Labs4 has launched its new Technology Readiness Level-Up (TRL) program, giving student innovators the support they need to advance their research toward commercialization. This fall’s inaugural cohort brings together emerging researchers from colleges and universities across Canada to help them tackle one of the most persistent challenges in innovation: turning promising research into prototypes and products that meet real market needs.

The four-month program kicked off on September 10 with a virtual session attended by more than 60 participants, along with hub managers and Labs4 staff. The event provided participants with an early look at how they’ll work with mentors, industry partners, and applied research experts as they advance the commercialization potential of their projects.

Throughout the program, participants will benefit from a $10,000 stipend, weekly development sprints, applied research placements, and customized business training — all designed to strengthen their ideas before they reach the market.

Lucas Monter, an undergraduate student at McMaster University and founder of NeuroSpritz, shared how he hopes the program will help him advance his venture.

“I decided to join the TRL program to spearhead NeuroSpritz’s MVP (minimum viable product) development, contribute meaningfully to the intellectual property landscape of Canada, and immerse myself in a community of motivated students and mentors.”

NeuroSpritz, incubated at McMaster’s The Forge, is developing a spray-on scalp electrode combined with AI-driven analytics to make EEG measurement faster, more comfortable and easier to scale. It aims to help reduce barriers in neuroscience and mental health diagnostics by providing a more accessible and user-friendly technology.

“I am most looking forward to leveraging TRL as a launchpad to build NeuroSpritz’s MVP, gather preliminary data from both hardware and software components, and iterate strategically to land pilot opportunities,” said Monter.

The TRL curriculum features workshops on business models, commercialization strategies and customer evaluation methods that equip participants with the tools to align their research with market demand and prepare for future investment opportunities.

At Western University, graduate student Dandan Zhao highlighted how the program’s personalized support will help her bridge the gap between research and entrepreneurship.

“The program managers not only help connect me with academic mentors but also offer customized business training based on my needs,” she said. “This support is very beneficial not only for my future career development but also for transforming my research into practical applications.”

“This launch is the result of an unprecedented national collaboration across 38 post-secondary institutions,” said Nasil Nam, National Director, Labs4. “Together, we’re creating commercialization pathways for diverse innovators and building a more inclusive innovation ecosystem.”

Labs4 is a Canada-wide initiative that connects 38 colleges, polytechnics and universities through 11 regional and Indigenous Entrepreneurship Hubs. Using a hub-and-spoke model, it blends national standards with regionally tailored delivery. Alongside TRL, Labs4 also offers Market to Lab and Indigenous Entrepreneurship programs, each designed to support researcher-entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey.

By combining technical expertise with business strategy, TRL has the potential to prepare a new generation of Canadian innovators to bring their ideas into the world. The next cohort runs from January to May 2026.

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