The Forge opened its doors 10 years ago, and its June 4 birthday celebration was buzzing with the business incubator’s hallmark qualities—optimism, enthusiasm and camaraderie.
Since 2015, the entrepreneurship hub has supported more than 350 startups across industries from medtech and clean energy to software, retail, and social enterprise. The Forge companies have raised more than $100 million in funding, created thousands of jobs and launched products that are making a difference in people’s lives.
During the celebration, McMaster Innovation Park was bustling with startups, mentors, partners and community members filling the demo showcase floor and enjoying food, music and networking. The event also included a panel discussion with entrepreneurs and industry leaders, a tour of the Forge Makerspace, and awards for standout contributors in the Forge community.
While the showcase featured new Forge startups, as well as alumni, one thing all founders shared was appreciation for the support of The Forge.
“When we started with The Forge, we had just incorporated. The mentors have been instrumental in helping us focus on what is important now. They helped us prioritize,” says Zooni Thusoo, co-founder of Saucy Protein. “It is so nice to come here and know you are not being judged and know they are rooting for you.”
Thusoo, a management consultant, and her co-founder, Deepali Razdan, a physician-in-training, wanted to create a convenient source of flavourful high protein. Saucy Protein‘s tomato basil sauce has 32 grams of plant protein per jar and can be used for dip, marinade, sauce, curry or soup. Since launching, they’ve earned Ontario Made certification and expanded into both e-commerce and retail store sales. At the event, they catered the startup showcase, giving attendees a literal taste of how far they’ve come since first starting at The Forge.
Jeff Bradshaw was checking out the showcase floor. He is chief financial officer of ESI Imaging, which just joined The Forge through the Business Incubator program a week ago. Its patent-pending imaging device uses low-frequency radio waves and computer-aided AI diagnostics for breast cancer screenings. The technology does not use x-ray radiation and fits into a family doctor’s office.
“We have come to realize that the McMaster and Hamilton entrepreneurship ecosystem is incredible and will help us on our journey to commercialize our new breast screening technology,” Bradshaw says. “We looked at the quality of the people involved with The Forge and believe that we have much to learn from them.”
The event’s title sponsor was QReserve, one of the first graduates of The Forge. The company’s all-in-one scheduling platform was developed in Hamilton and The Forge provided working space, a community, and help with accessing funding. It was at a Forge showcase event that the company’s founder and CTO Brandon Aubie met now-CEO Graeme Brown.
“The biggest value The Forge provided early on was the opportunity to work next to other people doing the same thing I was doing,” Aubie says. “Founding a business is lonely. Having other people to collaborate with and commiserate with is invaluable.”
The Forge also offers a one-on-one mentorship program. Greg Boyd, a 15-year go-to-market veteran in the B2B SaaS space, has been a mentor with The Forge for a year-and-a-half.
“Canadian startups can struggle to be bold. Mentors can be that voice for founders and clear that path for them,” Boyd says.
“I find Forge startups have dedication and support from the research side and just need the translation to go to market. It gives me a tremendous amount of confidence that these startups are well-supported and research-backed companies and are well positioned to be successful.”
Following the showcase and cocktail reception, Sean Van Koughnett, associate vice-president, students, moderated a panel with Eric Spearin, a longstanding Forge mentor, president and founder of Transervice Integrated Solutions, and president and majority owner of the Hamilton Cardinals; Jocelyn Wessels, co-founder and CSO of Afynia Laboratories; and Anoop Gadhrri, co-founder and CEO of AXIBO. They shared stories and insights from founding and running their companies, as well as the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship.
The celebration concluded with three awards to recognize individuals who have gone above and beyond to support entrepreneurs and shape the community of The Forge.
Dr. Susan Tighe, McMaster’s provost and incoming president, presented the awards. In her remarks, she spoke passionately about the spirit of entrepreneurship at McMaster and the lasting impact The Forge has made—on campus, in the local community, and beyond.
Matthew Rosato, president and founder of PROVA Innovations, was honored with the Community Impact Award. This peer-nominated recognition celebrates countless contributions to The Forge, including mentoring fellow founders and supporting Makerspace operations to consistently giving back to the ecosystem that helped him grow.
“I’m incredibly honoured to receive the Community Impact Award from The Forge,” said Matthew Rosato, founder of PROVA Innovations. “This community has played a pivotal role in the growth of my startup—from building early prototypes late at night in the makerspace to refining our investor pitch, the community of entrepreneurs, mentors and staff has been there to support me every step of the way. I’m truly touched to pay it forward and grateful to be part of such a generous, collaborative ecosystem that genuinely believes in helping each other succeed.”
Inge Christensen received the Voice of Venture Award in recognition of her pivotal role shaping founders’ confidence, clarity, and connection with audiences—from early-stage student pitches to critical investor meetings and beyond. With almost a decade of dedication to The Forge as a communications coach, Inge has made a lasting difference in the journeys and careers of hundreds of its clients
Eric Spearin received the Mentorship Legacy Award. Spearin has been a mentor with The Forge since the beginning. In addition to invaluable one-on-one mentorship for many founders, Spearin has helped shape the Forge’s strategic direction and programs.
As she reflects on The Forge’s first 10 years, its interim director, Leigh Wilson is excited for its future.
“Beyond the numbers, what we’re most proud of is the community we’ve built; a community that supports risk-taking and values learning, and believes that entrepreneurship can be for everyone,” she says. “The Forge remains committed to growing this community—empowering more founders, partnering with more organizations, and helping the next generation of innovators thrive.
“We’re just getting started.”
