional and Indigenous Entrepreneurship Hubs and 24 Technology Access Centres through one nationally coordinated, locally delivered commercialization initiative. Each Hub is rooted in the region it serves. Together, they form a Canada-wide engine helping move research closer to market. Why does this matter? Canada has world-class research, but too many promising ideas still face barriers on the path to commercialization. Labs4 helps remove those barriers so researchers and founders can turn knowledge into ventures, jobs, partnerships and real-world impact. Labs4 embeds participants in applied research environments with experts who understand their industries, their communities and their innovators. All week, we’ll celebrate the founders, researchers and partnerships turning Canadian research into Canadian impact, and Canadian innovation into global reach. Learn more: labs4.ca Labs4 acknowledges the support from Lab to Market funding administered by @nserc_crsng in collaboration with @sshrc_crsh and @cihr_irsc #CIW26 #CanadianInnovation #Labs4 @rrcpolytech @bcit @sait @nait @saskpolytech @humberpoly @cegepthetford @novascotiacommunitycollege

Vous songez encore à déposer votre candidature au programme TRL? Vous avez un peu plus de temps. La période pour soumettre une candidature au Programme de croissance du niveau de maturité technologique (TRL) est prolongée jusqu’au 13 avril 2026. Si vous êtes une personne étudiante ou récemment diplômée avec une innovation issue de la recherche, le programme TRL vous offre le soutien nécessaire pour la faire progresser : 10 000 $, du mentorat d’experts et un accès à des installations de recherche de pointe. Comment postuler : ✅ Vérifiez votre admissibilité ✅ Remplissez le court formulaire en ligne ✅ Soumettez votre candidature avant le lundi 13 avril 2026 Le programme TRL est ouvert aux personnes innovatrices de tous les secteurs. Cette année, les équipes œuvrant en IA, en défense ou à double usage, ainsi qu’en transition énergétique, pourront également bénéficier d’une expertise sectorielle additionnelle dans le cadre du programme. Postulez dès maintenant : https://labs4.ca/fr/programmes/programme-damelioration-du-degre-de-maturite-technologique/ Labs4, le moteur de commercialisation du Canada, est rendu possible grâce au soutien du programme de subventions Du laboratoire au marché du CRSNG.

Still thinking about applying to TRL? You’ve got a bit more time. Applications for the Technology Readiness Level-Up (TRL) program have been extended to April 13, 2026. If you are a student or recent grad with a research-based innovation, TRL offers the support to help you move it forward: $10,000, expert mentorship, and access to top research facilities. How to apply: ✅ Check your eligibility ✅ Complete the short online application ✅ Submit before Monday, April 13, 2026 TRL is open to innovators across all sectors. This year, teams working in AI, defence or dual-use, and energy transition may also benefit from additional sector-informed expertise within the program. Apply now: https://labs4.ca/programs/technology-readiness-level-up/ Labs4, Canada’s commercialization engine, is made possible with the support of NSERC’s Lab to Market program.

⏳ Applications for TRL close on April 6, 2026! Follow three easy steps to apply:  1️⃣ Check your eligibility (student or recent grad with a research-based innovation)  2️⃣ Complete the short online application  3️⃣ Submit before the deadline 🔗 Apply today: https://labs4.ca/programs/technology-readiness-level-up/ Labs4, Canada’s commercialization engine, is made possible with the support of @nserc_crsng ‘s Lab to Market program and @mitacs .

Labs+ is Québec’s hub of Labs4, the pan-Canadian initiative helping student-researchers and early-stage innovators move promising work out of the lab and into the market. By tapping into Québec’s network of CCTTs (Centres collégiaux de transfert de technologie), Labs+ connects innovators with applied research expertise, specialized equipment, pilot-scale testing environments, and commercialization support earlier in the journey, where it can make the biggest difference. The result? ✅ Stronger testing ✅ Earlier validation ✅ Better industry alignment ✅ A clearer path from research to real-world impact Want to see how Labs+ is helping accelerate research to market? Read more here: https://labs4.ca/labs-plus-activating-quebecs-cctt-ecosystem-to-accelerate-research-to-market/ —— Labs+ est le pôle québécois de Labs4, l’initiative pancanadienne qui aide les étudiants‑chercheurs et les innovateurs en début de parcours à faire passer leurs travaux prometteurs du laboratoire au marché. En s’appuyant sur le réseau québécois des CCTT (Centres collégiaux de transfert de technologie), Labs+ met les innovateurs en relation avec de l’expertise en recherche appliquée, de l’équipement spécialisé, des environnements de tests préindustriels et un soutien à la commercialisation — plus tôt dans leur parcours, là où cela peut faire la plus grande différence. Le résultat? ✅ Des essais plus rigoureux ✅ Une validation plus rapide ✅ Un meilleur arrimage avec l’industrie ✅ Un cheminement plus structuré vers une mise en application de la technologie   Vous voulez voir comment Labs+ aide à accélérer le transfert de la recherche vers le marché? Apprenez-en davantage ici : https://labs4.ca/fr/labs-developper-lecosysteme-des-cctt-du-quebec-pour-accelerer-le-passage-de-la-recherche-au-marche/ #Innovation #ResearchToMarket #RechercheVersLeMarché

Bridging the gap between promising research and market readiness takes more than a good idea. It takes the right support at the right time. That’s where Market to Lab comes in. Market to Lab helps researcher-entrepreneurs tackle one of the biggest hurdles on the path to commercialization: turning early potential into something market-ready. Now, @labs4ca is piloting the Market to Lab model at @rrcpolytech and @novascotiacommunitycollege . At RRC Polytech, the pilot is being delivered through ACE Project Space, where multidisciplinary student teams take on focused commercialization challenges. At NSCC, the pilot is exploring how the same model can provide practical support across a more distributed geography, with virtual participation built in. By drawing on the strengths of Canada’s polytechnics and colleges — applied learning, student talent, faculty expertise, and fast project cycles — Market to Lab helps founders validate market demand, solve product questions, and generate outputs they can use right away. Read more: https://labs4.ca/labs4-launches-market-to-lab-pilots-at-rrc-polytech-and-nscc/ #ResearchCommercialization #AppliedResearch #InnovationToImpact #FounderSupport #AppliedInnovation

Ready to take your innovation from idea to impact? By the end of the Technology Readiness Level-Up (TRL) program, you’ll walk away with more than just a plan, you’ll have the skills, experience, and network to propel your entrepreneurial journey forward. Here’s what you’ll gain over 4 months: - Financial support: A stipend so you can focus on developing your ideas. - Hands-on product development: From prototyping to testing, gain real-world experience in applied research environments. - Confidence & know-how: Navigate product development, testing, and project management like a pro. - A powerful network: Connect with like-minded innovators, mentors, and industry experts. - A roadmap for growth: Pitch-ready tools to take your idea beyond the program. - From ideation to execution: Learn the full “how-to” of bringing an innovation to market. TRL is open to innovators across all sectors. This year, teams developing technologies in AI, defence or dual-use, and energy transition may also benefit from additional, sector-informed expertise within the program.   Whether your innovation is technical, scientific, social, or community-based, TRL is designed to help you bridge the gap between research and real-world application. Applications close April 6, 2026  🔗 Apply here: https://labs4.ca/programs/technology-readiness-level-up/ Labs4, Canada’s commercialization engine, is made possible with the support of @nserc_crsng Lab to Market program and @mitacs .

Mousumi Dhar is a Cloud Computing & Blockchain researcher at @saskpolytech working to make parking easier, faster and more efficient for drivers and parking operators. Through the Labs4 Technology Readiness Level-Up (TRL) program, Mousumi is developing ParkSmart, an AI-based parking analytics system that uses existing cameras to estimate parking occupancy and generate operational insights. The idea came after she spent nearly an hour looking for parking during a major event in downtown Saskatoon. By turning existing video footage into usable data, ParkSmart aims to reduce congestion, cut driver frustration, and help parking operators understand how their spaces are actually being used without adding costly new hardware. With help from Labs4’s business and technical mentorship, workshops and early-stage financial support, Mousumi is validating the problem directly with industry, shaping the solution around real operational needs while building a web-based prototype. “TRL has pushed me to think beyond the technical build and focus on whether the solution truly solves a problem people care about. That shift has changed how I approach entrepreneurship.” Labs4, Canada’s applied research commercialization engine, is helping emerging innovators like Mousumi turn practical ideas into tested solutions with real-world potential. 🌐 Applications are now open for TRL’s Fall 2026 cohort. Apply now at labs4.ca/trl 🔁 Know an emerging innovator with a big idea? Share this post and help them discover how Labs4 can support their journey from lab to market. TRL is made possible thanks to support from @nserc_crsng and @mitacs #TRLStories #InnovatorsInMotion #Labs4Canada

Canada doesn’t lack ideas. It lacks the capacity to turn them into market-ready solutions. That’s the gap Labs4 is aiming to fill with its Market to Lab pilots, now underway at @rrcpolytech and @novascotiacommunitycollege . “As a country, we don’t lack ideas, we lack the capacity to turn strong research into solutions people can actually use,” said Dr. Jolen Galaugher, Labs4 board chair. “Market to Lab is a next-generation commercialization training model: it gives researcher-entrepreneurs the applied talent, mentorship and structured push to clear the barrier between validated research and something the market can adopt.” In practical terms, the pilots are built to help founders move from “promising” to “provable,” so strong research has a better chance of becoming ventures, products and services that deliver real value for Canadians. Read the full story: https://labs4.ca/labs4-launches-market-to-lab-pilots-at-rrc-polytech-and-nscc/ #ResearchCommercialization #AppliedResearch #InnovationToImpact