Investing in the bright hearts of the next generation is the key to the future of Canada's economic recovery

Iris Redinger is changing our material world with healthy shades that are good for humans and the planet.

Waterloo-based startup 23-year-old founderMaterialFuturesis a fully natural dye that "grows" color with microorganisms and reduces fibers. Created Water pollution, which accounts for about 20% of the world's industrial wastewater pollution.

"Clothes dyeing is one of the biggest environmental challenges in the fashion industry," simply replacing biodegradable colorants with existing manufacturing processes, Redinger says it can eliminate the use of toxic petroleum products. ..

Received the prestigious Entrepreneur Award fromMitacsfor coloring the outside of the border to honor innovative start-ups and illustrious spirit. Mitacs is a non-profit national organization that helps solve business challenges with academic research solutions.

With a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Waterloo, Redinger is on track to commercialize technology in the next 12 months. Material Futures was born out of her passion for fashion and a side project she did in her first year of college with Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen and the famous dome dress, which was unveiled at Paris Fashion Week 2017.

She advises her students to explore her own interests and curiosity beyond her coursework and her challenges. “As a side project, believe in your ideas and take the time to work on them.”

Young entrepreneurs need to spend time understanding and proving their value proposition. there is. Investigate financing and the application of dyes to cosmetics, food and plastics.

Redinger is one of the five former Mitacs internships who won the 2022 Entrepreneurship Award for turning her groundbreaking discovery into an innovative business.

Nicolas Olmedo, 33, builds a robot that traverses mud, snow, ice, and rocks to move to places where humans don't have to go. doing. The fleet of intelligent field robots, called HELIX, is mainly used in mines to monitor waste areas for potential environmental hazards.

"Robots are large amphibious vehicles that can be equipped with special measurement and sampling tools to send them into dangerous environments, all of which keep workers safe and these. To provide high quality data in critical locations.Copperstone Technologies Inc

Olmedo 3 with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Alberta University Olmedo, one of the co-founders of Man, plans to push the boundaries of what our robots can do – and “maybe someday we will have robots for space exploration. I will make it. "

Olmed admits that entrepreneurship is "a very long way to go, with many decisions, late nights, and lessons to be learned." I had to learn to embrace change and a lot of growth for myself as a leader.

One piece of his advice. “Focus on revenue generation. If you can create value for your clients, it's a great test that your business is on the right track.”

Olmed and Redinger We value our internship for their passion, breakthroughs and boost to success.

Internships are essential to facilitating the professional journey of researchers and driving innovation, said John Hepburn, CEO of Mitacs, with 20% of internships turning innovation into a startup. He adds that he has succeeded in changing.

"Learning in the classroom is one thing, but applying that knowledge to a professional environment to solve real problems will further advance education and history. It benefits promising young researchers who are trying to write a book, gain experience in the real world and learn from other professionals, "says Hepburn.

And he adds that companies will have access to tremendous talent from Canadian research institutes to drive research, development and innovation at low cost.

Investing in the bright hearts of the next generation is the key to the future of Canada's post-pandemic economic recovery. “These SMEs and up-and-coming entrepreneurs are pushing the status quo, pushing the boundaries, developing new and exciting ideas, and creating jobs in growth areas.”

Fredericton innovator Pascal McCarthy, 26, has created a groundbreaking AI-based platform to enhance athletic performance. Reduce Injuries – Early Adapters already include professional hockey, baseball and golf players.

But you don't have to be an athlete to use his game-changing performance and wellness platform atParados Cerebral Solutions Inc."For some people the goal is to get rid of the pain, for others it is to run faster, and for athletes it may be to improve the golf swing, slap shot, or striking posture. "No," says McCarthy, who holds a Master of Science degree from New Brunswick University and a Mitacs Change Agent.

Parados combines accurate physical and psychological assessments to identify imbalances and, more importantly, their causes. "For example, with our tools, if a person's shoulders are too tight and need exercise to relieve stress and relax, or if they can't open enough to adjust their golf swing. Whatever it is, we reach the root cause, "says McCarthy.

McCarthy likes what he does. “As I approached solving problems, I was able to apply what I learned through my research and personal experience.”

He is passionate about his students. Advise you to follow, "You'll understand how to apply it later. It feels like a job no matter what, but it focuses on developing good habits and positive growth thinking. More ... In the end, you'll spend more time doing what you love than you don't. "