Innovation UBC

The University of British Columbia has crossed a major commercialization milestone, officially launching its 302nd spin-off company following the addition of 15 new ventures in 2026. According to Innovation UBC, companies created around UBC research have collectively raised more than $11 billion in capital, generated an estimated $13 billion in revenue, and created over 2,800 […]

A University of British Columbia astronomer who has identified thousands of possible worlds beyond our solar system is the featured guest on the latest episode of Innovation UBC’s Beaker Banter podcast. Dr. Michelle Kunimoto joins host Dr. Marissa Lithopoulos for A Planet Hunter’s Guide to the Galaxy, a wide-ranging conversation about exoplanets, the search for […]

A new national survey is challenging the perception that intellectual property developed at Canadian universities is routinely transferred to foreign companies. Co-authored by Brett Sharp, Associate Director of Technology Transfer at Innovation UBC, the analysis found that Canadian companies receive the majority of exclusive commercialization rights to patented inventions managed by participating universities. The survey […]

British Columbia has no shortage of wood—but much of what is harvested never reaches a mill. At the same time, industries worldwide are searching for practical alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Researchers at the University of British Columbia believe these two challenges could help solve each other. Dr. Feng Jiang, an associate professor in UBC’s Faculty […]

Innovation UBC has introduced its 2026 cohort of Venture Development Specialists, pairing five UBC Sauder graduate students with eight early-stage companies working to bring university research to market. The specialists are Lisa Popplewell, Drew Blackmun, Nkemdilim Okwuchi, Mitchell Liebrecht, and Darryl Mah. Over a series of two-month consulting projects, the students are supporting CereCura Nanotherapeutics, […]

Turning university research into a company is rarely as simple as finding a promising technology and assembling a founding team. Before a UBC researcher can commercialize an invention developed at the university, the new company needs the rights to use that intellectual property. Negotiating those rights can take months, cost thousands of dollars, and create […]

Innovation UBC has appointed Ian Bell as Associate Director, Innovation Partnerships, adding more than 25 years of international experience in technology transfer, research commercialization, partnership development, and intellectual property strategy to the university’s innovation team. Bell officially stepped into the role on June 1 and will focus on strengthening how UBC connects its research strengths […]