DiscoveryLabs

Our vision is to help anyone with a high value plan find a route to market. Our aim is to offer engaging, enjoyable and productive events to teams looking for ways to commercialize their valuable discoveries by connecting them to business advisors and investors who can help them navigate barriers to success. Background: DiscoveryLab was founded as an independent networking organization in 2015 to bridge the gap between innovators and business experts. Over 30 meetings have been organized online and at locations across Edmonton and Calgary, providing a platform where 408 teams from universities, startups and SMEs registered to pitch plans, often for the first time. Each team presented a technology-focused business story to a diverse panel of industry, investment, financial, legal and management experts drawn from leading business and investment services. Many of the new ventures pitching plans have returned for multiple meetings, gaining crucial guidance and contracts at vulnerable stages of development. Of the 110 DiscoveryLab presenters in 2023, 24% were women, 44% were immigrants or minorities, and 55% had pitched before. Together they sought $215 million as well as new advisors and contracts. The alumni have attracted funding of over $125M, and some have moved their operations to Alberta or abroad. The grassroots community we have fostered represents a valuable collaborative network for allowing innovation to thrive, and we are now looking to expand our reach and impact.