Queen’s University researchers have gained recognition for the innovations they have made in medicine, engineering, and the sciences that have improved the lives of people around the world. To support the continued knowledge mobilization of new innovations from Queen’s research, Queen’s Partnerships and Innovation (QPI) promotes the innovations of university researchers who have assigned their intellectual property to Queen’s and whose work is ready for licensing and commercialization. QPI provides support for the protection of the intellectual property, the creation of strategies to further its development, the search for funders, formation of startups, partners, and licensees, the negotiation of terms, the management of relationships, the collection of licensing and royalty revenues, and their disbursement to inventors.
Recently, the Ontario Biosciences Innovation Organization (OBIO®) invited women in health science to join them on October 24, 2023 at the Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre Rose Event Commons in Mitchell Hall for an evening of “Networking with Inspirational Women in Science,” which featured four Queen’s- and Kingston-connected panelists.
The evening featured a panel discussion with women leaders from life sciences companies that are creating an impact in Kingston, ON, and the Canadian economy:
- Anne Vivian-Scott, President and CEO, Kinarm
- Allison Turner, Co-Founder and Director of Product Development, PnuVax Inc.
- Irsa Wiginton, Co-Founder and Business Development Officer, mDETECT Inc.
- Shelley Hirstwood, Director of Business Development, Kingston Economic Development Corporation
A networking event followed the panel discussion and attendees had the opportunity to engage with seasoned entrepreneurs, business visionaries and key players from Kingston’s health innovation ecosystem.
Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development, and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies. Queen’s University joined OBIO® in April 2021 and has since supported three women-founded companies through OBIO’s Women Entrepreneurship Program. Panelist Irsa Wiginton from mDETECT, completed the Women’s Entrepreneurship Program in the spring of 2023.
“We’ve really seen the benefit of becoming a member of OBIO®,” says Michael Wells, Partnerships Development Officer with QPI. “Not only for our supported entrepreneurs to take part in their programs, but now for the greater Queen’s and Kingston community connected with the health care industry.”
Queen’s Partnerships and Innovation has provided programs and services to mDETECT with support from the Federal Agency of Economic Development for Southern Ontario via the TIAP Venture Builder Program, the ScaleUp Platform Project, the WE-CAN Project, and the Health Innovation Kingston (HI YGK) Project.