Lighting the Way
At McMaster Engineering, innovation is a way of life. We pursue this through our Innovation from Excellence strategic priorities, recognizing that finding creative and fresh solutions contributes to creating a brighter world. Over the years, #MadeByMacEng inventions and products have been born out of our classrooms and labs and in industry around the world. We are proud to present the Mac Eng innovators who are lighting the way as budding startups, established entrepreneurs and revolutionary changemakers.
MCMASTER ENGINEERING
MUSICAL GUEST: VERSACELLO
Maximilian and Theodor Aoki are brothers from Hamilton, Ontario. Classically trained for twelve years, they created versaCello in 2014. Together, they arrange and perform contemporary popular music on two cellos. Since then, they won the 2015 JUNOs Turn It On: Sound Off competition, performed at Supercrawl 2015 and recorded with JUNO award-winning producer John "Beetle" Bailey. Both are studying Engineering at McMaster University while concurrently pursuing exciting opportunities in music. They are now working with Emmy-nominated director Warren P. Sonoda, starring in his upcoming feature film Things I Do For Money and composing its original soundtrack.
SPONSOR
OFFICIAL
COCKTAILS & STUDENT SHOWCASE
DESSERT RECEPTION
6:00PM
8:15PM
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
FIREBALL RECEPTION
Begin the evening with a cocktail reception where you can explore our student showcase and enjoy networking
7:05 PM - 7:10 PM, 7:53 PM - 7:58 PM
End the evening by indulging your sweet tooth out on the terrace and connecting with the honourees and attendees
Celebrate with us as Dean Ishwar K. Puri highlights the many milestones and accomplishments of our resilient community.
7:15 PM - 7:20 PM
Message from the President & Provost
Reflect as President and Vice-Chancellor David Farrar and Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Susan Tighe offer their thoughts about the year ahead.
7:30PM
AWARDS
7:28 PM - 7:33 PM
Duncan Hannay
to receive the L.W. Shemilt Distinguished Alumni Award
7:40 PM - 7:45 PM
Saud Adi
to receive the Engineering Leadership Award.
7:48 PM - 7:53 PM
David Wilkinson
to receive the McMaster University Faculty of Engineering Exceptional Service Award.
7:00 PM - 7:05 PM
SUGGESTED ATTIRE
It’s time to don your semi-formal attire, but make sure you take the weather into consideration, as part of this event is outdoors.
7:20 PM - 7:25 PM
MACENG TALK
Listen to an inspirational TED-style talk from Sonia Sennik, Executive Director of the Creative Destruction Lab, as she shares her story of resilience from her days at McMaster to running a successful seed-stage program for science-based companies. A supporter of McMaster, Sennik was recently named a Top 50 Changemaker by Report on Business magazine.
A&A 2022
ATTIRE
7:33 PM - 7:36 PM
NSBE: FEYISAYO ENUIYIN
Watch the inspiring documentary-influenced story of Chemical Engineering student Feyisayo Enuiyin through her journey to champion scholarship opportunities for Black students. Within two months, the McMaster chapter of the National Society of Engineers Canada has reached nearly half of their $72,500 goal.
7:36 PM - 7:38 PM
RESPONding to covid-19
Learn the complete story of an amazing team of engineering-lead researchers who went from addressing a mask shortage crisis in Canada to creating a world-class centre dedicated to PPE in under a year.
7:45 PM - 7:58 PM
DEGREE+EXPERIENCE
Hear from our students, including from our first-year program, who have persevered this year in class and outside of it.
7:58 PM - 8:00 PM
LIVE: VERSACELLO
Listen as versaCello plays more great music.
APPLAUSE & ACCOLADES 2022
It’s time to don your semi-formal attire, but make sure you take the weather into consideration as part of this event is outdoors.
APPLAUSE & ACCOLADES 2023
L.W. Shemilt Distinguish Alumni Award: Duncan Hannay is the former President and Chief Executive Officer at Street Capital Bank of Canada and Street Capital Group Inc. Prior to joining Street Capital in September 2017, Duncan held the position of Chief Operating Officer at FINASTRA, the third largest fintech provider in the world. Duncan has more than 25 years of experience building and growing businesses in the financial services and technology sectors with roles including: President, Global Lending Solutions at D+H; Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing at Scotiabank; Managing Director and Head of Online Brokerage at Scotiabank; and President and CEO at E*TRADE Canada Securities. Duncan holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from McMaster University and has also completed the Strategic Management in Banking, Business Administration and Management program at INSEAD. In 2010, he was inducted into the McMaster University Alumni Gallery, and in 2013, was named Strategy Magazine’s “Marketer of the Year.” Duncan currently is a past Chair of the Board of Directors of Covenant House Toronto, Canada’s largest shelter for homeless youth and is a current Dean's Advisory Board member for McMaster Engineering.
Engineering Leadership Award: Saud Adi is the Co-Chief Executive Officer at Adi Development Group. He is actively involved in key operations across the company with a specialized focus in construction, engineering and construction operations. With a Construction Engineering Technology designation from George Brown, and Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering Infrastructure Technology from McMaster University, Saud brings a wealth of knowledge to the construction process and with the Adi construction team oversees all construction functions including building science and design, value engineering, bid procurement, subcontractor trade relations, scheduling, construction logistics, site engineering, and general construction management. As an acknowledgement of his achievements, he was named as one of the 2019 Recipients of Canada's Top 40 Under 40. Saud sat on the HHHBA board of directors for two consecutive years and continues an active role with the association. The company is an active community supporter, donating both time and finances, to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Diabetes Canada, Ronald McDonald House and Halton Women’s Place. He is also a Dean's Advisory Board Member for McMaster Engineering.
McMaster University Faculty of Engineering Exceptional Service Award: David S. Wilkinson received his undergraduate degree in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto (1972) and his Ph.D. in Engineering Materials from the University of Cambridge (1978). Following a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Wilkinson joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at McMaster as an assistant professor in 1979. He was Dean of the Faculty of Engineering from 2008-2012, then Provost and Vice-President Academic of the university from 2012-2017. Professor Wilkinson’s academic career has been recognized through numerous prestigious awards. He was awarded the title of Distinguished University Professor at McMaster University in 2008, a title that was then available to only 8 active faculty members at a time. In 2009 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and in 2010 as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. He is the author of over 280 scientific publications, specializing in the mechanical behaviour of both metals and ceramics, with a current focus on the formability of automotive sheet and the incorporation of damage into models of deformation and ductile fracture. His research has been widely cited (Web of Science H index of 42) and strongly supported by industrial partners from the automotive and aerospace industries.
EVENT DETAILS
VIEW THE FULL SCHEDULE
Aurora Selim, Daniel Wise and Sahar Asgari are this year's McMaster Engineering Co-op Student of the Year Award winners. Engineering Co-op & Career Services (ECCS) presents the Co-op Student of the Year Award to students who have made an exceptional contribution to co-operative education. Historically, only undergraduate students have won this award, making Sahar Asgari the inaugural graduate-level winner. The winners receive a plaque and a $500 prize in recognition of their workplace and academic achievements, as well as contributions to McMaster and the greater community.
Co-op Students of the Year
FIREBALL SHOUTOUT
YWCA Women of Distinction
The YWCA Women of Distinction awards shine a light on the women and girls in Hamilton and Halton who are changing the world. We are proud of trailblazing student Lianna Genovese, innovative professor Zobia Jawed, changemaking alumna, Navita Dyal who were winners in their categories, and nominees Sarah Gonder, an undergraduate researcher in materials engineering, and alumna Susan Kilburn, BEngM ’92.
STUDENT SHOWCASE
Explore our innovative student projects. Explore what our students have worked on this year in our student showcase before the show.
CONTACT
TERM & CONDITIONS
PRIVACY POLICY
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8
(905) 525-9140
2023 McMaster Univeristy
1280 Main Street West
Entertainment
Enjoy the musical stylings of versaCello, a classical duo made up of Maximilian Aoki BEngSociety ‘21 and Theodor Aoki BEng ‘22
Celebrating 65 years of Innovation
OUR established ALUMNI
Torchbearers
05
View all Torchbearers
Ignitors
Recent alumni and budding entrepreneurs.
Illuminators
Faculty members and staff commercializing ground-breaking research.
Alumni who have created cutting-edge technologies and successful companies.
companies and entrepreneurs have gone through The Forge since 2015
299
A total of
raised
$46M
over
jobs created
867+
companies develop products and services in sectors such as Life Sciences, Transportation & Energy and Information and Communication Technology.
38
of those active companies at The Forge are founded by Mac Eng students or alumni from McMaster’s Faculty of Engineering
40%
Supernovas
IGNITORS
Innovation with Impact
INNOVATION IS AT THE HEART OF McMASTER ENGINEERING
Helping students realize their dreams of starting their own companies is one of our primary goals. With the support of key partners, we are seeing the number of student-born start-up companies continue to grow.
• In 2022, McMaster Engineering engaged with more than 110 industry partners globally and developed 39 invention disclosures. • In 2020 we launched a newly transformed curriculum that embeds design thinking, an innovation mindset and entrepreneurship in all programming. • The Minor in Innovation was launched in 2018 to give students the tools they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced, innovation-driven marketplace. • In 2005, the Faculty established the Walter G. Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology to offer interdisciplinary graduate education through experiential learning, mentorship and real-world applications.
Alumni who are changing the world with their revolutionary innovations.
OUR RECENT ALUMNI
Recent alumni and budding startups.
Xtract One (formerly Patriot One)
Xtract One is a technology company dedicated to driving the digital transformation of physical security by focusing on proactively addressing threats through the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI).
Natalia Nikolova
FendX
Leyla Soleymani
FendX is a nanotechnology company focused on developing products to make people’s lives safer by reducing the spread of pathogens.
Tohid Didar
Celerite Labs
Rakesh Sahu
Celerite Labs is a biotechnology spin-out from McMaster University. Celerite Labs has developed an innovative magnetic printing technology that allows 3D printing of cells within a few hours, without the need of any scaffolds.
OUR FACULTY
Faculty members and staff who are commercializing ground-breaking research.
Archocell
Archocell is a corporation that has been inaugurated to create and build a significant market share in the emerging green energy market.
Ethan Cho
Brain Grid Corp.
Michael Kadanoff
We provide valuable grow information by capturing real-time data using our technology platform to increase revenues, reduce costs, risks and improve yield – making it easier for the grower to operate efficiently and effectively.
agerate
Cole Kirschner
AgeRate provides a mobile app + blood test that allows you to monitor how well you are aging, so you can make the right lifestyle choices sooner to be healthier for longer and conquer aging.
bibliotech
Juste Fanou
Evolved grows healthy, delicious meat directly from animal cells
OUR REVOLUTIONARY ALUMNI
Chirped pulse amplification
Developed chirped-pulse amplification, or CPA, a technique for creating ultrashort, yet extremely high-energy laser pulses necessary in a variety of applications.
Donna Strickland
PERC Cells
Martin Green
In 1983, he and his team invented the PERC solar cell, which powers over 90% of all solar panels globally today.
Stats at a glance.
Jetson Infinity and 2unify
Michael Jobity
Building future inventors with the best portable robotics. 2unify is the world's first hands-free robotic guitar tuning stand
ImaginAble Solutions
Lianna Genovese
Guided Hands™ is an award-winning assistive device that enables people living with limited hand mobility to write, paint, draw and access technology
CERT Systems Inc.
Christine Gabardo
CERT is creating and scaling an electrochemical technology that convert CO2 into renewable fuels and materials.
Meet our Innovators
Westhill Innovation Inc.
Westhill Innovation Inc is rooted in accessible sustainability solutions. Westhill is pioneering and building the latest technology in solar electromobility that will power the future of transportation.
Gina Succi
Zentrela, Inc
Israel Gasperin
Zentrela is a Canadian neurotechnology pioneer specializing in the objective quantification of cannabis psychoactive effects.
prosensus
Marlene Cardin
Empowering chemical engineers to solve complex manufacturing problems through advanced analytics.
Own Innovation
Own Innovation delivers Canadian IP excellence to help business create value with intellectual property. They provide legal and business strategy for Canadian start up and scaling technology companies.
Jim Hinton
lighting the way
More Mac Eng Achievements in Innovation:
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Explore our innovators
President and Vice-Chancellor
DAVID FARRAR
David H. Farrar is the President and Vice-Chancellor at McMaster University and a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Dr. Farrar took up the position of Acting President in July 2019, having served as Provost and Vice-President (Academic) since October 2017, and was appointed President in December 2019. Dr. Farrar joined McMaster from the University of British Columbia where he served as Provost from 2007 to 2015, and subsequently as Advisor to the Interim President and then as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor. Prior to that Dr. Farrar served as Deputy-Provost and Vice-Provost Students at the University of Toronto, where he had responsibility for all central enrolment, student affairs and student service activities. Dr. Farrar received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Toronto, and his doctorate from the University of Western Ontario. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Cambridge and then a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto for 26 years. During that time he also served as Chair of the Department. He has authored or co-authored over 80 technical papers, holds five patents, and has supervised more than 25 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Dr. Farrar has also served on several external Boards.
A platform that aggregates knowledge about the building industry and makes it accessible to a wide audience, from industry professionals to students and enthusiasts.
Longan Vision
He launched Longan Vision in 2018 with five colleagues shortly after graduating with help from The Forge’s accelerator program.
Enzo Jia
pharmasonica
Andrew Singh
Pharmasonica is an early-stage biomedical engineering company aiming to address inefficiencies relates to complex dosing protocols through the use of ultrasound.
Blue Orchid Care Inc.
Sina Afshani
Blue Orchid was founded based on a simple mission to create and design simple innovative solutions for challenges millions of caregivers face every day.
taco
Taco is an assistive tool that makes cooking preparation more accessible.
Afeef Khan
TACO
Caitlin Kuzler
Eden Lazar
Clayton MacNeil
EARTHONE INC.
Sustainable Living Made Simple
Sid Pereira
BSquared Motorsports Inc
Patrick Alex
An automotive technology firm serving motorsports drivers with education and hardware goods to help people race faster.
Staging Labs
Jake Harwood
In 2022, Harwood co-founded Staging Labs to introduce a cutting-edge security solution designed for the cryptocurrency industry.
We believe in a future where clean and independent energy solutions drive us towards a greener tomorrow.
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Ethan Cho’s first steps toward entrepreneurship began as he built an electric longboard and an electric dirt bike as projects in his B.Tech automotive program. He expanded those projects into a business by making battery packs for scooters, e-bikes and e-longboards in the basement of his rental student house. In 2020, with the help and mentorship of Ishwar Singh, an adjunct professor with the W Booth school of Engineering Practice & Technology, Cho co-founded Archocell, a green energy research and development company. The company focuses on solar, battery and green technologies, with the aim of developing eco-friendly energy solutions that benefit the people and the planet. In partnership with Reserve Power, They are currently working to overcome power infrastructure challenges faced by homes and businesses in the Six Nations community in Ohsweken. The endeavor focuses on a solar off-grid project that allows people to disconnect from conventional power grids and rely on sustainable solar technology. We are driven by the belief that everyone deserves access to affordable and environmentally friendly energy solutions, says Cho.
“
Bachelor of Technology '23 Archocell
• Top 15 medical startups in Ontario, Canada (2023) • Biological Age Diagnostics Trailblazer (2022) • Top 10 Next AI Cohort Graduates (2021) • 101 Top Health Diagnostics Startups and Companies in Canada (2021) • 34 Top Health Care Startups and Companies in Hamilton, Ontario (2021)
I see my responsibility in directing my research into areas that have high social impact and improve quality of life.
Natalia Nikolova joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at McMaster University in July 1999, where she is currently a Professor. Her research interests include inverse scattering and microwave imaging, theoretical and computational electromagnetism, as well as high-frequency computer-aided design. Among her highest achievements in innovation is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid the increasing global need for physical security. Through her technology company Xtract One, Nikolova has already developed an unobtrusive surveillance system that combines microwave radar and machine learning to detect hidden weapons being carried by people. In the process of commercial development, the system will identify people carrying hidden guns and knives in high schools, malls and other public places – “anywhere where you want people to be moving freely and surveillance to be discreet,” says Nikolova. The small system allows for portable or wearable use, and the aim is to provide military, police and security professionals with an early-warning system to help protect them as they deal with unknown or potentially armed people. Nikolova’s dedication to innovating new solutions to continue to push the limits of what can be done to ensure other’s safety is how she uses engineering to create a safer world for all. Read more: https://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/news/big-ideas-saving-lives-one-radar-technology-time/
Research contributions recognized by Fellowships in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC). McMaster Recognition: Joseph Ip Distinguished Engineering Professor • Two Faculty Appreciation Awards • Innovator of Distinction Award
FACULTY
Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering
{Universole Fit} captures the unique structure of every individual foot and shoe, allowing consumers to purchase shoes that are properly suited to their feet.
By employing the Universole Fit tool, retailers can help their customers find the right size shoe the first time. Customers can know their size in all brands and models, without needing to set foot in a store. This is all thanks to Universole Fit’s novel fitting algorithms combined with its database of shoe measurements.
2022 – Winner, The Forge McMaster Startup Survivor Pitch Competition
Read More
View Website
As we continue to advance our technology and collaborate with experts across various fields, we are paving the way for a world where individuals can live longer, healthier lives, and make informed decisions about their well-being. This will ultimately lead to a profound shift in societal perspectives on aging, fostering a future where we all age better, together.
Bachelor of Technology ‘18 AgeRate
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As the world faces increasing challenges related to climate change, resource depletion, and public health, the demand for sustainable building practices and materials will continue to grow.
Juste Fanou’s innovation journey has been shaped by his passion for sustainability. He has a background in both architecture (Sheridan College) and civil engineering technology (McMaster University), which has given Juste a solid foundation in the principles and practices of building design and construction. Over the years, Juste worked on large commercial projects, where he’s brought architectural visions to life. As a Healthy Materials Advocate and a Building Science Specialist (BSS), he is committed to advancing environmental sustainability and human health in the built environment. He also runs a specifications writing practice and is a proud faculty member of the School of Architecture at Sheridan College in Mississauga where he teaches a class on specifications writing. His innovation, Bibliotech is a platform that aggregates knowledge about the building industry and makes it accessible to a wide audience, from industry professionals to students and enthusiasts. It provides a free comprehensive library of companies powered by a robust search engine, which saves time and resources, facilitates collaboration, and supports informed decision-making. By making this information easily accessible and up to date, Bibliotech promotes efficiency, reduces errors and redundancies, and enhances the quality of information used to specify products and materials on building projects. Bibliotech began as a simple tool to connect architects with suppliers and their technical representatives, but quickly expanded into a more comprehensive resource, including Bibliotech Academy, a learning platform that offers educational opportunities for architects and other professionals. Recently, the company launched “Teki”, an AI-powered assistant to help architects navigate the complexities of the building code. Bibliotech promotes the use of healthy and sustainable materials in the construction industry, which is critical for human health, environmental sustainability, and resilience.
Innovator of Distinction Award
Bachelor of Technology ‘14 Bibliotech Inc
Juste Fanou’s innovation journey has been shaped by his passion for sustainability. He has a background in both architecture (Sheridan College) and civil engineering technology (McMaster University), which has given Fanou a solid foundation in the principles and practices of building design and construction. Over the years, Fanou worked on large commercial projects, where he’s brought architectural visions to life. As a Healthy Materials Advocate and a Building Science Specialist (BSS), he is committed to advancing environmental sustainability and human health in the built environment. He also runs a specifications writing practice and is a proud faculty member of the School of Architecture at Sheridan College in Mississauga where he teaches a class on specifications writing. His innovation, Bibliotech is a platform that aggregates knowledge about the building industry and makes it accessible to a wide audience, from industry professionals to students and enthusiasts. It provides a free comprehensive library of companies powered by a robust search engine, which saves time and resources, facilitates collaboration, and supports informed decision-making. By making this information easily accessible and up to date, Bibliotech promotes efficiency, reduces errors and redundancies, and enhances the quality of information used to specify products and materials on building projects. Bibliotech began as a simple tool to connect architects with suppliers and their technical representatives, but quickly expanded into a more comprehensive resource, including Bibliotech Academy, a learning platform that offers educational opportunities for architects and other professionals. Bibliotech promotes the use of healthy and sustainable materials in the construction industry, which is critical for human health, environmental sustainability, and resilience. “As the world faces increasing challenges related to climate change, resource depletion, and public health, the demand for sustainable building practices and materials will continue to grow. Bibliotech is poised to be a key player in this transformation, providing the information and tools necessary for professionals to design and build better buildings that benefit society.”
I always wanted to design something to help humans enhance their vision and also to see something they cannot with the naked eye.
Jia, a mechanical engineer, earned a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at McMaster. He launched Longan Vision in 2018 with four colleagues shortly after graduating with help from The Forge’s accelerator program. The initial idea was to create an augmented reality device to help people working in dangerous environments. From there, they worked with the McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute on manufacturing high-temperature AR combiners. They also collaborated with McMaster faculty, Wenbo He and Fengjun Yan on hardware design and thermal image processing. With Longan Vision’s flagship product, the Fusion Vision System (FVS), they believe they can help firefighters and search and rescue people save more lives and make them safer in the dangerous environments. The FVS is an augmented reality visor to let firefighters see the unseen. Through thermal imaging, environmental analysis, and remote image sharing with command vehicles, the FVS has the potential to offer unprecedented real-time data for firefighters. When you can see through smoke, you can more quickly identify hotspots, locate victims, and detect fire sources — equipping these first responders with a superpower that they haven’t had in 2000 years of organized firefighting.
• 2022 XR Innovation Award • 2021 IDA Design Award • 2020 IEEE Entrepreneurship Star
Bachelor of Technology '15, MEng Mechanical Engineering, '18 Longan Vision
Joshua McGillivray
Electrical & Biomedical Engineering ’21, MEng Biomedical Engineering ‘22 Universole Fit
In 2022, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering students Joshua McGillivray Aqeel Awadia co-founded Universole Fit. Participating in The Forge’s startup development program provided them with guidance on developing and scaling their startup venture. Winning The Forge McMaster Startup Survivor Pitch Competition last November led to the incorporation of the company and the expansion of the team to 10 people. Universole Fit offers an automated personalized shoe sizing tool intended to be used by shoe retailers to decrease the rate of returns due to sizing issues with online shoe purchases.
McMaster Engineering allowed me to begin my entrepreneurial journey through funding the Student Startup Competition. It was here that I was first exposed to entrepreneurship and eventually led me to found Pharmasonica as well as take an interest in Venture Capital.
Andrew Singh is the co-founder of Pharmasonica, an early-stage biomedical engineering company dedicated to revolutionizing drug delivery treatments. With a focus on addressing the inefficiencies associated with complex dosing protocols, Pharmasonica utilizes ultrasound-triggered microcapsules to enable targeted and on-demand drug release at specific targets in the body, particularly in the context of cancer treatment. This innovative technology has the potential to significantly enhance treatment efficacy, reduce side effects, and even pave the way for at-home treatments, eliminating the need for frequent visits to specialized facilities. Singh's entrepreneurial journey began at McMaster Engineering, which funded his participation in the Student Startup Competition. Through the competition, Singh was exposed to entrepreneurship for the very first time. It also led him to found Pharmasonica as well as take an interest in Venture Capital. His innovative path continues as he works to expand Pharmasonica. Singh’s entrepreneurial journey and success can be further explored in the article linked below.
Researcher, global expert of vehicle electrification and smart mobility and Canada Research Chair in Transportation Electrification and Smart Mobility, Ali Emadi is driven by his passion to build an inclusive transportation system that is safer, more equitable, more reliable and more sustainable. It was this passion that spawned his ambitious transportation electrification research program and brought him to McMaster a decade ago as a Canada Excellence Research Chair. It’s also led to the development of next generation electric motors and a disruptive design process that Emadi believes offer the world a quicker, cheaper and greener route to electrification across a range of industries. Enedym Inc. was formed as a technology start-up spin-off company of McMaster University in June 2015. The company has ownership of more than 50 patents, pending patent applications and related inventions developed by Emadi and his research group. With a focus on switched reluctance motor (SRM) technologies, Enedym offers electric drive solutions with simpler construction, lower cost, higher efficiency and a more stable supply chain. Many traditional electric propulsion motors rely on permanent magnets that require expensive rare earth metals sourced predominantly from China. Enedym motors eliminate those magnets, dropping the potential cost by as much as 40 per cent. Other advantages of SRM technology include high efficiency at high-speeds, fault tolerant operation, and the suitability to operate in harsh environments and at high temperature conditions. “Our motors are not just for automotive and transportation,” said Emadi. “We have developed game changing IP, innovative engineering processes, and software tools to meet demands across multiple industries.” Emadi’s vision for Enedym is simple: to save the planet, one electric motor market at a time.
• Student Startup Competition Winner • Mitacs Entrepreneurship Grant
Andrew (Doren) Singh
PhD Chemical Engineering '23 Pharmasonica
It has been rewarding for everyone on our team to work on a project with such direct human impact.
Christine Gabardo is the co-founder and CTO of CERT Systems Inc., leading the charge in transforming chemical production and driving decarbonization through innovative technology. Focusing on commodities like ethylene, CERT Systems revolutionize traditional processes by converting carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals using electricity and water. This approach enables both the electrification of industrial processes and the conversion of waste CO2 emissions into valuable products, promoting sustainability and a greener petrochemical industry. Driven by her passion for both medicine and engineering, Gabardo pursued an undergraduate degree in electrical and biomedical engineering at McMaster University. During her studies, she began her research career and received the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) undergraduate student research award. In her final year capstone project, she collaborated with a partner to develop a device and software enabling individuals with quadriplegia to type on a computer using only eye motions. This hands-on research experience further fueled her determination to make a positive impact through technological advancements. Inspired by her undergraduate research, she transferred into a PhD program working closely with Dr. Leyla Soleymani and later a PhD in biomedical engineering, specializing in the development of electrochemical biosensor devices for point-of-care applications. After completing her PhD, she started a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto, where she shifted her focus to CO2 electrocatalysis. Her innovative contributions in this field, along with the platform developed by Team CERT, led to the establishment of CERT Systems Inc. To learn more about CERT Systems' recognition, visit 2021 Foresight 50 list and 2022 Cleantech 50 to Watch list.
• NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE Competition Finalist • Bill Gates-backed Breakthrough Energy Fellowship • 2022 Clean50 Emerging Leader Award
Electrical & Biomedical Engineering ’11, PhD Biomedical Engineering ‘16 CERT Systems Inc.
Our motor technologies are next generation. They are adjustable speed drives that can be controlled and programmed. They are smart and they are highly efficient.
Ashok Sivanand has made significant contributions to the software consulting industry. As the founder of Integral, a leading software consulting company, Sivanand has focused on helping clients differentiate themselves in the marketplace by harnessing the power of software. Integral's mission is to assist ambitious companies in transforming into technology-led organizations, providing them with a de-risked path to sustainable speed to value for both customers and enterprise value. With a client portfolio that includes renowned companies such as Ford, Honda, Bosch, Airstream, and Rocket Companies, Integral has established itself as a trusted partner in driving innovation and success. Sivanand's educational background in electrical engineering, along with the diverse programs at McMaster University, has equipped him with the skills to collaborate effectively, solve complex problems, and make informed decisions. His ability to work alongside engineering, creative, and business colleagues and clients has been instrumental in Integral's success. Integral has helped its clients achieve remarkable returns on investment by assisting them in building the right products for their customers and establishing effective product teams. The company's expertise extends to areas such as connected vehicles, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and digital retail vehicles, where their innovations have made a significant impact.
Ashok Sivanand
Electrical Engineering '08 Integral
AgeRate began at McMaster University in 2018, where founders Cole Kirschner, Nathan Cawte, and Kevin Peters graduated from Biotechnology program at the W Booth School of Engineering & Technology. AgeRate is a pioneering longevity start-up committed to equipping individuals with the means to monitor and enhance their aging journey. The team has dedicated five years to perfecting a cutting-edge at-home blood test and intuitive mobile app that empowers users to grasp their aging process and make informed decisions for improvement. Leveraging the potential of epigenetics, AgeRate's proprietary algorithms accurately determine a user's biological age, as well as provide an array of insightful longevity reports. During their time at McMaster, the startup received invaluable support from professors, students, The Forge, and other local community partners who played a crucial role in their success. The Bachelor of Technology program not only provided them with foundational scientific knowledge but also equipped them with essential business tools they continue to utilize today. Managing a start-up demands versatility, and their diverse experience within the program, spanning technical and business courses, bolstered their confidence. This strong foundation, along with the unwavering encouragement from the faculty, propelled them to pursue AgeRate full-time after completing our studies. McMaster’s interdisciplinary approach to research and learning allowed the team to join forces with other esteemed founders and faculty, Guillaume Paré and Michael Chong, pathology and molecular medicine professors. Their expertise and insights contributed to their understanding of aging and the development of our proprietary algorithms. The impact of their innovation at AgeRate on society and the future of the longevity industry is profound. Until recently, the accurate measurement of aging through biomarker testing had proven to be elusive. With this newfound capability to genuinely assess aging, they have a unique opportunity to explore and uncover the factors that can effectively modify the aging process.
Bibliotech is poised to be a key player in this transformation, providing the information and tools necessary for professionals to design and build better buildings that benefit society.
Read more on Enzo Jia from the IEEE Spectrum linked below.
Read more about the story behind the award-winning invention in The Hamilton Spectator.
Teamwork, diligence and an inspiration named Beatrice helped a team of mechanical engineering alumni capture the 2022 Canadian James Dyson Award. Mechanical engineering graduates Afeef Khan, Caitlin Kuzler, Eden Lazar and Clayton MacNeil received the top honour prize for their invention Taco – named after an early taco-shaped version of their design.
2022 National James Dyson Award
Mechanical Engineering '22 Taco
Mechanical Engineering '22, MEng Mechanical Engineering '24 Taco
Our motto is science-based plant care.
Pereira is one of four recent McMaster engineering graduates who have teamed up to launch EarthOne, with the help of the Forge incubator program. The company has developed a patent-pending plant monitoring system for home gardeners and growers. A wireless monitor inserted into the dirt uses sensors to measure light, soil moisture, humidity and temperature. Through a connected app, it provides real-time insights and recommendations to optimize foliage, flowering and yield. Powered by a rechargeable battery, the monitor connects to machine-learning software capable of learning plant behaviours, monitoring watering cycles and predicting harvest dates for produce. It also tracks key plant metrics and offers reminders to keep owners on top of plant needs. By helping people keep their plants alive and thriving, the tool encourages connection with nature and reduced carbon emissions by promoting local growth.
Bachelor of Technology ‘19 EarthOne Inc.
Sina Afshani is the co-founder of Blue Orchid Care, a company driven by a mission to create innovative solutions for the challenges faced by millions of caregivers. Their product, ORCHIDlift, enables caregivers to lift and transport care recipients/loved ones who lack the strength or mobility to stand. Blue Orchid's mission is rooted in Afshani’s family's experience of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's. Their goal is to offer consumer-friendly medical devices that rival the equipment used in hospitals, enhancing the quality of life for caregivers and care recipients alike. With ORCHIDlift, families can provide safe and easy lifting and transportation at home, reducing the physical and emotional burden on caregivers and improving the well-being of care recipients. Especially in the context of COVID-19 and long wait times in long-term care facilities, ORCHIDlift's availability and affordability enable families to take on more significant caregiving roles and promote a better quality of life within their family environment. McMaster University has played a significant role in the success of Blue Orchid Care. Through the Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MEEI)/Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MTEI) program, Afshani had experienced mentors who provided valuable guidance and support throughout his entrepreneurial journey. The initial funding provided by McMaster enabled him to develop the first proof of concept, demonstrating the potential of their product idea to prospective investors. Additionally, McMaster connected Afshani to The Forge and Innovation Factory, expanding his network in the Hamilton entrepreneurship community and fostering valuable partnerships. With the university's resources and opportunities, Afshani turned his startup idea into a successful business.
• Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) grant • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) grant
Master's of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation ‘15 Blue Orchid Care Inc.
Our goal has always been to break the stigma that motorsports data analysis is only reserved for professional teams.
Alex earned his bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology at McMaster. In 2021, he launched BSquared Motorsports, an automotive technology firm serving motorsports drivers with education and analysis to help them race faster. The company provides driver data analysis, in-car coaching, and online content to help track racers learn how to use data to monitor, understand and improve their driving. Online courses, YouTube content and a published book – The Drivers’ Guide to Ontario Road Courses – have built the company’s reputation among the province’s racing community. The aim, says Alex, is to close the gap between a vehicle dynamics degree and the average grassroots racer. The increasing popularity of data analysis has even spread to drivers in eSports simulated racing, who have become BSquared clients. The company also operates a successful endurance racing team and sponsors an Ontario Time Attack racing series and individual drivers in road racing and karting, to try and increase the profile of data analysis in motorsports.
Bachelor of Technology ‘17 BSquared Motorsports
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OUR recent ALUMNI
We're making crypto safe and easy to use.
In 2022, Harwood co-founded Staging Labs to introduce a cutting-edge security solution designed for the cryptocurrency industry. The company’s Saferoot product focuses on safeguarding digital assets during the "in-flight stage" of transactions. In cases of suspicious activity, the system intervenes automatically by transferring digital assets from a vulnerable wallet to a secure backup safe. By providing proactive protection through continuous 24/7 monitoring, Saferoot gives users security and peace of mind. The company aims to foster confidence in the crypto ecosystem by improving security standards and reducing the risk of scams and fraud. This will pave the way for more people to embrace cryptocurrencies without fear.
• James Dyson Engineering Award • Arthritis Society People’s Choice Award • YWCA Women of Distinction Young Trailblazer • Best Overall Rehab Technology at the American Congress of Rehab Medicine Conference • plus 25 other international and national awards
Computer Science ‘17 Staging Labs Inc.
RECENT ALUMNI
Lianna Genovese, an entrepreneur and inventor, is revolutionizing the lives of individuals with limited hand mobility through her creation, Guided Hands™. As the founder of ImaginAble Solutions, Genovese is at the forefront of developing innovative assistive technologies, allowing people to write, paint, draw, and seamlessly engage with technology using touch-screen devices. Guided Hands™ originated from a first-year engineering class project as an iBioMed student at McMaster Engineering, when Genovese and her classmates were introduced to a client with cerebral palsy who had a passion for painting but lacked the fine motor skills necessary to continue. Determined to make a difference, Genovese and her team designed a guided system utilizing components from a local hardware store, enabling the client to paint once again. At the age of 19, this experience inspired Genovese to establish ImaginAble Solutions, bringing Guided Hands™ to the market. Today, Guided Hands™ has gained international recognition for its ability to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. ImaginAble Solutions offers design services that ensure the handpieces of Guided Hands™ are tailored to the specific needs of users, providing them with a customized and empowering experience. Through her dedication and ingenuity, Genovese has positively impacted the lives of countless individuals with limited hand mobility. Guided Hands™ allows them to rediscover their lost passions, regain their independence, and achieve newfound confidence in expressing themselves. It has won over 27 international awards and Guided Hands is used in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and schools across Canada, the U.S and Europe.
Biomedical & Mechanical Engineering ‘22 ImaginAble Solutions
The AccessResolve team initially met when they were McMaster Engineering students and came together to start the company. They discovered that one of the greatest challenges that individuals with disabilities face is the process of requesting reasonable accommodation. Through engagement with individuals with disabilities and support from McMaster's Employee Accessibility Network, as well as funding from McMaster's Okanagan Committee and McMaster's Forge, they validated the problem and developed AccessResolve. Learn more about AccessResolve and its journey through McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding, Forge startup survivor, Innovation Factory Synapse Competition and March Madness pitch competition.
AccessResolve fills a critical gap in the HR software market, providing a comprehensive digital disability management solution. By addressing the concerns of employers and employees, the platform reduces liability risk, streamlines communication, offers real-time analytics and ensures the security of medical records. AccessResolve aims to make workplaces more accessible for individuals with disabilities, making it a valuable solution in the HR software market.
• McMaster Okanagan Special Project Funding • McGill GoLead program • U21 Rise competition • 2nd place in Forge’s Startup Survivor competition • Top 10 in the Synapse Competition • March Madness Pitch competition Winner
Areeb Khawaja
Electrical Engineering '21, MEng Engineering Design '22 AccessResolve - Chief Executive Officer
Mohit Lal
MEng Systems & Technology '23 AccessResolve - Chief Technology Officer
Shivalika Sirohi
MEng Product Design '23 AccessResolve - Chief Design Officer
Michael Jobity is an innovative entrepreneur and the mind behind Jetson Infinity and 2unify. Jetson Infinity is a cinematic STEM experience that combines programmable robotic arms with coding education, bridging the gap between curriculum and industry. By fostering creativity and allowing users to build their own robotic applications, Jetson Infinity empowers students and inventors to share their creations on the Jetson App Store, reaching a global audience. This innovative platform finds applications in emerging fields such as Industry 4.0, Autonomous Vehicles, Space Robotics, GPT-4, Smart Systems, and more. Jetson Infinity has garnered recognition and deployment in multiple schools, universities, K-12 institutions, and STEM companies worldwide. Its unique pillars of innovation, including the cinematic experience, direct link to industry and emerging technologies, portable robotics, and a novel robotic app store for inventors, offer an unparalleled experience for students and innovators globally. Collectively, these users will have increased success rates in their academic, corporate, and entrepreneurial endeavours. The Forge McMaster and Innovation Factory have played a pivotal role in supporting Michael's innovation journey. With mentorship in sales, forecasting, strategy, manufacturing, and product development, along with access to experienced mentors and advisors, McMaster provided valuable support to propel the business forward. The faculty of McMaster Engineering has also been supportive, providing technical resources, marketing assistance, and promotion.
Engineering Physics & Management ‘20 Jetson Infinity and 2unify
Jetson Infinity
2unify
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AccessResolve
AccessResolve is an HR software that resolves workplace accommodations for employees and employers alike
Aqeel Awadia
Electrical & Biomedical Engineering ’21 Universole Fit
We wanted to make sure we were creating something that would have an impact on people’s day-to-day lives.
Excited and astonished by their win in the prestigious international competition, the alumni say their success opened their eyes to the possibilities of the entrepreneurial world. They are now investigating the business case for bringing Taco to market.
MenloLab Inc
Tyler Stiene
Enabling the Cloud for Engineeers and Data Scientists
We're spearheading innovations in engineering simulations and AI Integration.
Learn more about the future of electrification in transportation using AI software at EECOMOBILITY’s website.
In 2016, while working on his master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering, Stiene joined Ali Emadi’s research team at the McMaster Automotive Research Centre. His focus was to develop a virtual engineering platform that would allow engineers from different disciplines to design the next generation of electrified systems. Two years later, he and team of researchers from Emadi’s group founded MenloLab. The company lets engineers collaborate on problems by sharing data and solutions in real team. Its unique product is revolutionizing the landscape of engineering simulations with a novel technique that spreads workloads across a variety of compute resources. By increasing operational efficiency and scalability, MenloLab's solutions help organizations achieve more with less, saving valuable time and resources.The platform’s sophisticated data management capabilities keep crucial information well-structured, easily accessible, and safeguarded. Beta testing on the MenloLab product involved McMaster’s EcoCAR team, an interdisciplinary group of students designing, building and testing vehicles for the EcoCAR Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition. Today the company collaborates with McMaster Cubic Research to develop advanced machine learning and data analysis techniques to support the future of smart cities and mobility. The company is also now assisting organizations and research entities to integrate AI models into their product offerings, paving the way for the creation of more advanced, intelligent products. Looking ahead, MenloLab is focusing its efforts on the emerging ModelOps and Digital Twin sectors. ModelOps involves the complete lifecycle management of AI and machine learning models, while Digital Twin technology creates virtual replicas of physical assets for detailed analysis and simulation. By aiming its resources at these promising segments, MenloLab is setting the stage to provide businesses with the essential tools to fully exploit their AI models and digital twins.
Mechatronics & Management ’13, MEng Electrical & Computer Engineering ‘17 MenoLab Inc.
LXRY Magazine
Steve Dolson
In 2011, he launched LXRY Magazine, an online digital magazine focusing on luxury and extravagant living in Canada.
My work and passion revolve around leveraging AI to break barriers, elevate user experiences, and empower all.
After graduation, Joshua Segeren headed to Microsoft, where he led a team pioneering AI-powered features in Microsoft 365, including Live Captions and Translator, expanding accessibility for millions worldwide. That experience fed into his launch of Fluid, a company offering the first touchless user experiences solely driven by software. His vision was for intuitive interaction with devices, apps, and even 3D content. No need for glasses, gloves, or mouse. Just reach, pinch, or swipe in mid-air to interact. Unlocked by new computer vision AI capabilities, the patent-pending technology is a timely response to new demands brought about by the pandemic, such as for cleaner public kiosks and displays, and more lifelike, 3D online shopping and virtual experiences. Segeren's next venture, ShopCierge, provides a ready-made AI shopping assistant for online sellers. Powered by LLMs like GPT-4, ShopCierge offers personalized product recommendations, guidance, and support – a true virtual concierge. Segeren continues his commitment to technology accessibility through his AI & Innovation Strategy consultancy, advising clients from startups to investment management firms on the opportunities and impacts of generative AI for productivity, education, and beyond.
2018 IBM Centre for Advanced Studies Project of the Year 2017 IBM Centre for Advanced Studies Faculty Fellow of the Year
Joshua Segeren
Mechatronics Engineering & Management ‘15 Fluid, ShopCierge
LXRY Magazine brings together my engineering experience and my love of writing.
Alongside earning a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology, Dolson also spent his university years becoming an expert in the science of digital media marketing. Co-op experiences and summer jobs built his expertise in designing and implementing marketing campaigns using the latest technologies and social media tools. In 2011, he launched LXRY Magazine, an online digital magazine focusing on luxury and extravagant living in Canada. The job indulges his love of writing but also allows him to use his engineering background to undertake technical analysis and explain the design and functionality of complex systems.
Bachelor of Technology ‘12 LXRY Magazine
Fluid
We believe that the next evolution of human-computer experiences will be driven by Video AI. While we are just an 'infant' tech startup, we intend to help lead this charge toward a more inclusive & magical world.
Universole Fit
Captures the unique structure of every individual foot and shoe, allowing consumers to purchase shoes that are properly suited to their feet
Their invention – a knife guide designed to improve the lives of people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, hand tremors or other mobility issues – was created as a group project in a product design class at McMaster Engineering. The simple but elegant assistive device slips easily under a cutting board to provide a safe way for Parkinson’s patients to slice food.
Taco was inspired by the struggles of Beatrice, a patient at a care home where Lazar volunteered. Beatrice suffers from severe Parkinson’s disease, making it dangerous to use a knife and forcing her to rely on caregivers to prep her food. By designing a tool to hold her knife in a safe, effective cutting position, the team saw an opportunity to give her more independence and improve her quality of life.
Areeb, Mohit and Shivalika are the founders of AccessResolve, an innovative HR software designed to streamline workplace accommodations for employees and employers. With a focus on simplifying the process and ensuring compliance, AccessResolve provides a comprehensive solution for managing accommodation requests securely and confidentially.
Enedym, MenloLab, Auper
Enedym's novel switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive technologies are powering a new paradigm for energy systems and electric motors.
Ali Emadi
Optimal Computational Algorithms, Inc.
Christopher Anand
OCA licences tools for developing safe, high-performance scientific software.
Pathogen spray
Todd Hoare
Chemical engineering professor Todd Hoare has teamed up with Suncor, a Canadian integrated energy company, to create a new type of “soft” chemical spray that allows plants to fight their own battles.
OrganoBiotech
A simple platform to study complex biology
Boyang Zhang
Elarax
Carlos Filipe
Stabilizing biologicals, esp vaccines, CF a cofounder
Advanced Video Tech & Lightboard Depot
Michael Justason
Enhanced online teaching tool
Eecomobility
Saeid Habibi
AI software and have developed unique prognostic products.
Optimization Systems Associates Inc.
OSA’s primary thrust was in computer-aided design (CAD) and simulation and optimization of radio-frequency and microwave circuits and systems.
John Bandler
TBI Finder, Inc.
Nicholas Simard
We locate and grade impaired brain regions via advanced MRI analytics to help better understand, differentiate and communicate complex symptom presentations, while providing opportunity for more efficient personalized treatment approaches.
C20/20
Heather Sheardown
Working in collaboration with Ripple Therapeutics to reduces the amount of medication and monitoring neededfor patients with chronic eye conditions
Low cost electric propulsion motors
Natalia Nikolova joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at McMaster University in July 1999, where she is currently a professor. Her research interests include inverse scattering and microwave imaging, theoretical and computational electromagnetism, as well as high-frequency computer-aided design. Among her innovation achievements is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid physical security. Her technology was licensed to the company Patriot One (now part of Xtract One) to develop unobtrusive surveillance system to detect hidden weapons carried by people. The system will provide security surveillance in high schools, malls, and other public places. Nikolova’s dedication to innovating new solutions to continue to push the limits of what can be done to ensure other’s safety is how she uses engineering to create a safer world for all. Read more about Nikolova’s impact
Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering Xtract One (formerly Patriot One)
Research contributions recognized by Fellowships in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC). McMaster Recognition: • Joseph Ip Distinguished Engineering Professor • Two Faculty Appreciation Awards • Innovator of Distinction Award
We are now moving this technology forward toward commercialization with a significant potential for mitigating the spread of infectious diseases, especially the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Soleymani’s research focuses on detecting, monitoring, treating, and minimizing the spread and effects of infectious disease through the development of biomedical technologies. Didar’s research focuses on the creation and commercialization of nano-biomaterials for diagnostics, therapeutics and preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
Grand Prize Winner of the Create the Future Design Contest, Innovator of the Year in 2020
Associate Professor, McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering FendX
Mechanical Engineer Rakesh Sahu is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Celerite Labs and the Director of Operations at the Centre of Excellence in Protective Equipment and Materials at McMaster University. In the last seven years at McMaster as a post-doctoral fellow, research associate and director, Sahu has been at the forefront of several Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) breakthroughs during the COVID-19 pandemic. He supported with the launch of a hyper-localized air purification system, recruiting local manufacturing partners in Hamilton who were capable of producing personal protective masks during the pandemic during an international shortage and the development of biodegradable masks to reduce the build-up of single-use masks in landfills. His biotechnology spin-out company Celerite Labs provides magnetic printing technology that supports cancer research, wound healing, toxicity screening, disease modeling, and tissue engineering.
Two Faculty Appreciation Awards
STAFF
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering Celerite Labs
Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering Enedym, MenloLab, Auper
Combining their areas of expertise, Soleymani and Didar developed a pathogen-repellent wrap called RepelWrap. The clear plastic wrap has the ability to repel elements like water droplets, bacteria, and viruses. The invention, created right before the COVID-19 pandemic, took home the top prize in the 2020 Create the Future design contest and proved to be a gamechanger in reducing infectious disease transmission. RepelWrap is now moving towards scaled-up production through FendX Technologies, Inc.
- Tohid Didar
This is a line of defence against emerging pathogens, including future threats we have not yet seen.
- Leyla Soleymani
Researcher, global expert of vehicle electrification and smart mobility and Canada Research Chair in Transportation Electrification and Smart Mobility, Ali Emadi is driven by his passion to build an inclusive transportation system that is safer, more equitable, more reliable and more sustainable. It was this passion that spawned his ambitious transportation electrification research program and brought him to McMaster a decade ago as a Canada Excellence Research Chair. It’s also led to the development of next generation electric motors and a disruptive design process that Emadi believes offer the world a quicker, and greener route to electrification across a range of industries. Enedym Inc. was formed as a technology start-up spin-off company of McMaster University in June 2015. The company has ownership of more than 50 patents, pending patent applications and related inventions developed by Emadi and his research group. With a focus on switched reluctance motor (SRM) technologies, Enedym offers electric drive solutions with simpler construction, lower cost, higher efficiency and a more stable supply chain. Many traditional electric propulsion motors rely on permanent magnets that require expensive rare earth metals sourced predominantly from China. Enedym motors eliminate those magnets, dropping the potential cost by as much as 40 per cent. Other advantages of SRM technology include high efficiency at high-speeds, fault tolerant operation, and the suitability to operate in harsh environments and at high temperature conditions. “Our motors are not just for automotive and transportation,” said Emadi. “We have developed game changing IP, innovative engineering processes, and software tools to meet demands across multiple industries.” Emadi’s vision for Enedym is simple: to help save the planet, one electric motor market at a time.
Christopher Anand is an Associate Professor at McMaster University and founder of Optimal Computational Algorithms, Inc., a company that focuses on developing high-assurance software for various applications, ranging from Artificial Intelligence to Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Anand's expertise lies in creating software that performs at peak efficiency and reliability. Anand’s journey in the pursuit of high-assurance, safety-critical software began when he returned to school and started teaching as an Assistant Professor in 2001. During this time, he collaborated with colleagues in Mathematical Optimization and Programming Languages to develop a novel approach to scientific software development using Domain Specific Languages. Inspired by his experiences at McMaster, Anand decided to spin off a company that provided employment opportunities to many McMaster students for over a decade. Anand’s software is widely shipped by IBM, improving energy efficiency in various software applications. After recognizing the lack of computer science knowledge in different industries, he founded the Fondation STaBL Foundation, a charity aimed at globally enhancing K-12 computer science education. Anand’s expertise and contributions in the field of computational algorithms have not only advanced software performance and reliability but have also led to a commitment to improving computer science education for future generations.
• 2018 IBM Centre for Advanced Studies Project of the Year • 2017 IBM Centre for Advanced Studies Faculty Fellow of the Year
Associate Professor, Computing & Software, Computational Science & Engineering, and McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering Optimal Computational Algorithms, Inc.
Associate Professor, Engineering Physics FendX
Leyla Soleymani is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Physics at McMaster. She also holds the titles of Associate Vice-President, Research (Commercialization & Entrepreneurship), University Scholar and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Miniaturized Biomedical Devices. She is also a member of the Royal Society of Canada, College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists. She received her M.Sc. from the University of Southern California, and her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto.
Boyang Zhang is an Assistant Professor and Associate Chair (Graduate) in the Department of Chemical Engineering at McMaster University. He is the driving force behind OrganoBiotech, an innovative company dedicated to revolutionizing drug discovery. Founded in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhang and his team are committed to making a significant impact on the future of healthcare. OrganoBiotech's flagship product, the IFlowPlate, is an impactful platform that transforms preclinical models for high-throughput, precision drug screening. By incorporating perfusable blood vessels and optimized microenvironments into tissue and organoid cultures, the IFlowPlate provides unprecedented insights into drug efficacy and safety. This technology opens new possibilities for accelerating drug development and improving patient outcomes. Zhang and PhD Candidates Dawn Lin and Shravanthi co-founded the company and are the driving force behind OrganoBiotech. During the early stages of OrganoBiotech, Zhang received invaluable support from the McMaster Industry Liaison Office (MILO), which played a crucial role in facilitating negotiations with angel investors and inventors. Their patience and effective collaboration led to a favorable licensing agreement, which greatly contributed to securing initial venture capital funding. As a result, OrganoBiotech has gained traction, with products sold to over 13 academic labs and companies worldwide since its inception.
Associate Chair (Graduate) and Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering OrganoBiotech
The ability to communicate science and scientific knowledge and concepts to a broader audience is really important, and I think it is going to become even more important moving forward.
Todd Hoare received a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from McMaster in 2006. He returned to McMaster in 2008 to join the faculty as a professor in chemical engineering after a two-year NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)-sponsored post-doctoral fellowship in Robert Langer’s laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Hoare and his research team create injectable hydrogels - materials that are liquid-like outside the body but rapidly form hydrogels when injected inside the body. Such hydrogels can facilitate tissue regeneration, local delivery of a drug to a targeted site, or joint cushioning to address the pain of osteoarthritis while remaining highly compatible with the body. His team has also developed a range of triggerable drug delivery devices in which non-invasive stimuli like magnetic fields and ultrasound can be used to turn drug release in the body on and off without requiring repeated local injections. As the director of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada-funded Controlled Release Leaders (ContRoL) CREATE program, Hoare’s work has also led to major breakthroughs in controlled release sprays, including the creation of a nasal spray to deliver antipsychotic medication directly to the brain instead of having it pass through the body and teaming up with Suncor, a Canadian integrated energy company, to create a new type of “soft” chemical for crops that will minimize the amount of times they need to be sprayed every year and giving plants the ability to fight off pathogens themselves. Read more about Hoare’s partnership with Suncor and its impact on the agricultural sector.
Professor, Chemical Engineering Controlled Release Leaders
Michael Justason is the co-founder of the Lightboard Depot Inc. His passion for innovative teaching methods led to the development of equipment and methods for live-synchronous virtual classes using a lightboard, revolutionizing online education. The lightboard technology, referred to by students as "next-level" online teaching, has applications across all levels of education and any context that requires improved online communication. In their eCampusOntario-funded research, Justason and his team demonstrated that lightboards significantly increased student engagement from approximately 50% to 80%. While the technology itself was not new, adapting it for live-synchronous teaching was. This teaching style was initially motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic but has proven to be highly effective even beyond the time of mandatory online classes. Over the past three years, the startup company that emerged from McMaster University has successfully sold over 100 lightboards to colleges, universities, and companies. Justason's journey with the lightboard began in 2015 when McMaster Engineering and the W Booth School partnered with MacPherson to create a lightboard studio at McMaster. Recognizing the technology’s potential, he recorded lightboard videos for two of his courses in 2016, which received exceptional feedback from students. However, it was his meeting with fellow Engineering Faculty member, Adrian Kitai, who had extensive expertise in light and glass, that sparked their innovative collaboration. Justason, Kitai and mechatronics and management graduate Chris Cavalieri engineered a home-friendly system that emulates the appearance and functionality of a high-end studio. Orders for lightboards from McMaster Engineering professors kickstarted the company, and the rest is history. Learn more about Lightboard Depot through CHCH Morning Life and Toronto Star/Hamilton Spectator.
Michael Justason is the co-founder of Advanced Video Tech and Lightboard Depot. His passion for innovative teaching methods led to the development of equipment and methods for live-synchronous virtual classes using a lightboard, revolutionalizing online education. The lightboard technology, referred to by students as "next-level" online teaching, has applications across all levels of education and any context that requires improved online communication. In their eCampusOntario-funded research, Justason and his team demonstrated that lightboards significantly increased student engagement from approximately 50% to 80%. While the technology itself was not new, adapting it for live-synchronous teaching was. This teaching style was initially motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic but has proven to be highly effective even beyond the time of mandatory online classes. Over the past three years, the startup company that emerged from McMaster University has successfully sold over 100 lightboards to colleges, universities, and companies. Justason's journey with the lightboard began in 2015 when McMaster Engineering and the W Booth School partnered with MacPherson to create a lightboard studio at McMaster. Recognizing the technology’s potential, he recorded lightboard videos for two of his courses in 2016, which received exceptional feedback from students. However, it was his meeting with fellow Engineering Faculty member, Adrian Kitai, who had extensive expertise in light and glass, that sparked their innovative collaboration. Justason, Kitai and mechatronics and management graduate Chris Cavalieri engineered a home-friendly system that emulates the appearance and functionality of a high-end studio. Orders for lightboards from McMaster Engineering professors kickstarted the company, and the rest is history.
2019 President's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning
Program Chair, B.Tech. Civil Engineering Infrastructure Technology, Program Chair, Business and Management, and Assistant Professor, Booth School Lightboard Teaching and Lightboard Depot Inc.
Being part of this system will enable us to move our work forward more quickly, in the hope of creating benefits for humanity, which has always been our goal.
Carlos Filipe joined the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster in 2002. He is currently the chair of and a professor in the department of chemical engineering. In 2019 he co-founded a company called Elarex with the mission to make all types of medicine and drugs more accessible. As Elarex’s scientific advisor, Filipe’s company developed a technology to thermally stabilize vaccines so that their distribution becomes less dependent on maintaining the "cold chain”. This innovation addressed the critical need for more efficient ways to transport vaccines, particularly liquid mRNA vaccines, that played a key role in the global community’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccination is a pillar of global health, says Filipe, and creating sustainable forms of transporting these vaccines means they become more accessible to remote communities in Canada and throughout the world. Learn more about Elarex and its achievements.
$1.2M Canadian grant from the non-profit humanitarian foundation
Professor and Chair, Chemical Engineering Elarex
Frances Lasowski is the co-founder and CEO of 20|20 OptimEyes Technologies, a drug delivery company spun out of McMaster University commercializing mucoadhesive micelles for various health applications. Trained as a chemical engineer having completed her PhD at McMaster, she has combined her expertise in biomaterials and drug delivery with commercialization activities supported by the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. As Executive Director of the C20/20 Innovation Hub, she has supported the evaluation of technologies for clinical potential, particularly in ophthalmic indications. Lasowski is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology and an Innovation Coach with the Michael G. DeGroote Initiative for Innovation in Healthcare at McMaster University.
Heather Sheardown is the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at McMaster University. She is also the Scientific Director of the C20/20 Innovation Hub. Sheardown is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers, and the International Union of Societies of Biomaterials and Engineering. She holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Ophthalmic Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Systems. She has gained an international reputation for her research on ophthalmic biomaterials, including her innovative work on the development of new materials for artificial cornea and ophthalmic drug delivery.
20/20 OptimEyes Technologies was founded to advance promising drug delivery technologies from the research lab toward clinical use. Led by the talented team of Frances Lasowski, Heather Sheardown and Renaud Jacquemart, and supported by experienced key advisors from the GTA start-up ecosystem and beyond, OptimEyes is initially validating their mucoadhesive micelle technology for glaucoma, a blinding ocular disease. While fundraising to support this program, the team is actively exploring strategic partnerships to find further applications in other mucosal areas, working with novel therapeutics their formulation. These are therapeutics that could benefit from lower doses or controlled release to reduce toxic side effects, higher solubility to increase efficacy or a reduced dosing regimen to improve patient compliance. Learn more about the biotechnology spin-out on their website.
Leyla Soleymani: Grand Prize Winner of the Create the Future Design Contest, Innovator of the Year in 2020
Frances Lasowski
Co-Founder and CEO, 20/20 OptimEyes Technologies BEng '09, PhD '19 Adjunct Assistant Professor, W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology
Co-Founder and Scientific Director, 20/20 OptimEyes Technologies BEng '89 Dean, Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University
As the co-founder and president of Lunar Medical, Thomas Doyle is leading the development of autonomous medical support capabilities by leveraging cutting-edge advancements in biomedical technology, artificial intelligence, precision medicine, and bio-sensing. Lunar Medical understands that innovations developed for space travel have a history of benefiting people on Earth, and their mission is to bring the advantages of these medical solutions to individuals all around the world. Doyle's journey began in February 2012 during his work in the Arctic field in Eureka, Nunavut, with the Canadian Space Agency. This experience highlighted the potential for making a significant impact in intelligent health support, both in remote and near environments. Inspired by this realization, Dr. Doyle and Dr. David Musson co-founded Lunar Medical in October 2012 to tackle the challenges of providing intelligent health support for human space exploration. They firmly believe that a system capable of maintaining astronaut health under remote and austere conditions has the power to disrupt healthcare closer to home. Lunar Medical's work has found meaningful applications in the Canadian Space Agency's Health Beyond Connected Care Medical Modules (C2M2) for supporting northern healthcare and potential crewed space exploration missions like Artemis II. Throughout its development, Lunar Medical has received support from McMaster University's Faculty of Engineering and Industry Liaison Office, which has facilitated its presence in the Don Pether Incubation Center located in McMaster's Innovation Park. This location has fostered collaborations with other innovative companies spawned by McMaster and facilitated partnerships with organizations such as The Forge and Innovation Factory.
As the co-founder and president of Lunar Medical, Thomas Doyle is leading the development of autonomous medical support capabilities by leveraging cutting-edge advancements in biomedical technology, artificial intelligence, precision medicine, and bio-sensing. Lunar Medical understands that innovations developed for space travel have a history of benefiting people on Earth, and their mission is to bring the advantages of these medical solutions to individuals all around the world. Doyle's journey began in February 2012 during his work in the Arctic field in Eureka, Nunavut, with the Canadian Space Agency. This experience highlighted the potential for making a significant impact in intelligent health support, both in remote and near environments. Inspired by this realization, Doyle and Dr. David Musson co-founded Lunar Medical in October 2012 to tackle the challenges of providing intelligent health support for human space exploration. They firmly believe that a system capable of maintaining astronaut health under remote and austere conditions has the power to disrupt healthcare closer to home. Lunar Medical's work has found meaningful applications in the Canadian Space Agency's Health Beyond Connected Care Medical Modules (C2M2) for supporting northern healthcare and potential missions like Artemis II. Throughout its development, Lunar Medical has received support from McMaster University's Faculty of Engineering and Industry Liaison Office, which has facilitated its presence in the Don Pether Incubation Center located in McMaster's Innovation Park. This location has fostered collaborations with other innovative companies spawned by McMaster and facilitated partnerships with organizations such as The Forge and Innovation Factory.
Thomas Doyle
Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering Lunar Medical
John Bandler studied at Imperial College, London, England, and received the B.Sc.(Eng.), Ph.D., and D.Sc.(Eng.) degrees from the University of London, England, in 1963, 1967, and 1976, respectively. After one year at Mullard Research Laboratories, Redhill, England, and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, he joined McMaster University, Canada, in 1969, where he is currently a Professor Emeritus. He founded Optimization Systems Associates Inc. (OSA) in 1983 to commercialize optimization methodology and algorithms that he and his colleagues had developed. OSA’s primary thrust was in computer-aided design (CAD) and simulation and optimization of radio-frequency and microwave circuits and systems. Its products included electromagnetic optimization and Bandler’s space mapping concept and methodology, which facilitates effective modeling and design optimization of computationally intensive engineering systems. OSA produced the first commercial implementation of space mapping optimization. Optimization Systems Associates Inc. was sold to Hewlett-Packard in 1997. Bandler’s innovations have transformed engineering design optimization, especially the design of high-frequency technology that underpins today’s electronic communications. Dr. Bandler has authored fiction and nonfiction, and has written, produced and directed plays and a short film. He has given workshops on entrepreneurship, ethics, persuasion, awareness, creativity, and creative thinking, and, across all disciplines, he coaches and mentors students and young professionals in communicating their research to general audiences. In particular, he spearheaded and co-organized from 2017 to 2022 the IEEE International Microwave Symposium and Microwave Week Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competitions.
Awards and Recognitions • Fellow, IEEE • Fellow, Royal Society of Canada • Fellow, Canadian Academy of Engineering • IEEE MTT-S Microwave Application Award • IEEE Canada McNaughton Gold Medal • Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
Professor Emeritus, Electrical & Computer Engineering Optimization Systems Associates Inc. (OSA)
The McMaster Industry Liaison Office (MILO) has played a vital role in supporting TBI Finder as a startup, guiding them to funding sources like the NSERC Ideas to Innovation grant and the SOPHIE grant. Through the engineering Industrial PhD program, Noseworthy brought on Simard as a PhD student and COO of TBI Finder, accelerating the company's progress. TBI Finder's technology has primarily been used in the legal market in Canada, providing crucial evidence for individuals with brain injuries. In Switzerland, it has been adopted by neurologists. Major global medical imaging vendors have expressed interest, pending regulatory approval for potential partnerships. More on TBI Finder featured in the German magazine BIKE and Swiss magazine Kavallo.
With a passion for advancing medical diagnostics, Michael Noseworthy has developed a pioneering software solution TBI Finder, Inc., a game-changing company focused on transforming brain injury assessment and diagnosis. The work of TBI Finder has been recognized through four peer-reviewed journal publications and over 30 conference proceedings worldwide. Nicholas Simard completed his master’s in biomedical engineering at McMaster University with a specialization in MRI technological development. He is further pursuing an industrial Ph.D. at McMaster in electrical and computer engineering where he blends his technical and business skills as COO of TBIFinder. Numerous patients undergo MRI scans each week for symptoms like brain injuries, concussions, dizziness, fainting, and headaches. However, many of these patients receive inconclusive results, being told their brain appears normal. TBI Finder addresses this challenge by utilizing advanced algorithms and a vast healthy control brain database to detect structural and functional abnormalities. With around 400 MRI scanners in Canada, TBI Finder has the potential to provide answers to thousands of patients per week or up to 200,000 patients per year.
• 3 MITACS Accelerate Grant Awards • NSERC i2i Grant • SOPHIE grant
Michael Noseworthy
Industrial PhD Candidate, Electrical & Computer Engineering TBI Finder, Inc.
Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Professor McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering TBI Finder, Inc.
As a society, we will need a combination of strategies to reduce energy use and carbon emissions where we live, learn and work, and we should be planning 25 years out.
- James Cotton
It is a grand thermodynamics problem, explains Cotton. “We waste more energy than we use in society. Why would we waste it when we can harvest and use it?
Currently, most of the energy used in industrial production and other businesses goes to waste. In fact, up to 70% of energy is lost in the use of electricity, natural gas and oil pathways to our communities. Cotton strives to solve this problem with his integrated energy systems research. His idea is to combine thermal and electrical energy technologies to harvest waste heat, improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Jim Cotton is a three-time engineering graduate from McMaster’s Mechanical Engineering program. Cotton’s vision is to build sustainable energy systems in communities across Canada. His commitment to this vision began when he started working as a Mechanical Engineering professor at McMaster 16 years ago. Now, with the creation of a novel energy research cooperative, his work could help shape the city of the future
This train of thought led to a collaboration between Pizza Pizza Limited, Thermal Electronics Corporation, and McMaster University, to create Harvest Systems Inc. Created in 2018, Cotton’s HARvEST Systems, is a spin-off company tasked to commercialise the Harvest Platform of products within the food service industry. The Harvest platform is a fuel-less, carbon-free hot water heating system that provides solutions for commercial restaurants. Energy harvesting from commercial appliances increases restaurant efficiencies while simultaneously decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering operational costs. In a recent Q&A article, Cotton answers questions about how McMaster plans to reduce carbon emissions on campus outlined in McMaster’s Net Zero Carbon Roadmap and explores the trade-offs of having net zero carbon emissions as a goal.
Jeffrey Girard
Jim Cotton
BEng '12, MASc '16, Research Laboratory Manager, Waste Energy Recovery Lab, McMaster Institute for Energy Studies Harvest Systems Inc
BEng '94, MEng '97, PhD '01 Professor, Mechanical Engineering Harvest Systems Inc
Dr. Saeid Habibi is a Tier I Canada Research Chair, a Senior NSERC Industrial Research Chair and a full professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at McMaster University. He obtained his Ph.D. in Control Engineering from the University of Cambridge, U.K.in 1990. His academic background includes research in Artificial Intelligence, intelligent control, state and parameter estimation, fault diagnosis and prediction, Variable Structure Systems, actuation systems, mechatronics and fluid power. The application areas for his research have included autonomous vehicles, traffic monitoring, automotive powertrain, aerospace, and robotics. Dr. Habibi is the founder and CEO of EECOMOBILITY Inc. EECOMOBILITY is a Canadian start up out of McMaster University, specializing in AI software and has developed unique prognostic and monitoring products. EECOMOBILITY’s products are applicable to the automotive sector, fleet operations, autonomous operability, conventional and electrified powertrains, industrial automation, and manufacturing operations. Governments throughout the world are increasingly acknowledging climate change and its potentially catastrophic consequences. Concerns related to climate change have spearheaded the momentous shift towards the electrification of various market technologies as it pertains to the elimination of fossil fuels. EECOMOBILITY Inc. specializes in fault detection using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). EECOMOBILITY has developed exceptional testing and monitoring software especially designed for the energy storage (batteries), automotive, industrial, and manufacturing markets. Primary contributions surround improved testing capabilities in the detection of faulty battery cells, addressing the critical need to reduce Electric Vehicle (EV) battery fires. EECOMOBILITY currently has two AI software products. 1) EECOPower: A battery cell testing system capable of detecting defects in batteries. 2) EECOMonitor: A unique fault detection, diagnosis and prognosis system for industrial, chemical, and automotive sectors. Having facilitated the acquisition of provincial funding through multiple grants, McMaster University has played a direct role in the ability to bridge research and innovation into commercialized products. The Centre for Mechatronics and Hybrid Technologies (CMHT), based out of McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) provides the research and testing capabilities that are crucial to the commercialization of EECOMOBILITY’s products.
Professor, Mechanical Engineering Innovation: Eecomobility
• IEEE MTT-S Microwave Career Award • McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering Research Achievement Award • Appointment to Officer of the Order of Canada • McMaster’s Lifetime Innovator Award • Professional Engineers Ontario’s Gold Medal • IEEE Electromagnetics Award • McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering Exceptional Service Award
OUR faculty
Lunar Medical
Solving the challenges of providing medical support in spaceflight.
HARvEST Systems
The development of the POWER system provided a technological solution that improves cooking efficiency and integrates the restaurant support infrastructure to improve overall restaurant energy utilisation
20/20 OptimEyes
20/20 OptimEyes is committed to improving treatments for patients suffering from vision loss and other ocular conditions.
This technology, which is complicated to create but simple to use, is going to create a situation where more and more of these babies can be saved, and that is what is driving all of us to do this.
Ravi Selvaganapathy, Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Professor at McMaster and Canada Research Chair in Biomicrofluidics laureate, is transforming the biomedical applications of microfluidics through his research. As the executive director of the Centre of Excellence in Protective Equipment and Materials (CEPEM) at McMaster, Selvaganapathy has led research teams that have been at the forefront of sustainable personal protective equipment (PPE) initiatives throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Among his most recent achievements is the development of corn-based PPE masks that are designed to replace single-use masks that end up in landfills and with masks that are biodegradable. Among his highest achievements as an innovator was the creation of an artificial lung to assist infants with respiratory diseases in a partnership with Christoph Fusch, a McMaster faculty member in Pediatrics and Chief of Pediatrics at Nuremberg General Hospital in Germany. The device connects to a newborn’s umbilical cord, uses the existing power of the heart to drive blood through channels of a fine membrane whose structure resembles the lining of the lungs, allowing the release of carbon dioxide and the uptake of oxygen while protecting the blood from outside infection. “This technology, which is complicated to create but simple to use, is going to create a situation where more and more of these babies can be saved, and that is what is driving all of us to do this,” says Selvaganapathy.
Ravi Selvaganapathy
Distinguished Engineering Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Canada Research Chair in Biomicrofluidics (laureate) Artificial Placenta
Artificial Placenta
An artificial lung that assists infants with respiratory diseases.
Read more about Selvaganapathy’s innovations in developing an artificial lung to support newborns and his meaningful contributions to PPE through CEPEM.
Spearheading Innovations in Engineering Simulations and AI Integration.
Jeffrey Girard is a two-time engineering graduate from McMaster’s Mechanical Engineering program. He has served as a research laboratory manager for the Integrated Community Energy and Harvesting Laboratory within the McMaster Institute for Energy Studies for more than five years. Jeff plays a pivotal role in acting as the interface between the laboratory operations and the experimental goals of researchers. Throughout his studies at McMaster, Jeff found his passion in understanding heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics with a focus on waste energy recovery applications and how advance systems could be applied to solve some of society’s most pressing sustainability issues.
Tohid Didar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He also holds a Canada Research Chair in Nano-Biomaterials. Before joining McMaster University in 2016, Didar was a postdoctoral fellow at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. He obtained his PhD degree in 2013 from McGill University.
Gennum
Douglas Barber
Gennum was a leading supplier of high speed analog and mixed-signal semiconductors for the optical communications and video broadcast markets
Ennetix Inc
Pulak Chowdhury
xVisor, our AIOps platform, was designed and built foundationally to address the most-challenging aspects of IT operations management by creating bridges among various observability and monitoring solutions.
tonal
Aly Orady
Tonal uses advanced digital weight that continually adapts workouts so they’re most effective for you.
Bodyport
Corey Centen
We are a biomarker-guided digital therapeutics company that aims to address complex chronic conditions by embedding a sophisticated biomarker platform into simple, easy-to-use devices.
akindi inc.
Mahmoud Hashim
The easiest grading tool for paper and online tests. Provide faculty with time saving tools and analytics while relieving internal resources.
apisec.ai
Faizel Lakhani
Mr. Lakhani is a named inventor on thirteen US patents specifically around systems and methods for managing data, mining data and security.
ukko agro inc.
Leveraging the power of IoT, machine learning, and agricultural science to provide real-time information, Ukko Agro is building solutions to solve the challenge of growing more food while optimizing crop inputs, and doing so sustainably.
Avi Bhargava
OPEN IP Corporation
Somaradi Khiev
We are a technology company specializing in the creation and management of Intellectual Property (IP).
Prova Innovations Ltd.
Matthew Rosato
PROVA specializes in wearable technology solutions for in-home gait training and neuromuscular rehabilitation.
tourbird
Outdoor audio walking tours
Teresa Hunkeler
Epineuron Technologies
Mike Willand
We are building the world’s first electroceutical device engineered to supercharge the nerve and accelerate regeneration.
McMaster has played a key role in our success. We have participated with several Masters and PhD level projects through the W Booth School and MARC, working with students to accelerate adoption of technology from a business perspective while providing students with real-life project experiences.
Gina Succi is a Professional Engineer, a member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Westhill Innovation. For over 20 years, her career interests include leadership in engineering, product development and technology commercialization, in four vastly different market sectors including steelmaking, warehousing/ logistics, mining and construction. Westhill Innovation is a leading designer and manufacturer of SunShifter™ and SunRunner, solar electromobility power solutions and lightweight composites for commercial and recreational transportation. SunShifter™ is the largest mobile solar powered solution in the trucking industry. The innovation can power the refrigeration systems on a straight truck 20 - 28 ft and up to 53 ft tractor trailers. Solar panels are only part of the solution. The technology includes batteries, solar chargers, inverters, converters and communication software.
Civil Engineering '89 Westhill Innovation Inc.
established ALUMNI
• Small Business Innovations Research Grants • Awards for Research Innovations at UC Davis • Green Technology Entrepreneurship Academy Award at UC Davis
Soleymani’s research focuses on detecting, monitoring, treating, and minimizing the spread and effects of infectious disease through the development of biomedical technologies. Didar’s research focuses on the creation of miniaturized devices that are able to detect bacteria, viruses, cells, and pathogens.
When I joined University of California, Davis to pursue a PhD, … the mantra as always was driving innovations to solve real-world problems... That is how I embarked upon a journey of founding an innovation-first startup.
established alumni
MASc Software Engineering ‘05 Ennetix Inc
We're applying fundamental mechanical engineering knowledge to enhance the reliability of rotating equipment.
With a passion for fixing mechanical things from his earliest years, Greg Auger always knew mechanical engineering was his future. Today, as co-founder of Millstream Engineering, he brings that passion and skill, plus unique materials and products, to the goal of enhancing the reliability of rotating equipment. While the company’s expertise spans multiple markets, it has particular impact in the hydropower industry, where it works to troubleshoot problems in aging equipment The industry’s large machines – many designed and constructed 50 or 100 years ago – were built in an era where little consideration was given to the environmental impact of frequent greasing and oil leakage on lakes and waterways. To mitigate these issues, Millstream specializes in working with non-metallic polymers to design bushings and journal bearings that can operate without the need for grease or oil, even in submerged environments. It also uses highly efficient mechanical shaft seals to effectively eliminate leakage from large rotating shafts. By replacing the traditional stuffing boxes, their seals significantly extend the maintenance intervals.
Greg Auger
Mechanical Engineering ’00 Millstream Engineering Inc.
Soleymani’s research focuses on detecting, monitoring, treating, and minimizing the spread and effects of infectious disease through the development of biomedical technologies. Didar’s research focuses on the creation of miniaturized devices that are able to detect bacteria, viruses, cells, and pathogens. Combining their areas of expertise, Soleymani and Didar developed a pathogen-repellent wrap called RepelWrap. The clear plastic wrap has the ability to repel elements like water droplets, bacteria, and viruses. The invention, created in the very first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, took home the top prize in the 2020 Create the Future design contest and proved to be a gamechanger in reducing infectious disease transmission. RepelWrap is now moving towards scaled-up production through FendX Technologies, Inc.
I'm a proud supporter of Canadian technology companies.
After earning his mechanical engineering degree at McMaster, Hinton went on to earn a law degree in 2010 and specialize in intellectual property law. Now an IP lawyer, patent agent and trademark agent, Hinton established his firm Own Innovation in 2018. He focuses on supporting Canadian companies in building and executing robust IP strategies to generate global patent portfolios. In 2019, he co-founded the Innovation Asset Collective, a federally funded not-for-profit with a mandate to help Canadian data-driven cleantech companies harness the value and power of their IP and data. As a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, he researches and publishes on IP and innovation policy. He is also an assistant professor at Western University, where he has taught courses on IP strategy and commercialization since 2015. Hinton is an advocate of pro bono legal services and works with entrepreneurs locally and nationally at incubators and accelerators on IP and IP strategy. He also works closely with the Council of Canadian Innovators on Canada’s Innovation initiatives and Canada’s national IP strategy.
2014 - J. Edward Maybee Memorial Prize for highest overall mark on the Canadian patent agent examination
Mechanical Engineering ’05 Own Innovation
Leyla Soleymani is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Physics at McMaster. She also holds the titles of Associate Vice-President, Research (Commercialization & Entrepreneurship), University Scholar and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Miniaturized Biomedical Devices. She received her M.Sc. from the University of Southern California, and her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. Tohid Didar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He also holds a Canada Research Chair in Nano-Biomaterials. Before joining McMaster University in 2016, Didar was a postdoctoral fellow at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. He obtained his PhD degree in 2013 from McGill University.
I had an epiphany and I realized that I could unlock something and really change people’s lives. That’s the motivation. There are much simpler ways to make money.
A 20-year Silicon Valley veteran, engineer and serial entrepreneur, Aly carries his McMaster engineering student experience with him every day. “The two things that served me really, really well in my career journey were, one, the very strong technical focus. In my four years at McMaster in engineering almost every single class I took was technical in nature, so I feel like compared to many of my peers especially in the United States, I had a stronger technical foundation,” he says. “But the second one was all the things I also learned outside of class. … The leadership skills I learned, the planning skills, the way to run meetings with lots of stakeholders, all that stuff also served me very well in the workplace because, as you know, it’s not just about technical skills, it’s about the ability to work effectively with others and eventually to guide teams and lead them and inspire them.” Aly is the founder of the innovative in-home smart gym company Tonal, which grew rapidly during the pandemic and has established relationships with superstar athlete-entrepreneurs like Serena Williams, Lebron James and Steph Curry. Inspired by his own quest for better health and fitness, Aly sees Tonal as more than a business venture. “It’s truly the opportunity to change people’s lives,” he says. “And that came out of a place where what I personally did in health and fitness changed my life. … I had an epiphany and I realized that I could unlock something and really change people’s lives. … That’s the motivation. There are much simpler ways to make money.” Read his Alumni Story.
Computer Engineering ’98 Tonal
What we try to achieve here at Ukko is deliver an experience where our customers get the devices, push the button, and everything is up and running. They don’t have to worry about any configurations as such.
Avi Bhargava, an Electrical Engineering graduate, is a co-founder of a predictive analytics company that revolutionizes decision-making in the agriculture industry. By integrating agronomy sciences, machine learning, IoT devices, and digital technologies, their powerful predictive analytics platform enables agriculture enterprises and farms to make sustainable and operationally viable decisions. With a presence in North America and Europe, their platform forecasts crop outcomes up to two weeks in advance, providing precise recommendations on when and where to apply crop inputs such as chemicals, fertilizers, and water for optimal yields. Ukko Agro's innovative approach addresses the global challenge of increasing food production while promoting environmental sustainability, increasing productivity and profitability across the agriculture value chain, contributing to global food security. Bhargava's time at McMaster Engineering played a pivotal role in shaping his problem-solving skills and passion for impactful innovation. Through diverse co-op experiences, he gained clarity on the type of problems he was eager to solve. Inspired by his experiences in healthcare and technology strategy roles, Bhargava co-founded Ukko Agro Inc., driven by the mission to address the challenges of the agriculture industry. McMaster's emphasis on technical skills and effective teamwork equipped Bhargava with the necessary tools to lead and tackle complex challenges in the creation of Ukko Agro. Read more about Ukko Agro’s efforts in precision agriculture here. Explore Bhargava's insights and experiences on his blog.
Electrical Engineering '09 Ukko Agro Inc.
Douglas H. Barber is an accomplished engineer and one of the founders of Linear Technology Inc., which later evolved into Gennum Corporation, a Canadian public company that designs, manufactures and markets semiconductors and semiconductor-based products. Barber has played a pivotal role in establishing Burlington-based Gennum Corporation as a Canadian high-tech success story. Over the years, Gennum Corporation, under Barber's guidance, has experienced substantial growth and garnered recognition. Barber was President and CEO when he retired in 2000. He retired as a Director in 2007. Gennum Corporation designs innovative semiconductor solutions and intellectual property (IP) cores designed to be the world's most advanced consumer connectivity, enterprise, video broadcast and data communications products. Leveraging Gennum's proven optical, analog and mixed-signal products and IP, Gennum enables multimedia and data communications products to send and receive information without compromising the signal integrity. Recognized as an award winner for advances in high definition (HD) broadcasting, Gennum is headquartered in Burlington, Canada, and has global design, research and development and sales offices in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Germany, United States, Taiwan, India and the United Kingdom. Read more about Douglas Barber and his achievements here
Honorary '17 Gennum
Pulak Chowdhury's innovation journey began as a graduate student at McMaster University's Department of Computing and Software in 2003. Working under the mentorship of Professor Jacques Carette, Chowdhury participated in a collaborative project on reverse engineering legacy assembly code of nuclear power plants, which sparked his passion for innovation and application of novel techniques of software engineering. Continuing his pursuit of cutting-edge solutions, he earned a Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis, under Distinguished Professor Biswanath Mukherjee. His research focused on green (energy-aware) networking, and his ideas garnered attention from Cisco engineers and investors, ultimately leading to the foundation of Ennetix. Chowdhury is a visionary innovator and technology leader, specializing in IT operations and management. With a focus on mission-critical applications in geographically distributed private and public clouds, he has made remarkable contributions to the field. As the Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of Ennetix, Chowdhury has revolutionized network management by introducing holistic performance measurements, textual event log analysis, critical IT asset discovery and behavior (including threat and security) analysis, and predictive analytics for network resource optimization. These advancements have transformed the way organizations optimize resource allocation,efficiently manage their networks, and detect security threats to their IT infrastructures. Ennetix solutions optimize application performance, enhance security, and reduce operational costs by providing insights into infrastructure events and enabling automated troubleshooting. They empower IT operations teams to efficiently manage distributed infrastructures, leading to cost savings and improved fault localization. To learn more about Ennetix and their network analytics and diagnostics solutions, you can explore this article from UC Davis: UC Davis Startup Offers Network Analytics and Diagnostics
You can learn more about her innovation journey by listening to this podcast. (Begin at 9:56 minutes)
• Faculty of Engineering Leadership Award - Applause & Accolades 2023 • Westhill Innovation has been awarded OCI, IRAP and NGen government grants
As an innovator in the medical device industry, Corey Centen is known for his impactful contributions to improving cardiac arrest response and heart failure management. Centen invented the CPRGlove, a device that guides rescuers through high-quality chest compressions during CPR, leading to improved survival rates. Upon graduating from McMaster, Centen founded Atreo Medical Inc. to commercialize the technology, which was later acquired by Medtronic. Centen joined Medtronic to launch the product, now known as TrueCPR, making it accessible to thousands of individuals in need. In 2015, Centen founded Bodyport, a medical device company focused on developing the Cardiac Scale. This innovative weigh scale measures biomarkers related to heart function, providing valuable insights that can predict heart failure hospitalizations. The Cardiac Scale aims to reduce hospitalizations and improve the quality of life for individuals living with advanced heart disease. During his time at McMaster, Centen developed the CPRGlove as part of his final year capstone project in the biomedical and electrical engineering program. With McMaster’s support, including press coverage and networking opportunities, Centen founded Atreo Medical Inc. in 2007, marking the start of his entrepreneurial journey in the medical device industry. Since then, he has continued to make significant contributions to advancing cardiovascular care and healthcare technology. The Bodyport Cardiac Scale received FDA clearance in 2022. Learn more about this significant achievement by clicking the button below.
Time Magazine Invention of the Year
Biomedical & Electrical Engineering ‘07 Atreo Medical and Bodyport Inc.
Learn More
A proud supporter of Canadian technology companies.
Mahmoud Hashim is the founder of Akindi, an edtech platform that streamlines the grading and feedback on paper tests. Akindi provides instructors with actionable analytics while offering students instant feedback. With over 11 million student tests graded on the platform, Akindi is trusted by some of the most prestigious colleges and universities across North America. Akindi was developed during Mahmoud’s masters in engineering innovation and entrepreneurship degree. The program offered invaluable guidance and feedback, which played a key role in helping secure early grants to build out Akindi’s first prototype. Mahmoud believes that even incremental change in educators’ performance yields exponential benefits to students. By bringing automation and analytics to the grading and feedback process, instructors can focus on tailoring their instruction to improve student learning outcomes and course experience.
Master's of Engineering Entrepreneurship & Innovation '12 Akindi Inc.
Faizel Lakhani is the CEO of APIsec.ai. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from McMaster University, an MBA from the University of Ottawa, an MEng from the University of Carleton, and a Doctor of Science degree from McMaster. With his expertise spanning various domains including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, cybersecurity, networking, and big data analytics, Lakhani has made significant contributions to the field. Lakhani has thirteen US patents to his name, specifically around systems and methods for managing data, mining data and security. As well, his patents include innovations in telecommunications at Nortel, such as in voice switching, multiple logical routers and apparatus for completing telephone calls between subnetworks. Established in 2018, APIsec aims to effortlessly secure every Application Programming Interface (API). With APIs being prime targets for cyberattacks and accounting for the bulk of internet traffic, APIsec addresses the most fundamental element of strong API security, delivering proactive, automated and continuous API security testing. Lakhani attributes his strong foundation of learning and adaptability to McMaster University, where he gained skills beyond traditional classroom education. The rigorous and comprehensive curriculum of McMaster Engineering challenged him to explore unfamiliar areas and develop innovative tools and techniques for continuous learning.
Electrical Engineering '93 APIsec.ai
We created an efficient technology based intellectual property service company that allows us to protect our client’s intellectual property in a cost-effective manner.
In 2016, Khiev co-founded OPEN IP Corporation to help inventors and Canadian companies protect their innovations and grow their companies. The company works with clients to identify their intellectual property – from inventions, to brands, to visually appealing product features. It then helps clients protect that intellectual property in the jurisdictions and markets that matter to them. This work helps Canadian companies become more competitive in the world and increases their value and contribution to the national economy. In founding the company, OPEN IP looked at how technology clients were working and used those practices to build the firm’s infrastructure and modernize how we worked in our industry.
MASc Materials Engineering ’09 OPEN IP Corporation
Driven by a passion for clean renewable energy, Amin Ahmadi started AP Renewables, a boutique consulting company that provides technical advice to owners and operators of clean renewable energy. Additionally, AP Renewables is currently developing an integrated data and automation solution for the clean energy segment. AP Renewables emerged from a collaboration between two McMaster students from different faculties. Ahmadi's introduction to the world of wind energy came through his former professor at McMaster Engineering, Dr. Brocilo, who played a pivotal role in shaping his expertise and aspirations in the field. AP Renewables’ mission is to reduce the cost of clean energy while extending the lifespan of generating assets. Their innovative approach and dedication to efficiency have garnered international recognition, with exports reaching the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico and the European market.
Amin Ahmadi
BEng ’06, MASc Robotics ‘08 AP Renewables
Teresa Hunkeler is the co-founder of TourBird Technologies, a startup that provides a software platform for self-guided audio walking tours. Hunkeler’s background is in software development and product management, with a strong emphasis on design and usability. She has a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering as well as an MBA from Concordia, and holds several patents. She’s held senior positions in start-ups as well as large organizations and has brought several new products to market while working with international customers. In 2022, Hunkeler’s long interest in entrepreneurship led to the co-founding of TourBird, launching in her home city of Montreal. During her time at McMaster, she found that the common first year was very important in terms of learning interdisciplinary studies and being comfortable in exploring a wide range of domains. She learned how to collaborate with colleagues and how to solve complex problems creatively, opening the door to the world of R&D and technology.
Electrical Engineering '89, MEng Electrical Engineering '92 TourBird
We are building the world’s first electroceutical device engineered to supercharge an injured nerve’s natural biochemical process to heal and repair itself.
Willand’s interest in using electrical stimulation hardware to treat injuries was sparked during undergraduate and graduate studies at McMaster’s School of Biomedical Engineering under Dr. Hubert deBruin. The university also provided an introduction to his future business partner Sergio Aguirre, who was also studying biomedical engineering. In 2017, the pair launched Epineuron. The company’s aim is to deliver a novel, drug-free bioelectronic therapy to patients undergoing surgery for nerves damaged by traumatic injuries or chronic conditions. Epineuron has created PeriPulse™, a temporary wearable system with a shapeable electrode that delivers proprietary bioelectronic therapy for nerve regeneration. The sterile system is designed to be implanted during surgery without extending operating room time. By speeding up the slow biological process of nerve regrowth to enhance patient outcomes, the company hopes to redefine nerve injury care.
• 2022 Top 50 - MedTech Innovator Competition • 2019 Winner Synapse Life Science competition
Electrical & Biomedical Engineering ‘06, MEng Biomedical Engineering ’08, PhD Biomedical Engineering ‘12 Epineuron
Rosato launched PROVA Innovations in 2018 to develop healthcare technologies that improve mobility outcomes for patients with acute injury, movement, or degenerative disorders affecting gait. The company’s WithinStride® line of smart insoles are wearables that measure the foot’s position and deliver real-time auditory and tactile feedback to help guide walking motions in a way that will improve joint health. The system uses advanced technology, including motion sensors, machine learning, and real-time data analysis. For patients whose movement has been impacted by strokes, Parkinson’s disease, degenerative diseases or other causes, the system can help them regain mobility and improve their quality of life. The products focus on strengthening not only muscles but also neuromotor pathways and learning through the potential promotion of neuroplasticity. Guided by evidence-based research, the system is currently undergoing clinical trials. As a remote telehealth offering, PROVA hopes its service will help transform the way in which gait rehabilitation is delivered by improving the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, reducing the time needed for recovery, and enhancing patient outcomes.
Computer Engineering ’03, MBA ‘12 PROVA Innovations Ltd.
Applying fundamental mechanical engineering knowledge to enhance the reliability of rotating equipment.
In 2015, McMaster engineering grads Ken Sills and Sasha Kucharczyk teamed up to co-found Preteckt. The company provides software that helps vehicle maintenance teams turbocharge their decision making. Its AI-driven predictive maintenance solutions allow bus, truck and military fleets to operate more reliably, efficiently and at a lower cost. The cloud-based prognostics predict vehicle maintenance needs before they cause expensive downtime or become expensive repairs. The software helps technicians better understand the ongoing maintenance issues of vehicles, improving their productivity and decreasing maintenance material costs. Key customers include the New York City MTA, Denver RTD, and Saskatoon Transit. The company is also working to develop next generation AI solutions for emerging vehicle technologies, to help the maintenance world prepare for the large-scale adoption of electric and hydrogen vehicles.
• 2022, 2023 - Smart Cities, Smart 50 Award • 2022 – 40 Under 40, Class of 2022 – Mass Transit Magazine (Sasha) • 2021 – Winner U.S. Army XTechSBIR competition
Ken Sills
MEng Electrical and Computer Engineering ‘13 Preteckt
Sasha Kucharczyk
Master of Engineering Design ‘09 Preteckt
We're setting the standard for quantifying drug effects.
In 2016, Gasperin Haaz founded Zentrela while enrolled in McMaster’s Master of Engineering Entrepreneurship & Innovation program. The company aims to objectively quantify cannabis psychoactive effects on the brain. Using an AI-driven EEG neurotechnology, the company quantifies states of minds like moods, psychoactive, and potentially psychedelic effects of pharmaceutical, wellness, or CPG products. It is using those results to create a database of cannabis psychoactive effects. Gasperin Haaz and his partner Dan Bosnyak, a McMaster neuroscientist, aim to use the analytics to transform the $16 billion global drug development and testing market by addressing the need of an agile, objective, standardized, and quantitative research model for studying drug effects. The vision for the future, says Gasperin Haaz, is that by recording a few minutes of a person’s EEG, the company will be able to objectively detect and measure how you feel and how pharma, wellness, recreational, or even medtech solutions will alter such mental states to lead to a happier and healthier life. The company’s innovation has been scientifically validated by an independent clinical research organization and validated and accepted in two respected neuroscience journals.
• Funding from the Ontario Centre of Innovation (SBIC Phase 2, SBIC Phase 1, StartSmart, TalentEdge) and Ontario Brain Institute (ONtreprenuer program) • Most Innovative Tech at the Green Market Report Tech Awards 2022.
Israel Gasperin Haaz
Master's of Engineering Entrepreneurship & Innovation ’16 Zentrela, Inc
We make product development effortless for startups and founders.
Computer engineer Ghada Badawy earned her PhD in electrical and computer engineering in 2009. She has spent the last 15 years immersed in the world of innovation and today is co-founder of FYELABS. The company is a one-stop-shop for product development that provides startups with access to a cross-functional team of multi-disciplinary technical experts that help bring their dream products to life. The company’s ‘innovation as a service’ (IaaS) approach – which features flat pricing, fixed timelines and guaranteed delivery – makes it possible and affordable for startups and SMEs to develop innovative technologies without risk. With a team of software, AI/ML, robotics, electronics, simulation and industrial design experts, FYELABS has successfully delivered over 100 innovative products to customers worldwide. Founded by McMaster students, employees and alumni, FYELABS takes the first part of its name from the fire in the MacEng fireball logo. Architected to leverage the facilities and expertise of McMaster, the company welcomes engineering co-op students and graduates to join its growing team.
Ghada Badawy
PhD Electrical & Computer Engineering ‘09 FYELABS
Setting the standard for quantifying drug effects.
ProSensus was spun out of McMaster in 2004 by John MacGregor, a chemical engineering professor of 30 years. The company helps manufacturers and R&D departments innovate faster, formulate new products, improve manufacturing quality and reduce costs through the provision of advanced analytics services, commercial software, and machine vision solutions. In its early years, ProSensus focused on the development of ProMV, a software to help manufactures analyze process data using multivariate statistical modeling. This solution was sold to AspenTech in 2016 and is now used by many Fortune 500 companies to troubleshoot manufacturing issues and implement real-time monitoring of processes. The company has also supplied many imaging systems to the food and synthetic rubber industry to monitor quality and reduce off-spec products and waste. A current area of focus is product formulation /re-formulation. The company provides a software tool and consulting services to help R&D departments innovate faster using their newly digitized R&D data.
MASc Chemical Engineering ‘09 ProSensus
We're revolutionizing fire suppression with rapid, efficient and sustainable technology.
Following his graduation from McMaster University, Mahboob Bolandi embarked on a remarkable entrepreneurial journey. Over the past decade, he has established more than 10 startups spanning various industries, showcasing his exceptional business acumen and innovative mindset. In 2016, Mahboob founded Karafarin Canada, a community driven entrepreneurship network and hub that serves as a dynamic platform for entrepreneurs and innovators seeking meaningful connections with like-minded professionals. Karafarin also cultivates close relationships with prominent investors, facilitating the transformation of entrepreneurs' unique ideas into lucrative ventures. In 2019, Bolandi co-founded AlazTech Inc., a groundbreaking enterprise dedicated to introducing an ingenious all-in-one firefighting technology to the market. At the core of their offerings lies the Integrated Multi Task All Purpose (IMTAP), a revolutionary automated system that equips firefighters with an extensive range of firefighting options seamlessly integrated into a singular apparatus. The IMTAP system empowers firefighters with access to 10 distinct fire suppressants, each meticulously designed to address specific fire classes, while enabling swift transitions between them. This streamlined approach eliminates unnecessary response time, ensuring a rapid and highly efficient approach to combating fires. Furthermore, this cutting-edge technology minimizes water usage, mitigating the risk of structural damage and presenting a safer and more sustainable method for fire suppression.
Mahboob Bolandi
MASc Materials '13 Karafarin Canada; AlazTech
We're making the lymph node search process less labour intensive, more cost effective and reliable for pathology laboratories, resulting in better informed treatment decisions for cancer patients.
During his PhD studies at McMaster, mechanical engineer Sherif Abdou became very interested in areas of engineering that bridge gaps between different scientific disciplines and push the boundaries of possible. After graduating he co-founded FloNergia Inc., a startup that re-engineered the airlift pump to reduce energy consumption in aquaculture applications by up to 75 per cent. In 2021, he also co-founded Tenomix Inc., a startup that is automating inefficiencies in the pathology laboratory, beginning with the manual lymph node search process for surgically removed colon cancer tissues. Tenomix is incubated at The Forge and is a client of Innovation Factory where the company won the Synapse Life Sciences pitch competition in 2022. Tenomix’s technology allows pathologists to fully automate the process of searching for lymph nodes in resected colon cancer tissues. The time-consuming and labour-intensive process is currently done manually, where small lymph nodes can be accidentally missed, which can negatively affect cancer staging and treatment process in many cases. By identifying all lymph nodes in a tissue sample, the system can help guide towards more accurate cancer staging, confident treatment plans, and improved patient outcomes, while also freeing up pathology staff time and reducing substantial healthcare costs.
• 2023 Winner of TechAlliance’s Limitless Breakthrough Award • 2022 Winner of Synapse Life Science pitch competition • Received funding from FACIT Prospects Oncology Fund
Sherif Abdou
MASc Mechanical Engineering '04, PhD Mechanical Engineering '14 Tenomix Inc.
We're fostering an exceptional workplace where talent flourishes, people thrive, and lives transform.
Since founding his engineering firm C.F. Crozier & Associates in 2004, Chris Crozier has wanted to disrupt the traditional workplace by creating a unique experience for his employees. With the aim of changing the workplace in a positive, socially responsible, and caring way, Crozier has provided employees with a range of innovative human resources offerings. These include parental leave top up funding, professional development opportunities, options for work hours and locations, an enhanced benefits plan, a lifelong learning assistance program, and a health and wellness program. With a unique First-Time Home Buyer’s Assistance program introduced in 2021, the firm has helped more than 20 employees achieve homeownership. The only program of its kind in Canada, the initiative has earned national press and attention from the federal government. He also provides $25,000 in bursary funds to support undergraduate engineering students at McMaster and the University of Guelph. A net-zero mass timber corporate headquarters planned in Collingwood for 2024 will support the growth of the firm with a state-of-the-art sustainable workplace.
2023 – Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Small & Medium Employers by Mediacorp and the Globe and Mail
Chris Crozier
Civil Engineering & Management ‘90 C.F. Crozier & Associates Inc.
I believe that decarbonization of ground transportation is one of a few necessary steps we must take to halt the process of climate change.
Cars and innovation have been part of Phil Weicker’s life since his days at McMaster two decades ago, when he was part of a group that turned an ’82 Chevy into a driveable hot tub. But for most of the last two decades, Weicker has applied a more serious focus to his automotive innovation work. He has worked in various early-stage startups, advancing technologies like battery systems, electric drivetrains and power electronics that are essential to automotive electrification. In 2021, he turned his attention to commercial vehicle electrification, with the co-founding of Harbinger Motors. With significant progress of electric passenger vehicles underway, Weicker expects to see similar progress in commercial and specialty vehicles in the coming years. Along with holding 32 US and a number of international patents, he is the author of an influential book on battery management systems that is used to train employees at some of the top automotive companies in the world.
2022 - Most innovative exhibitor at North American International Auto Show
Phillip Weicker
Electrical & Computer Engineering ‘01 Harbinger Motors
The core concept behind GigSky was to revolutionize the travel experience by offering a universal SIM card, eliminating the hassle of acquiring country-specific SIM cards.
Over 35 years in the high-tech industry, computer engineer Rishy-Maharaj has led teams working on technologies including mobile, wireless, telecom and networking, enterprise software and microelectronic. He is also a self-described “serial entrepreneur,” founding Kinaare Networks, an IoT platform and device pioneer, as well as Digital Microsystems (Canada), a company dedicated to developing networked-security and energy management consumer products. In 2010, he founded GigSky, with the vision of making it simpler for travellers to buy and activate local mobile services. His idea was to create an app and a reprogrammable SIM card (eventually eSIM) to allow people to purchase services remotely, without the need to visit a physical store to purchase a local SIM card. Rishy-Maharaj and his team worked closely with Apple to bring eSIM technology to market. When Apple officially launched eSIM on the iPhone in 2018, GigSky was highlighted as a partner. He holds multiple US patents on the GigSky platform, which has transformed the way telecom services are delivered to consumers.
Ravi Rishy-Maharaj
Computer Engineering ‘82 GigSky Inc.
I envisioned a way that gift-giving would be meaningful for the recipient, simple for the giver, healthy for the environment, and beneficial to local community.
As the mother of three young boys, Theresa Evanoff (nee Chan) spent hours shopping for birthday party gifts. She also saw the generous pile of gifts her own children received at their parties. So, she decided to offer families a birthday party option that would be more meaningful, sustainable and beneficial for society. In 2016, she launched Gift-It-Forward, an online invitation and gift fund platform that strives to change the way people celebrate. Instead of bringing individual gifts to a party, guests contribute to a pooled online gift fund. A portion of the money is channelled to a local charity chosen by the celebrant, with the remainder used to purchase a dream gift to mark the special occasion. The site provides a fun and simple way to empower people to be mindful of the community and the environment while they celebrate. Since its launch, the platform has created close to 3,000 “micro-philanthropists” – party hosts and party guests who have donated nearly $100,000 CAD to charity, while making a statement about generosity, empathy and sustainability. “I wholeheartedly dream that by raising our kids with an empathetic mindset and positive attitude about giving, we can help them grow into socially responsible leaders and changemakers who can make an impact on their world in their own time,” says Evanoff. Gift-It-Forward was launched and is currently only available in Singapore, where Evanoff has lived since 2004.
• 2022 - Most innovative exhibitor at North American International Auto Show
Theresa Evanoff
Chemical Engineering & Management ‘00 Gift-It-Forward
Millstream Engineering Inc
Millstream Engineering provides customers with carefully selected premium products, integrated into logical solutions that solve mechanical equipment challenges within the hydropower, specialty equipment, and general industrial markets.
Preteckt
AI Driven Vehicle Maintenance Solutions
ProSensus
FYELABS
We make product development effortless for startups & founders.
Karafarin Canada; AlazTech
Karafarin Canada is an entrepreneurship network and a hub for entrepreneurs and innovators, who wish to connect with other like-minded professionals
Tenomix Inc.
At Tenomix, our mission is to develop novel technologies that target inefficiencies in the pathology workflow, optimize cancer care, and reduce healthcare costs.
C.F. Crozier & Associates Inc.
A consulting engineering firm that provides services in civil, water resources, traffic/transportation, hydrogeological, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering, complemented by landscape architecture, environmental consulting services, and building science.
Harbinger Motors
An electric vehicle manufacturer focused on commercial vehicles.
GigSky Inc.
GigSky is the first global mobile network designed for travelers. Connectivity is critical to our lives no matter where we are.
Gift-It-Forward
Instead of guests bringing individual gifts to your party, they contribute to your gift fund online – no shopping, no guessing what you want! After your party, Gift-It-Forward pools together your contributions and splits it between you and your charity.
Michael Kadonoff, a McMaster graduate with a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, is the founder and CEO of Braingrid Corp. This innovative company is dedicated to providing predictive analytics which optimize operations and improve yields for growers. By developing a technology platform based on Michael’s invention and patent, Braingrid captures and interprets valuable grow information, helping growers increase revenues, reduce costs, mitigate risks, and enhance overall efficiency. At the core of Braingrid's technology is the ability to harvest energy from sensors, eliminating the need for batteries and reducing service intervals and maintenance complexities. This technology is embodied within their flagship product "Sentroller", a cost-effective and user-friendly solution for collecting sensor data. The versatility of this technology has allowed it to be applied in various sectors, including residential solar, industrial IoT, precision agriculture, GHG measurement, and energy management. The roots of Braingrid's innovation can be traced back to Kadonoff’s final engineering project at McMaster University. This project aimed to understand energy consumption and behaviors down to the plug level. Inspired by a mentor at General Electric, Kadonoff recognized the potential for energy to be transacted bidirectionally. This realization fueled his drive to create an autonomous,affordable and universal metering device, empowering individuals to have greater visibility, control, and sustainability in managing their water, electricity, and resource usage. Michael’s continued aim is to leverage and vend the IP within the growing challenges incumbent to electrification, grid transition, grid resiliency and green signalling as more and more distributed energy resources come online. Learn about Braingrid throughout media and its impact on cannabis industries.
Electrical & Electronics '09 Brain Grid Corp.
integral
Integral is a software consulting company that focuses on helping our clients differentiate in the marketplace by harnessing the power of software.
Pulak Chowdhury's innovation journey began as a graduate student at McMaster University's Department of Computing and Software in 2003. Working under the mentorship of Professor Jacques Carette, Chowdhury participated in a collaborative project on reverse engineering legacy assembly code of nuclear power plants, which sparked his passion for innovation and application of novel techniques of software engineering. Continuing his pursuit of cutting-edge solutions, he earned a Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis, under Distinguished Professor Biswanath Mukherjee. His research focused on green (energy-aware) networking, and his ideas garnered attention from Cisco engineers and investors, ultimately leading to the foundation of Ennetix. Chowdhury is a visionary innovator and technology leader, specializing in IT operations and management. With a focus on mission-critical applications in geographically distributed private and public clouds, he has made remarkable contributions to the field. As the Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of Ennetix, Chowdhury has revolutionized network management by introducing holistic performance measurements, textual event log analysis, critical IT asset discovery and behavior (including threat and security) analysis, and predictive analytics for network resource optimization. These advancements have transformed the way organizations optimize resource allocation,efficiently manage their networks, and detect security threats to their IT infrastructures. Ennetix solutions optimize application performance, enhance security, and reduce operational costs by providing insights into infrastructure events and enabling automated troubleshooting. They empower IT operations teams to efficiently manage distributed infrastructures, leading to cost savings and improved fault localization.
To learn more about Ennetix and their network analytics and diagnostics solutions, you can explore this article from UC Davis: UC Davis Startup Offers Network Analytics and Diagnostics
Sanctuary.ai
Geordie Rose
Works on perhaps the most complex technical challenge in front of humankind: how to build a human-like brain and system that’s capable of executing human-like tasks in a safe way.
Geordie Rose, an esteemed engineering physics McMaster University alumni, is a renowned serial entrepreneur and innovator in the fields of quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics. Rose holds a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of British Columbia and is a member of the McMaster University Hall of Fame as part of the 1997 national champion wrestling team. Rose is a co-founder and CEO of Sanctuary.ai. Sanctuary is on a mission to create the world's first human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots. This is the most important technological challenge that humanity will ever take on. Once human-like intelligence is understood well enough to build one, all human endeavours from that point on will be done together with that technology. Sanctuary recently announced both a general-purpose robot, called Phoenix, and its artificial general intelligence system, Carbon, showing its progress towards this goal. Prior to Sanctuary, Rose founded D-Wave, the world’s first quantum computing company, and was the CEO of Kindred, the world’s first robotics company to use reinforcement learning in a production environment. He has sold quantum computers and robots that learn to Google, NASA, Lockheed Martin, Gap Inc., and several US government agencies. He was named the 2011 Canadian Innovator of the Year, was listed on Foreign Policy Magazine’s 100 Leading Global Thinkers in 2013 and won the 2014 Canadian Technology Leader award. Rose attributes his achievements to the valuable relationships he has built over the years, both at McMaster University and beyond. “There’s something about the undergraduate years that sticks with you as a time for transformation and change. I have very fond memories of my time at McMaster,” says Rose. He recognizes the transformative nature of the undergraduate years and encourages current students to pursue their passions in life, just as he did. Learn more about Rose's contributions to the field of AI and robotics in Maclean's Power List of Top 10 AI Trailblazers.
Engineering Physics '94 Sanctuary.ai
Create value in the world by doing the things you love. You don’t need permission. Just do it.
When I read about one-fourth of [the program] being lasers and electro-optics — without knowing anything at all about lasers, nothing — it was a gut reaction. I just thought it sounded like so much fun.
Believe it or not, Nobel laureate Donna Strickland wasn’t always set on a career in engineering. “If you had asked me in Grade 11, I would have said I’d go to Waterloo for math,” says Strickland. Math was her favourite subject, after all. But sometimes life has a funny way of working itself out. Thanks to a combination of circumstance and personality, Strickland ended up changing her mind. Raised in a family of engineers, Strickland was torn between studying physics, which she came to love in school, or following the engineering path that her father and sister both walked. Then she found McMaster University’s engineering physics program.
Engineering Physics ’81 Chirped pulse amplification
revolutionary ALUMNI
• 2020 Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society • 2019 Companion of the Order of Canada • 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics • 2000 Cottrell Scholar Award • 1999 Premier’s Research Excellence Award
At McMaster, Strickland was introduced to laser physics under the tutelage of researchers Ed Ballik and Brian Garside. Strickland would go on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in engineering physics in 1981. After that, she studied at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics. It was there that, alongside her doctoral supervisor Gérard Mourou, she discovered a way to create high-intensity laser pulses. “Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) was a remarkable innovation that enabled the production of remarkably intense laser pulses,” explains John Preston, Associate Dean, Research in McMaster’s Faculty of Engineering. CPA is the process in which beams of light are stretched, amplified and then re-compressed, creating a short but intensely powerful pulse that enables lasers to cut with precision.
“It has opened up opportunities to study light interactions at intensities and on time scales that were previously unattainable,” says Preston, a former classmate of Strickland and an expert on pulsed laser deposition. The ground-breaking research, published in 1985, has had far-ranging applications in a number of fields, including corrective eye surgery and the machining of small glass parts for use in cell phones. Strickland has worked as a research associate at the National Research Council Canada, a physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and a member of technical staff at Princeton University. She is now a professor at the University of Waterloo, where her research focuses on high-intensity laser systems for nonlinear optics investigations. Strickland and Mourou were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018, making Strickland just the third woman to receive the award. Read more about McMaster’s Nobel Legacy below.
Solar is now the cheapest way of generating electricity, so we need to move quickly to replace fossil fuel generation by solar. … Solar’s going to grow to be a massive industry in the future, but it’s going to require people with a wide range of skills and talents because it’s not only the technology that needs development, but the whole infrastructure for using solar and the whole basic lifestyle is going to change.
• 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering • 2022 Millennium Technology Prize • 2001 Humboldt Foundation Research Award • 2000 Millennium Award for Outstanding Scientist from the World Renewable Energy Network Congress
Engineering Physics '74 PERC Cells
Martin Green ’74 may be McMaster’s most prolific world record holder. Typically, thoughts of world records turn to how fast a human can run or how many people can squeeze into a phone booth, but Green is a record holder of a different kind. An Australian who earned his PhD in engineering physics from McMaster, Green has led the research teams responsible for developing the solar cells that have held world records for efficiency for three of the last decades. In 1983, he and his team invented the PERC – Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell – which became the world’s most-manufactured solar cell in 2018 and now powers about 90 per cent of all solar panels manufactured globally. Driven by a desire to make a difference to the general welfare of humankind, Green began studying photovoltaics at McMaster after earning his undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Queensland. Since then, his career has been devoted to harnessing solar power and improving the efficiency of solar cells. In 1983, when he conceived of PERC, his team had just achieved an efficiency level of 18 per cent. By the early 2000s, PERC had taken that level up to 25 per cent. In recent years, they have achieved levels over 40 per cent, using four different cells, each converting a different colour in sunlight. The solar energy pioneer says PERC has been so globally successful because it improved power-generating efficiency while simultaneously lowering production costs. That potent combination has pushed the technology to the top of the solar power marketplace and, in Green’s words, “has made solar one of our major weapons in combatting climate change.” Read more about how Green is revolutionizing the world’s energy future.
Hamilton, Ontario L8S
