Lab2Market

Canada's first national-level research commercialization program is now available in Manitoba.

We are on a mission to empower researchers to think like entrepreneurs.

Lab2Market, hosted by the University of Manitoba, is a hub of Canada's national research commercialization initiative — bridging the gap between academic discovery and real-world impact. We serve researchers across Manitoba and Saskatchewan at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey.

Lab2Market

Canada's first national-level research commercialization program is now available in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Program Streams

We offer a suite of programs tailored to meet researchers at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey — from first curiosity to funded venture.

Discover
Explore whether entrepreneurship is the right path for your research. Free, fully online, three hours per week over 10 weeks.
Validate Foundations
A free 3-day virtual training program in research commercialization, for researchers and faculty from all disciplines.
Validate
A free 16-week intensive program to critically test and evaluate your research idea against real market conditions.
Launch
A 16-week program to build your business case and prepare for funding rounds. Includes up to $10,000 in Mitacs stipends.

Explore Our Programs

Discover if entrepreneurship is for you

Lab2Market Discover helps you explore entrepreneurship and the potential of transforming your academic research into a world-changing, tech-focused business. Over 10 weeks, you will explore the opportunities and challenges in entrepreneurship as an alternative career path — at a maximum of three hours per week.

Open to current graduate students and recent graduates (Masters, PhD, and Postdoc) across Canada. Free of cost and fully online.

Validate your idea as a business

Lab2Market Validate gives researchers the opportunity to critically test and evaluate their idea in the entrepreneurial landscape. This carefully curated 16-week experience is complemented by funding, exercises, workshops, and mentorship from industry experts. Open to graduate researchers (Masters, PhD, and Postdoc) from all disciplines. Free of cost.

Not ready for Validate? Validate Foundations is a free 3-day intensive virtual program providing a comprehensive grounding in commercialization best practices — and a clear pathway into Validate. Open to researchers, faculty, and undergrads from all disciplines across Canada.

Launch your business into the real world

Lab2Market Launch is a 16-week program for research teams with validated ideas ready to become ventures. Participants build a business case, prepare for funding rounds, and access up to $10,000 in stipends through the Mitacs Business Strategy Internship. Open to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and recent graduates (within two years of completing their program) who have completed a minimum of 50 customer discovery interviews.

Lab2Market in Action

Video Series

The Lab2Market Minute & Event Spotlights

Get a quick look at what research commercialization looks like in practice. The Lab2Market Minute series, brought by the Prairies Hub, features short, focused conversations with researchers and founders. Event Spotlights capture key moments from our workshops and cohort events across the Prairies.

Watch more on YouTube →

Our Impact

100+

researchers supported across the Prairies

Lab2Market has supported over 100 researchers from postsecondary institutions across Manitoba and Saskatchewan — helping them validate potential business ideas, build entrepreneurial skills, and explore commercialization as a career path.

Lab2Market Minute

Why Lab2Market?

Expert Guidance
Mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs, industry experts, and investors throughout your journey.
Financial Support
Access stipends and grants to support your commercialization efforts, at no cost to participants.
A National Network
Connect with researchers, founders, and investors across Canada through the Lab2Market network.
Practical Skills
Workshops and exercises designed to refine your business model, validate your ideas, and accelerate your venture.
Built for Researchers
Programming designed with the researcher's reality in mind — built by people who have commercialized research themselves.
Supportive Ecosystem
A collaborative community dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

"Without a doubt, my participation in the Lab2Market Validate program will be paramount to the success of my startup. I can't imagine embarking on this journey without the guidance and knowledge I'm receiving from this experience."

Crystal Sweeney PureSpire Biomonitoring Technologies — Lab2Market Validate Alumni