Transforming invention to innovation

Dr. Majid Bahrami

Venture:

Heatogenics Technologies Ltd. - Harvesting, upgrading, conversion, storage and transporting of waste-heat to decarbonize energy grids and atmospheric water systems.

Bio:

Professor Bahrami, P.Eng. is Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Alternative Energy Conversion Systems at SFU. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Director of Hybrid Thermal Electric Microgrids Program. Bahrami championed interdisciplinary projects in clean energy systems, including harvesting and transforming low-grade heat for air conditioning, thermal energy storage, atmospheric water harvesting, heat pump systems and dehumidification for applications in sustainable city, hybrid microgrids, automotive, and agri-food. He formed 2 start-ups; won (inter)national innovation awards; published 11 patents, 300+ publications; and trained 160+ highly qualified personnel, including 8 professors.

Mr. Anthony King

Venture:

Fingerprint - A next generation electric bicycle that is produced more sustainably and is personalised to every user.

Bio:

• Before founding the company spent over 10 years as a car designer, launching new products for BMW, Ford, Range Rover and Jaguar, and spent 7 years as a business strategy consultant advising global OEMs on technology and market strategy.
• Holds a Masters in Engineering from the University of Manchester, is a Chartered Professional Engineer from the Royal Institute of Mechanical Engineers and is an accredited Lean 6-Sigma Black Belt. Also holds post-graduate degrees in Economics and Strategy & Innovation from the London School of Economics and Said Business School, Oxford, respectively.
• Fingerprint was founded in January this year. It was awarded Top Idea at the 2022 Venture Prize and reached the last 15 of New Ventures BC.

Ms. Shayeste Vefagh

Venture:

AI 3D FAB INC. - We give robotic manufacturers one-step autonomous manufacturing by integrating prototyping and final product manufacturing with on-demand scaling capability and zero inventory.

Bio:

Shayeste Vefagh has a Master of Applied Science in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia. She has designed and developed several electronic and biomedical devices.

Mr. Amir Abdolahzadeh

Venture:

Aptamer Innovations Corp. - Rapid and Sensitive Viral Detection

Bio:

Aptamer Innovations was founded in 2020 by a team of RNA scientists with over 50 years of RNA research and detection experience. Our venture aims to develop technologies for detecting RNA which can be found in pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. During the COVID pandemic, PCR tests (extremely sensitive, but slow) and Rapid Antigen Tests (very rapid, but in accurate) became commonly used by the public and their shortcomings also became apparent. Aptamer Innovations aims to develop diagnostic technologies that fill an unmet need for rapid and accurate detection that can be applied in agriculture, and eventually by the general public.

Dr. Linh Le

Venture:

Flextrapower Technologies, Inc. - MuscularSkeleton Management Platform (MSMP) is the most versatile wearable system designed to monitor muscular and skeletal health of the users.

Bio:

Linh has over 10 years of experience in entrepreneurship in deep tech startups He was trained as PhD in material science at Stevens Institute of Technology and worked with a team of investigators to publish multiple papers and conference proceedings. He later found flextrapower, secured public, private funding and grew the team to 3 offices across the world, with its mission to enable human to live a healthier life. He currently holds eight patents worldwide and is an active investor, mentor and advisor for startups in the field. Prior to that, he received his MS in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University and BS in Chemistry from Vietnam National University. He currently reside in Vancouver, BC with his wife and two kids, when he’s not training for his next Marathon, he can be seen working with multiple boards including NanoMedicines Innovation Network of Canada, Exceleration Triathlon Club and he’s currently serving as the board director of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Foundation, an agency that assists immigrants in Canada.

Mr. Alvin Zhou

Venture:

Functional and Versatile Water-repellent Coatings - A robust, environmentally friendly water/ice repellent coating that can be fabricated with a single-step reaction.

Bio:

Alvin Zhou is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of chemistry at Simon Fraser University. He holds a Bachelor of Science major in Chemical Physics. His main research topic involves metal-semiconductor junctions and their modifications for detection and sensing purposes. During his undergraduate studies, Alvin was part of a research team that invented a unique protocol for fabricating water-repellent coating solution. Currently, he is working with his collogues to further improve the coating protocol, and aims to transfer the pilot project into a commercial product.

Dr. Annett Rozek

Terramera Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Annett Rozek is an accomplished scientist and visionary leader. Alongside the Founder and CEO, she launched Terramera’s inaugural Proof and Cirkil products and developed the company’s revolutionary Actigate Targeted Performance Technology. Annett has led the discovery and development of a first-in-class Innate Defense Regulator, is an author in 28 publications with 2126 citations, inventor on 18 unique patent applications and granted patents, and holds an M.Sc. from Humboldt University and Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University.

Gerri Sinclair

Gerri Sinclair was first appointed as B.C.'s Innovation Commissioner in July 2020 [press release]. She has a breadth of experience in senior leadership positions in the investment capital, digital media and information technology fields. She is also an Associate with the Creative Destruction Lab, a non-profit organization that delivers an objectives-based program to scale up seed-stage science- and technology-based companies.

Sinclair is the former Managing Director at Kensington Capital in Vancouver, leading the $100M B.C. Technology Fund. She was the founder of SFU’s ExCITE Media lab, a Visiting Scientist at IBM Research, the founder/CEO of NCompass (acquired by Microsoft), a past President of the B.C. Premier’s Technology Council and Chair of Canada’s National Telecom Policy Panel.

Sinclair was the Founding Director of the Centre for Digital Media’s Master of Digital Media program in Vancouver and has served as Innovation Strategy Advisor at Vancity and Telefonica in Barcelona.

She has served on many government and corporate boards, including the Toronto Montreal Stock Exchange, the Vancouver Airport Authority, Telus Corporation, BC Telecom and Ballard Power, as well as Canada’s Information Highway Advisory Council and the National Broadband Taskforce.

Sinclair is the recipient of numerous awards as a leading woman in technology, including the prestigious Canadian Public Policy Forum Testimonial Award. She was named a member of “Vancouver Power 50”, a BC Business “Woman of Influence” and among the Top 150 Women in Canada. She is the 2018 recipient of the BC Technology Association’s Bill Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2020 Business in Vancouver Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thealzel Lee

Thealzel Lee is an entrepreneur, angel investor and business strategy advisor to companies with a focus on strategy development and operational alignment. She manages the monthly VANTEC Angel Network (VANTEC) and the Vancouver chapter of the Keiretsu Forum (Northwest Region) for the local startup community of entrepreneurs and angel investors. She also serves on committees with the National Angel Capital Organization (Canada) and the Angel Capital Association (U.S.). Thealzel is a General Partner with Archangel Phoenix Fire Fund. She is the co-founder and director of angel investment funds Nelsa Investment (VCC) Inc., the VANTEC Entrepreneurs (VCC) Fund Inc. dba eFund and the TIMIA Capital Corporation (TSX.V:TCA) which provide equity and non-equity investments in these entrepreneurs. Thealzel is active in philanthropy; currently serving as the National Chair for the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada. She lives in Vancouver with her 3 grown sons who are working as a Game Designer, an Electrical/Mechanical Engineer and a Chartered Professional Accountant. Thealzel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of Alberta, and a Masters of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/the...

Michael Damiani

Mike Damiani is a partner, lawyer, and patent agent in the Vancouver office of BLG LLP. Michael holds a PhD in Biochemistry from Simon Fraser University. Michael specializes in drafting and prosecuting patent applications related to life sciences and clean technology, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, therapeutics, industrial and wastewater treatment technology, bio-based materials, biogas, and membrane technology. Additionally, Michael has experience helping startup companies. He co-founded StartUp & Grow™, a BLG initiative that offers practical, efficient legal solutions tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs, start-ups, early-stage and growth-stage companies.