June 2, 2025
U֦Ƶ drives innovation forward at Inventures 2025
How does the brain process what we see? To answer the question, passers-by tried to make a model of neurons out of pipe cleaners — while wearing vision-flipping goggles.
This was just one of the many hands-on displays researchers from the ֦Ƶ brought to life at at the BMO Centre.
Organized by , the May 21–23 conference was designed to spark new ideas, accelerate startup growth and connect professionals from various disciplines.
“We create new knowledge every day, and we mobilize that knowledge for the benefit of society as quickly, as effectively as we can,” U֦Ƶ President Ed McCauley said in his introductory remarks. “To do this, we've created a significant innovation ecosystem largely driven by the support, the precious time and resources provided by our ֦Ƶ community.”
Exhibits bring scientific solutions to life
U֦Ƶ’s participation united leaders from across research, innovation and entrepreneurship, emphasizing the university’s commitment to shaping Alberta’s future through cross-disciplinary partnerships.
Contributing a dynamic mix of exhibits and demos, U֦Ƶ highlighted its research strengths and entrepreneurial spirit through interactive activations from:
• Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Faculty of Science
• Hotchkiss Brain Institute
• Innovate ֦Ƶ
• Schulich Makerspace
The exhibits highlighted advances in neuroscience, clean energy, engineering and digital health, demonstrating how U֦Ƶ research is making an impact in these sectors.
Visitors explored 3D printing and robotics, brain-computer interfaces for paediatric care, and virus detection tools that brought breakthrough ideas to life.
Visitors test a brain-computer interface game at the U֦Ƶ booth—one of several exhibits showcasing university research.
Riley Brandt, ֦Ƶ
Pitch competition supports startups
At Inventures, U֦Ƶ also presented the TC Energy Ingenuity Pitch Competition, led by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking.
With $50,000 in prize funding, the competition gave emerging ventures a platform to pitch innovative solutions and engage with mentors, investors, and industry experts.
Finalists came from three Hunter Hub programs—Launchpad, Evolve to Innovate (e2i), and Business Playbook—and showcased creative approaches to challenges in health care, sustainability, and sports.
The event gave early-stage entrepreneurs the opportunity to refine their ideas, gain real-time feedback from a diverse judging panel, and build valuable connections within Alberta’s innovation ecosystem.
Learn more about the competition and the winning ventures here.
Shaping the future
U֦Ƶ’s presence at Inventures helped strengthen partnerships with industry, government and global innovation leaders, while reinforcing the university’s role in driving economic progress in the community.
“Inventures is an extremely important event where crucial conversations happen,” Dr. William Ghali, vice-president (research), said at the event. “These are delicate, but also exciting times. At the ֦Ƶ, we're focused on being part of the solutions.”
Inventures 2025 made one thing clear: the future of innovation is not just being imagined at U֦Ƶ — it’s being built.
Dr. William Ghali, vice-president (research), opens Inventures 2025 with remarks on U֦Ƶ’s role in advancing solutions through innovation and collaboration.
Riley Brandt, ֦Ƶ