Biofect Innovations

Well, that was fun!   I recently had the chance to pitch Biofect Innovations on the TV show #2MinuteDrill, where companies get just two minutes to present their innovation to a panel of expert/celebrity judges.   The panel was impressive, with renowned entrepreneur and host David Meltzer, seven-time Mr. Olympia Flex Lewis, wealth strategist Chris Jarvis, and entrepreneur Jayson Waller—all offering useful feedback and insights.   I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect or how to prepare with only a few days' notice, so I focused on what I felt mattered most: communicating how our science works—using microbial fermentation to create healthier, more sustainable ingredients and products—in a way that engages and resonates with the audience.   It also felt timely sharing our work on the platform given the growing commitment by new administrations on removing harmful ingredients from our food system, and the increasing consumer concern for health and wellness. Opportunities like this reinforce how proud and humbled I am to share our work and how we’re contributing to this mission, whether at conferences, networking events, or TV shows like 2 Minute Drill! Curious to see how I did? Check out the episode here: https://lnkd.in/gk7gacDX #BiofectInnovations #2minutedrilltv #HealthAndSustainability #Entrepreneurship #Appletv #PrimeVideo

Well, that was fun!   I recently had the chance to pitch Biofect Innovations on the TV show #2MinuteDrill, where companies get just two minutes to present their innovation to a panel of expert/celebrity judges.   The panel was impressive, with renowned entrepreneur and host David Meltzer, seven-time Mr. Olympia Flex Lewis, wealth strategist Chris Jarvis, and entrepreneur Jayson Waller—all offering useful feedback and insights.   I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect or how to prepare with only a few days' notice, so I focused on what I felt mattered most: communicating how our science works—using microbial fermentation to create healthier, more sustainable ingredients and products—in a way that engages and resonates with the audience.   It also felt timely sharing our work on the platform given the growing commitment by new administrations on removing harmful ingredients from our food system, and the increasing consumer concern for health and wellness. Opportunities like this reinforce how proud and humbled I am to share our work and how we’re contributing to this mission, whether at conferences, networking events, or TV shows like 2 Minute Drill! Curious to see how I did? Check out the episode here: https://lnkd.in/gk7gacDX #BiofectInnovations #2minutedrilltv #HealthAndSustainability #Entrepreneurship #Appletv #PrimeVideo

🥁 We're starting 2025 with some exciting news 🥁 The next cohort of BioCreate companies will be announced soon! In the meantime, you can learn more about the BioCreate by Ontario Genomics program in the video below 👇 BioCreate is a five-year, $11.6-million project funded by Ontario Genomics and the Government of Canada through FedDev Ontario, providing financial support and business guidance to start-ups to help move the province’s biotechnology scene forward.

A+ #CSPC2024 session this morning on driving agricultural innovation through biotechnology. Thanks to hosts University of Guelph and National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada. This conversation is top of mind as we prepare for the first full meeting of project teams driving our Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems (CSAFS) initiative. As a research innovation community, we are working to harness Canada's enormous strengths in agriculture and cutting-edge biotechnology to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of Canada's food systems. Our highlights below from today's conversation. 👏🏽 for panelists Sapna Mahajan MPH, PMP, CHE (Genome Canada!), Sateesh Kagale (NRC), Amy Proulx (Niagara College) and John Abousawan (Biofect Innovations). - Biotech (using living organisms or biological systems to develop new products) for agriculture and food systems = feeding Canada's future. These technologies hold massive potential to improve the lives of food producers and consumers across Canada. We're already using them daily to support food production and build new Canadian companies. - Biotech + traditional approaches supporting biodiversity/crop resilience are not mutually exclusive. In the face of extreme and evolving climate threats, advances in genome sequencing allow for faster identification of climate-resilient crops and faster breeding programs. This speed is essential. - Biotech is unlocking new opportunities for Canadian scientists and businesses to develop globally competitive products and strengthen national supply chains. One interesting opportunity is for production of rare and hard to source materials through "precision fermentation," using microorganisms to develop specific products, such as proteins and enzymes, needed to make foods. This opens the door to made-in-Canada production of ingredients traditionally sourced far from our borders. - We need more people with the skills to support biotech-enabled ag solutions. Whereas biotech is commonly associated with health fields, connections to ag—and the importance of work to support Canada’s food systems—must be well communicated, starting in early education. Ongoing skills development opportunities will ensure scientists and companies can keep up with technical advances. - Our community is working through major challenges to biotech ag innovation: regulatory, funding, consumer acceptance, skills/talent and access to facilities needed to scale innovations in Canada. For one of Canada's most important sectors, how do we maximize these opportunities? How do we work together across sectors and disciplines to align research in agri-food production? To build necessary skills/talent? Scale up/commercialize transformative home-grown innovations? More to come on this conversation next week as we convene our pan-Canadian Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems team! Thoughts on the topic? Share below!

During my grad studies, I started Biofect Innovations with my co-founders Louis Lo, PhD, Teshager Kefale, PhD, and Ralph Christian Delos Santos, PhD. When we first embarked on this journey, we had no idea where it would lead us, but we knew that taking the first step was what mattered. And it often felt like we'd bitten off more than we could chew. Startups are known for being tough and challenging, but I didn’t truly grasp the reality of that until we were deep into it. This past year alone, we’ve celebrated significant successes but also faced countless setbacks and challenges. There were many times when it felt like we were pushing on a rope. That’s why today feels extra special. I'm incredibly proud to share that I am this year's Grand Prize winner at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) Canada Student Pitch Competition, held last week in Calgary! A Huge congratulations to my fellow competitors Neil Mitra, Jesurun (Jesh) Ramesh, Anya Bhopa, and Keeley McCormick. It was an absolute honour sharing the stage with you, and I know you all are destined to create amazing things. A special thanks to Peter H. Thomas for being a cornerstone of the GSEA community and for inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. I feel immensely grateful and honored to be part of the GSEA family and to be surrounded by incredible EO members, including Nick A. I. who coached me leading up to the competition. I look forward to the personal growth this next year will bring and to continuing my journey with GSEA. Our journey with Biofect has been a long and winding road, and we’ve come a long way since our humble beginnings. Moments like these remind me that we are indeed moving in the right direction. Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way. #GSEA #Entrepreneurship #Startup #BiofectInnovations

🌟 Big week for the Biofect Innovations team at Collision Conf! 🌟 Truly lived up to its reputation as the "Olympics of Tech." The energy was electric and inspiring, being amongst thousands of startups showcasing incredible innovations, alongside high-profile investors, celebrities, and figures from different industries. 🏅 This year, we were honoured to be among the top 3 finalists in the pitch competition, out of a competitive field of 1500+ applicants! Sharing the stage with trailblazing companies, Proceve with Paul Michaud and VoxCell BioInnovation with Asees Kaur was truly an unforgettable experience – a reflection of our team's hard work over the past year. 🙌 A huge thanks to our incredible partners, DMZ, Altitude Accelerator, and Invest Brampton - Economic Development Office, for giving us this fantastic opportunity and for their continuous support throughout the years. It was a joy to share our story and showcase the work we do. Finally, it was wonderful meeting so many new investors and partners. If you're interested in learning more or collaborating, please don't hesitate to reach out. Here's to continued progress and innovation! #CollisionConf #startups #biotech #biofectinnovations #biofect #precisionfermentation #Toronto #CDNtech #Canada

Happy World Environment Day! 🌎 The World Environment Day aims to encourage worldwide awareness and taking action to protect our environment. This World Environment Day, we are highlighting our BVZ Alumni startups who are prioritizing sustainability and protecting the environment through their startups. 🌎 Urban Stalk: Urban Stalk’s vertical farming pods reduce carbon footprint while optimizing the growth of various vegetables, resulting in zero waste and quality produce!  🌎 Ecosystem Informatics Inc.: Ecosystem’s integrated monitoring, analytics and reporting systems monitor and manage air quality to create a healthier future.  🌎 Biofect Innovations: By sustainably changing the production of protein ingredients with their microbial fermentation approach, Biofect Innovations creates ingredients without conventional agricultural practices and a lower carbon footprint. 🌎 Genuine Taste: Genuine Taste produces their cultivated meat at scale to reduce the environmental impacts and prioritize animal welfare while continuing to meet nutritional needs.  🌎 SCOOTY: Scooty’s sustainability is seen through its passion for connecting more people to public transit to create more environment-friendly micro-mobility solutions. World Environment Day is an important day, as it encourages individuals across the world to act in a more sustainable and environment-friendly manner. BVZ is proud to view the work of our alumni startups in the realm of sustainability and environmental action. #worldenvironmentday #environment #sustainability #environmentalstartup #protecttheplanet --- City of Brampton, Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, Altitude Accelerator, BHive, Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University, Downtown Brampton BIA, Brampton Board of Trade, Sheridan College, Algoma University, Founder Institute, Brampton Library, Invest Brampton - Economic Development Office

Inspiring day 1 at #ElevateCIX2024! Remarkable insights from Aidan Gomez on positioning Canada as tech global leaders, and as always, sage wisdom from Vinod Khosla on navigating entrepreneurship challenges. Some key takeaways: 1. Canada’s growth relies on investing within—time to shift from our ultra-conservative investment strategy. 2. Embrace risks: A 90% chance of failure is worth the risk when the consequence is consequential. 3. Traditional 'expertise' may limit innovation. Practice first principles thinking. Bonus 4. The AI wave is inevitable. Its integration into society can unlock new job opportunities, despite the potential for displacement. Excited for Day 2 at CIX • Canadian Innovation Exchange summit, sharing Biofect Innovations vision on stage this afternoon. Let’s connect if you’re attending! #ElevateCIX2024 #elevatetechca #biofect #innovation

🎉 Biofect Innovations has earned a spot on the FoodTech 500 list! Thrilled to announce that we've been recognized among the top 500 most innovative companies in the global foodtech space for 2023, spanning over 70 countries 🌍. A huge thank you to Forward Fooding for shining a spotlight on us and including us alongside other pioneering companies making strides in the global foodtech scene 🚀. Discover the full FoodTech 500 list and see what's driving the future of food: https://lnkd.in/gtUHHmG8 #FoodTech500 #Innovation #Sustainability #ForwardFooding #BiofectInnovations

We are beyond excited and humbly grateful to announce that Biofect Innovations has been recognized as one of the CIX 2024 Top 20 Early Award recipients! This prestigious award recognizes outstanding Canadian tech companies at both early and growth stages, showcasing innovation and potential within the industry.   This recognition places us among esteemed previous inductees such as BenchSci and Cyclica—trailblazers in Canada's tech landscape. We're also immensely privileged to stand alongside this year's fellow Canadian innovators—Noa Therapeutics, Xandar Kardian Inc., and Skinopathy, whose groundbreaking work continues to inspire.   Our deepest gratitude goes out to the team at CIX • Canadian Innovation Exchange, Elevate, Lisa Zarzeczny, and the Selection Committee for this honour, and a special thanks to the TMX Group, and Dani Lipkin for having us open the market at the Toronto Stock Exchange to mark this milestone!   We extend our appreciation to our dedicated team, partners, and our vibrant biotech network for their unwavering support which continues to fuel our mission.   We're looking forward to the CIX summit on March 26-27 at Design Exchange, where we'll showcase our collaborative achievements and vision for the future of biotech, to investors, entrepreneurs, and partners in the North American technology ecosystem. For more details: https://lnkd.in/g5GAzVR6     🤝 If you're interested in learning more and exploring potential collaborations, please don't hesitate to reach out.   #ElevateCIX2024 #CIX2024 #Innovation #Biotech #BiofectInnovations #Biofect   Links: 🔗 Market Opening ceremony: https://lnkd.in/gDZ4TFKh 🔗 Business Insider release: https://lnkd.in/gmwth_SB 🔗 TMX press statement: https://lnkd.in/g9sE2XvS