Awards

Frost & Sullivan awards Xagenic award for new product innovation leadership

May 20, 2014
Susanne Staer
Awards

Market research company lauds start-up for developing a breakthrough workflow while dramatically improving point-of-care diagnosis

(MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif) May 20, 2014 — Based on its recent analysis of the point-of-care diagnostics market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Xagenic Inc. with the 2014 North America Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation Leadership.

Xagenic’s revolutionary product, the Xagenic X1™ system, is a point-of-care platform with intuitive features to provide lab-free molecular diagnostic testing. It is unique as a low-cost, simple, rapid sample-to-answer desktop instrument, requiring no manual sample processing or cold storage. Currently, the platform is in the beta-testing phase and is expected to launch between 2015 and 2016.

Dr. Shana Kelley and Xagenic were featured in the Globe and Mail on May 20, 2014.

Read the detailed Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Research Report report on Xagenic’s website. Xagenic is MaRS Innovation’s lead start-up company, in partnership with the University of Toronto: Xagenic news archive.

For its portfolio of cartridge-based tests, Xagenic focuses on infectious diseases (HSV 1+2, Flu A+B, CT/NG, strep A, group B strep, trichomoniasis, HCV and upper respiratory infections) that will benefit the most from rapid on-site testing. The company also intends to apply the platform to counter a critical public health threat—antimicrobial resistance.

QSperm: Technology to help couples get pregnant faster

May 16, 2014
Susanne Staer
Awards

MaRS Innovation and U of T's Innovations & Partnerships Office collaborating with QSperm on intellectual property and business strategy In vitro fertility treatments can be intensely emotional and medically invasive,…

Portfolio Snapshot: Minuum debuts on Google Glass, Crowdmark named most innovative at SIIA

May 14, 2014
Susanne Staer
Awards

There’s been lots of activity in MI’s portfolio this week (and it’s only Wednesday). Read down for what you need to know about Whirlscape, Crowdmark, OtoSim, and ApneaDx.

Whirlscape launches Google Glass demo video

Whirlscape’s Minuum keyboard nabbed a four-star review from CNET’s editors only days before announcing their technology is now available for Google Glass. Watch the UTEST graduate‘s newest demo video.

Reaction coverage: BNN, the Telegraph (U.K.), WPRO (radio), CNET, Mashable, TechCrunch, Mobile Syrup and Android Central, among various other tech blogs.

Crowdmark named “Most Innovative” at SIIA conference

The Education Division of the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) showcased some of the newest and most innovative products in the education technology market, and recognized the best among them as part of the Innovation Incubator program at the 13th annual Education Industry Summit, the leading conference for the K-12 and postsecondary education technology market, held May 12-14 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

From their blog:

Crowdmark was named Most Innovative among more than 50 applicants,

Portfolio snapshot: UTEST in the Wall Street Journal, OtoSim & Sylleta win pitch competitions

April 14, 2014
Susanne Staer
Awards

Here's a snapshot of some recent portfolio activity: UTEST, the early-stage technology accelerator MI runs in partnership with the University of Toronto, was cited in the Wall Street Journal as…

UTEST named one of Canada’s seven true start-up accelerators

June 10, 2013
Susanne Staer
Awards

The University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program, part of U of T’s growing ecosystem of incubators and commercialization support services, has been named one of Canada’s seven true start-up accelerators.

The findings come from Helen Kula‘s MaRS Data Catalyst report and were covered by Rob Lewis of TechVibes.

Four professors working with MaRS Innovation among U of T’s Inventors of the Year

May 31, 2013
Susanne Staer
Awards

Four University of Toronto (U of T) professors who have commercialization projects in various stages with MaRS Innovation were named to the university’s list of Inventors of the Year.

“The Inventor of the Year Award is meant to recognize inventions that have the potential to improve our quality of life,” said Professor Paul Young, vice-president (research and innovation) and a member of MaRS Innovation’s Board of Directors. “The winning inventions represent the very best of innovation at U of T, and on behalf of the university, I extend my congratulations.

TechWomen Canada selects UTEST co-director for Silicon Valley program

May 3, 2013
Susanne Staer
Awards

MaRS Innovation’s (MI) Lyssa Neel, co-director of the UTEST program and project manager, has been selected to represent MI’s ICT start-up companies at the TechWomen Canada program in San Francisco, which runs May 13 to 16, 2013.

The announcement was covered in TechVibes:

TechWomen Canada is run by the Canadian Consulate and is focused on providing Canadian women leaders in the ICT sector an opportunity to expand both professional and business networks in Silicon Valley.

Flybits recognized as a context-aware tool for marketing professionals

April 24, 2013
Susanne Staer
Awards

The Flybits mobile user interface presents relevant information from surrounding geo-fences (zones). — The **Flybits** mobile user interface presents relevant information from surrounding geo-fences (zones).

TORONTO, Canada (April 24, 2013) — Flybits Inc. announced today that Forrester Research Inc. has recognized Flybits, a Toronto-based start-up company, as a tool for on-demand marketing processes in a recent report.

The February 2013 Forrester report, written by Anthony Mullen, “Emerging Touchpoints Require a Marketing Mind Shift,” states that to master the new basics, marketing professionals must increase corporate spending on innovation and formalize working relationships in areas such as customer experience, analytics, IT and product design — all of which the Flybits framework addresses.

To address the problem of information overload on mobile devices, Flybits unifies the mobile user experience across multiple channels, creating a cohesive mobile presence for a company’s communication needs. Rather than introducing heterogeneous mobile channels to users, all relevant information can be structured within Flybits Zones — semantic-driven, rule-oriented geo-fences.

MaRS Innovation awarded $15 million to further commercialize world-leading Canadian innovations

February 6, 2013
Susanne Staer
Awards

Networks of Centres of Excellence recognizes strength of partnership between MI and its 16 member institutions

TORONTO, February 5, 2013 — How do you make sure the brilliant ideas emerging from Toronto’s academic research community get the best possible chance to succeed?

MaRS Innovation (MI), created in 2008, bridges the chasm between these early-stage technologies and successful start-up companies and licensable technologies. By offering early-stage funding in tandem with hands-on management, mentorship and IP strategy protection, MI acts as a commercialization agent for its 16 member institutions.

This announcement was covered by TechVibes, Yonge Street Media and CanTech Letter.

The Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) has recognized the increasing strength of this novel partnership by awarding MI $14.95 million in funding through the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) program.

Xconomy names Xagenic to 2012’s Biotech Startup Class

January 18, 2013
Susanne Staer
Awards

MI spin-off company one of 30 listed in North America and the United Kingdom

Xconomy, a U.S.-based business news website, named Xagenic to its 2012 Biotech Startup Class.

Luke Timmerman‘s article, published December 3, 2012, sited Xagenic as one of only 30 “exciting biotech startups” to raise significant venture capital (at least $5 million) in the life sciences sector.

Xagenic, founded by Drs. Shana Kelley and Ted Sargent at the University of Toronto, was also the only Canadian company named to the list.