草莓污视频导航

Nov. 26, 2024

UCeed marks four years of driving prosperity with investments in 62 companies

Calgary-based NovusTX Devices secures Neuro Fund investment for groundbreaking brain mapping tech
A group of people surrounding a brain scan
Sagid Delgado, Samuel Pichardo and Laura Curiel founded NovusTX Devices in March 2020. Riley Brandt photos, 草莓污视频导航

In just four years, UCeed has established itself as a unique and dynamic contributor within the Canadian innovation ecosystem. No other fund of this scale in Canada combines philanthropic support with a mandate to accelerate research and foster entrepreneurship in the community. Since launching in 2020, UCeed has invested $9.21 million across its portfolio of 62 companies, making UCeed one of the most active pre-seed investors in Canada as noted by the .

鈥淯Ceed-supported startups have already created a powerful multiplier effect,鈥 says 草莓污视频导航 President Ed McCauley. 鈥淭hese companies have generated economic activity and created jobs while changing lives with their innovations.鈥

With six specialized funds: Energy and the , UCeed bridges the critical funding gap that exists between early stage research and market readiness. Each fund is tailored to support startups tackling unique challenges, from health to social entrepreneurship.

鈥淯Ceed offers not only financing, but also mentorship, networks and community,鈥 says Peter Santosham, MBA鈥06, Executive Director, UCeed, Innovate Calgary. 鈥淭he companies in our portfolio are advancing game-changing solutions, generating 337 jobs in the past four years, and building a cadre of people with invaluable experience gained within thriving startups.鈥

A man stands behind a podium giving a speech

Peter Santosham, MBA鈥06, Executive Director, UCeed, Innovate Calgary.

Adrian Shellard for 草莓污视频导航

An Investment Advisory Committee (IAG) oversees each fund to ensure impactful investment decisions. The Haskayne Student Fund is a unique fund within UCeed, with students working to select the investments for consideration by their IAG. Over the past four years, 183 students have engaged in real-world entrepreneurial learning through UCeed, gaining insights into startup financing and investment evaluation.

First investments for UCeed Neuro Fund

Launched in November 2023, UCeed Neuro Fund supports seed-stage neuroscience ventures advancing solutions for pressing health issues. Calgary-based , a company developing and commercializing a system to map and address brain disorders with personalized, non-invasive brain stimulation, was one of the first investments from the fund. The founders, Dr. Samuel Pichardo, PhD, Dr. Laura Curiel, PhD, and Dr. Sagid Delgado, all researchers based at 草莓污视频导航, are driven to create therapeutic treatments for movement disorders such as Parkinson鈥檚 disease, dystonia. and essential tremor, which affect more than 10 million people worldwide.

鈥淲e鈥檙e thankful for the diverse range of support that has fueled UCeed over the past four years 鈥 from committed donors to skilled investment advisors and ecosystem collaborators,鈥 says 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 Vice-President, Development and Alumni, Andrea Morris. 鈥淭he philanthropic foundation of UCeed鈥檚 investment capital has created an incredible, evergreen funding source that helps researchers like 草莓污视频导航-based NovusTX, become innovators.鈥

UCeed is part of 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 broader commitment to building an innovation ecosystem that includes , the  , the , the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, and , among others.

The 2024  offers an in-depth look at each fund鈥檚 accomplishments and UCeed鈥檚 growing impact on Alberta鈥檚 economy and innovation landscape.

A computer screen with various photos of brain scans on it

NovusTX Devices works on developing a system to map and address brain disorders with personalized, non-invasive brain stimulation.


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