Innovators in Motion

Meet the TRL Researchers Delivering Practical Results Across Canada’s Health, Tech and Ag Sectors

Across Canada, a new generation of researcher-entrepreneurs is tackling problems that don’t stay neatly inside the lab — from long wait times in health care and the cost of clean energy, to safer mobility supports, smarter agriculture, and new tools for creative work. The challenge isn’t a lack of ideas. It’s turning promising research into market-ready innovations that work outside academic settings.

That’s where Labs4’s Technology Readiness Level-Up (TRL) Program comes in. Launched this fall, TRL is a four-month, funded applied research experience designed to help students and recent graduates move early-stage innovations from concept to prototype. Participants receive a $10,000 stipend, hands-on placements in college and polytechnic research environments, one-on-one mentorship, and weekly development sprints that push ideas to confront technical, user, and market realities early.

What sets TRL apart is how it’s built. The program is nationally coordinated and locally delivered, giving each participant access to the specific spaces, tools, and expertise their project requires — from specialized fabrication labs to College Centres for Technology Transfer and Technology Access Centres — while also connecting them to a pan-Canadian cohort of peers. The result is a model that blends deep applied research support with practical entrepreneurial training.

The inaugural TRL cohort brings together students and recent graduates from science, engineering, digital media, health technologies, AI, and agriculture. Each arrived with an idea rooted in academic research. Over four months, those ideas sharpened through prototyping, customer discovery, and mentorship — evolving into clearer, more viable paths toward real-world application.

The stories that follow highlight seven TRL participants and the progress they’ve made so far. Together, they offer a snapshot of what becomes possible when researcher-entrepreneurs are supported not just with funding, but with an ecosystem designed to help them build something real.

Project Highlights

Faster, More Accessible Brain-Health Diagnostics

Lucas Monter, McMaster University

Long wait times for EEG testing continue to delay diagnosis and treatment for many patients across Ontario. McMaster University student Lucas Monter is working to address this gap through NeuroSpritz — a spray-on, wireless EEG electrode with an AI-enabled interface that reduces setup times by up to 80 per cent and makes brain-health diagnostics more accessible. During the Technology Readiness Level-Up (TRL) Program, Lucas advanced NeuroSpritz to Technology Readiness Level 4 and secured additional grant and pitch funding, milestones that gave him the confidence to apply to national programs and prepare for real-world testing of the latest iteration.

That progress was shaped by intensive one-on-one mentorship and applied development work. With guidance from mentors, Lucas identified key technical and commercialization milestones and mapped next steps not only for the current phase, but for the next two years and beyond. AI played a critical role in that process, supporting investor-grade simulations, hardware and software troubleshooting, and optimization of flexure and nozzle geometry to improve usability ahead of future pilot studies. As NeuroSpritz moves toward real-world validation, TRL has helped transform an early-stage concept into a clearer, more confident pathway toward impact.

“I cannot recommend the TRL program by Labs4 enough. My advice to future Labs4 TRL participants: you’re already in the right place; you’re surrounded by leaders across Canada. Make the most of peer learning and ask your mentors for help — they truly want to see you succeed.”

Keeping People Safe with Smarter Mobility Supports

Nubal Manhas, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)

Nubal Manhas is developing a retrofit automatic braking system that locks a rollator’s brakes when a user sits or stands — reducing the risk of preventable falls among older adults and people with mobility or cognitive challenges. His innovation improves safety without requiring expensive “smart” devices.

Through TRL, he is refining his prototype, exploring regulatory requirements, and testing real-world use cases. SCRUM sprints have helped him identify manufacturers and long-term care facilities as key customer groups, while customer-discovery sessions clarified that users and customers are not always the same. 

“Labs4 helped me understand my customer, plan my work in manageable steps, and move toward something real that people can use.” 

Human-Centred AI for Creative Work

Rose Boudreau, Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)

In an age of “AI slop,” “context rot,” and tools that prioritize automation, NSCC student Rose Boudreau is taking a different approach: designing human-in-the-loop writing systems that preserve creativity, coherence, and the writer’s voice. Her innovation treats AI as a partner, not a replacement.

Through TRL, Rose is testing competing models for how AI systems “grow” and experimenting with configuration strategies that support — instead of overpower — long-form writing. With faculty mentorship and access to NSCC’s entrepreneurship centre, she continues to refine the technical scaffolding that underpins her system’s development. 

“I want to build AI tools that help people feel like true collaborators — never sidelined or replaced.” 

Making Green Hydrogen More Affordable

Dr. Somayyeh Abbasi, INRS–EMT / Québec

Green hydrogen remains costly because today’s electrolyzers rely on noble metals and complex fabrication methods. Dr. Somayyeh Abbasi is developing low-cost, micro/nano-engineered electrode materials that improve efficiency and durability, reducing production costs by roughly 20 per cent.

With support from CNETE (Cégep de Thetford) and mentorship through TRL, Somayyeh is advancing from lab-scale validation to a functional MVP, refining fabrication processes and strengthening partnerships across Québec’s hydrogen ecosystem. Structured milestone planning has helped her clarify next steps and use her time strategically. 

“Seeing our laboratory discoveries evolve into a product that meets real industry needs is what excites me most.” 

Seeing Sound Differently

Owen Ohlson and Mckinley Wood, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)

BCIT students Owen Ohlson and Mckinley Wood are merging sound, design, and cognitive science through MoPanning — an audiovisual tool that visualizes sound in real time by mimicking how the brain interprets spatial audio. The tool gives artists and producers a new way to “see” their music and better understand the dynamics of a mix.

Through TRL, the team has refined MoPanning’s interface, expanded peer collaboration, and learned to articulate their value proposition with greater clarity. Mentorship helped them shift from a purely technical focus to designing with end-users in mind — a critical step toward commercialization. 

“Seeing MoPanning as something built for others has been the most exciting and rewarding part of the journey.” 

Scaling Cleantech for Industrial Impact

Pirouz Kiani, University of Calgary and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)

Pirouz Kiani is advancing NanoStrip — a patented nanobubble technology that removes ammonia, sulphur, and other chemicals from agricultural wastewater, mining effluent, and tailings ponds. The system operates at lower temperatures and without harsh reagents, cutting energy use and operational costs by up to half.

With SAIT’s applied research teams, Pirouz has scaled his system design 40-fold and validated its performance across multiple industries. He is now preparing for pilot deployment with industrial partners and refining energy efficiency for long-term implementation. 

“The potential to help both small farms and large industrial clients manage contamination more efficiently is what makes me excited every day.” 

Bringing Precision Agriculture to Prairie Fields

Teresa Aguiar-Cordero, University of Saskatchewan

Teresa Aguiar-Cordero is developing IPPM Now — a mobile app that uses AI to help farmers and agronomists identify insect pests and beneficial species quickly and accurately. The tool supports smarter pest-management decisions, protects yields, and reduces unnecessary pesticide use.

Through TRL, Teresa has strengthened her business model, refined her communication strategy, and validated her prototype with producers and ag-tech partners. She is now preparing to pilot new smart-trap integrations that automatically upload insect images to the app, enabling real-time field monitoring. 

“I’m building something farmers can use every day — something that makes their decisions clearer, faster, and more sustainable.”

Get Involved

If you are a student or recent graduate working on a research-based innovation — whether technical, scientific, social, or community-based — the Technology Readiness Level-Up Program can help you take the next step.