Get ready to meet the newest wave of student-led startups ready to take on the challenge of the Startup Survivor Program presented by The Forge! We’re excited to announce the top ten teams selected from a highly competitive application pool of over 80 student startups. These McMaster students and alumni are eager to take their innovative business ideas to the next level and fight for their share of $75,000.
Over the next four months, these teams will face a series of challenges, setbacks, and obstacles as they compete to become the next Startup Survivor Champion.
The Forge team has spent weeks handpicking the most creative, innovative, and scalable ideas and we are thrilled to see what these teams have in store!
By the end of the summer the top 5 teams will advance, leaving their competitors behind. Here each competitor will face the hardest challenge: The Pitch Competition. Our founders will be put to the test in front of tenured judges and long-time entrepreneurs.
Will your favorite team make it to the top? Join us as we follow the journey of these student entrepreneurs and find out who will rise to the top and be crowned the Startup Survivor Champion of 2023.
Beacon Recruitment
Founders: Yulin (Leo) Zhou (Faculty of Science), Yunfei Ma (DeGroote School of Business, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Science)
Beacon is a game-changer in the field of recruitment and professional networking. Their platform is designed to create multimedia professional content that enables employers and job seekers to connect through personalized recommendations. By analyzing content interactions, Beacon’s proprietary algorithm delivers highly accurate matches, tailored to the specific needs of both parties.
Beacon’s innovative approach to recruitment has the potential to transform the industry by providing a content-based recruitment and matching software. The platform allows both employers and job seekers to showcase their skills, experience and personality, leading to more efficient and personalized recruitment experiences.
CathGraft
Founders: Oksana Chunitska (Faculty of Engineering), Alexander Dunn
CathGraft is a new startup that aims to revolutionize the way interventional cardiologists locate free grafts during angiography procedures. The company has developed a groundbreaking assistive software that helps in identifying coronary grafts during bypass-graft angiography procedures. This software is set to reduce the amount of time, dye, and radiation exposure, as well as the risks associated with complications. CathGraft has already achieved significant milestones in its short existence, such as being the first runner up in the 2023 FEMStem Competition, receiving the MITACS BSI grant, and being accepted into the ECHO program.
With their innovative software, CathGraft is set to improve patient outcomes and become a game-changer in the field of interventional cardiology.
ChloroGrow
Founder: Jiayi Deng (DeGroote School of Business, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science)
ChloroGrow is a solution to a common problem that plagues plant owners – the need for regular repotting of potted plants. The process of repotting plants is often messy, time-consuming, and can be detrimental to the health of the plant if not done correctly. This is where ChloroGrow comes in.
ChloroGrow offers an innovative solution – expandable plant pots that grow with potted houseplants. This means that plant owners no longer have to worry about purchasing new pots or risking the health of their plants during the repotting process. By eliminating the need for regular repotting, ChloroGrow saves users time, effort, and money, while also reducing waste and the risk of damaging plants during the repotting process.
Whether you’re a seasoned plant owner or just starting out, ChloroGrow offers an easy and efficient solution to a common problem. Say goodbye to the hassle of regular repotting and say hello to happy and healthy plants with ChloroGrow.
Cloak The Poke
Founders: Fatima Gafoor (Faculty of Engineering & Faculty of Health Sciences), Rabbea Sidhu (Faculty of Engineering & Faculty of Health Sciences), Julia Ungureanu (Faculty of Engineering& Faculty of Health Sciences), Warisha Rehman (Faculty of Engineering & Faculty of Health Sciences)
Cloak The Poke is an innovative startup that aims to alleviate children’s needle phobia and reduce anxiety and stress during medical procedures. With many children worldwide experiencing needle phobia, Cloak The Poke’s needle cover product is designed to revolutionize the experience of children when they receive a needle.
By using the same strategy as picking out bandaids with favourite cartoon characters, Cloak The Poke covers the needle to make it more favourable for children. The fear of needles is induced at the sight of a sharp needle, leading to anxiety and stress. Cloak The Poke’s product targets the physical appearance of a syringe, which has never been done before, providing a unique solution to reduce fear and anxiety in children during medical procedures. Say goodbye to needle phobia with Cloak The Poke.
CrowdVision
Founder: Ibrahim Iftikhar (Faculty of Engineering & Faculty of Health Sciences)
CrowdVision is changing the game in the live event industry with their innovative platform that combines AI systems and crowd-sourcing to create a personalized and immersive video experience for event attendees. With the rise of social media and technology, people are now looking for new ways to engage with events and share their experiences with others. CrowdVision’s platform allows users to relive their favorite moments from a live event and share it with friends and family in a way that is interactive and engaging.
The platform is easy to use, and users can simply upload their videos from the live event onto the platform. The AI system then analyzes the videos to curate and create a personalized video production for the user. This video production is made up of multiple curated angles and is tailored to the user’s preferences, creating a unique and immersive video experience that is specific to each user.
In summary, CrowdVision’s innovative platform offers a unique and engaging way for attendees to relive their favorite moments from live events. With the rise of technology and social media, there is a growing demand for interactive and immersive experiences and CrowdVision has the potential to transform the way we engage with live events forever.
CycleTronic Technologies
Founders: Ewan Bishop (Faculty of Engineering), Taijean Moodie (Faculty of Engineering)
For many motorcycle riders, shifting gears is an essential part of the experience. However, for people with disabilities or injuries, operating the clutch and shifting gears can be difficult or even impossible. This can prevent them from enjoying the freedom and thrill of riding a motorcycle. CycleTronic Technologies aims to break down this barrier by offering automatic and semi-automatic transmissions that can be installed on existing motorcycles.
CycleTronic Technologies offers a customizable and cost-effective solution by installing their transmissions on the customer’s existing motorcycle, allowing riders with disabilities or injuries to keep their beloved bikes and ride them comfortably and safely. By eliminating the need for a manual clutch and shifter, riders can focus more on the road and enjoy a smoother, more efficient ride.
CycleTronic Technologies is offers a much-needed solution for motorcycle riders with disabilities or injuries. By installing automatic and semi-automatic transmissions on existing motorcycles, they make riding accessible, comfortable, and safe for everyone. With their innovative technology and passion for inclusivity, CycleTronic Technologies is poised to make a significant impact in the motorcycle industry.
MENT
Founders: Stevan Japundzic (Faculty of Science), Omar Azmy (Faculty of Engineering), Sebastian Acevedo Franco (Faculty of Engineering)
MENT is a game-changing platform designed to connect international students with mentors and offer employment opportunities. High tuition fees, intense competition, and a lack of networking opportunities are just some of the obstacles that international students face. To tackle these issues, the team developed an application and matchmaking software that connects international students with mentors to provide them with skill-building opportunities, networking prospects, and cultural assimilation.
The MENT platform offers international students a comprehensive solution to their career-building needs. By connecting them with mentors and offering employment opportunities, MENT levels the playing field and makes success achievable for all students. They aim to create a more equitable and rewarding system for international students to achieve their career-building goals alongside their domestic peers.
With MENT, international students can overcome challenges and achieve their career goals alongside their domestic peers. Say hello to the future of international student success with MENT.
NerView Surgical
Founder: Mann Parikh (Faculty of Science)
Nerve injuries during surgery can be devastating for patients, leading to chronic pain, loss of sensation, and muscle weakness. NerView Surgical is developing a revolutionary technology that uses non-invasive, optical methods to identify and protect small nerves in the surgical field. Their patent-pending device will be the first of its kind, using advanced computer vision and image processing to highlight nerves in real-time, giving surgeons the confidence and peace of mind they need to perform surgeries safely and efficiently.
With NerView, surgeries can be faster, safer, and more effective, resulting in better patient outcomes and improved quality of life. NerView Surgical is on a mission to change the way surgeons visualize nerves during surgery and reduce the incidence of nerve injuries.
Silai
Founders: Paramvir Gill (Faculty of Engineering), Amanjot Bhullar
Silai is revolutionizing the way Punjabi women get custom-fit suits. Their e-commerce platform offers a remote tailoring experience that allows customers to purchase custom-fit suits from the comfort of their own home. Silai’s AI algorithm uses photos of the customer from various angles to provide accurate measurements, which eliminates the need for time-consuming and inconsistent traditional tailoring processes or unreliable self-measurements.
One of the most impressive features of Silai’s technology is its ability to estimate body shape accurately from images with diverse backgrounds and shading, even processing photos of users wearing loose-fitted clothing. This ensures that customers can have complete confidence in the accuracy of their measurements, resulting in a perfect fit for their custom-made suits.
TechMedic
Founders: Shania Bhopa (Faculty of Health Sciences)
TechMedic is a revolutionary startup that aims to improve health literacy rates among pediatric populations in hospital settings. With the current state of long wait times in emergency rooms, physician burnouts, and uninformed pediatric populations, TechMedic provides an innovative solution to promote patient health and emergency room physician time. By using digital interactive animations, TechMedic’s platform reduces the hesitation and fear that children and families often have when undergoing medical treatment. The application empowers patients to be knowledgeable about their specific condition, which can lead to a healthier adult population with fewer chronic diseases. Additionally, TechMedic’s standardized approach to health information sharing can relieve pressure on healthcare administrators and emergency physicians’ time, which leads to reduced wait times and increased physician efficiency.
With TechMedic’s mission to improve health literacy and promote patient empowerment, it’s no wonder they’re attracting attention from the medical community. A more informed population is a healthier population, and TechMedic is poised to make a significant impact in the lives of pediatric patients and their families.