Inventor to Founder Fellowship

13 Weeks & $10,000 to Go From Vision to Venture

An intensive 13-week program for students, researchers, and faculty at the early stages of their entrepreneurial or commercialization journey. Validate your idea, build your MVP, and pitch with confidence — eligible participants will receive $10,000 in stipend to fuel every step.

The Inventor to Founder Fellowship is powered by YSpace and the IP Innovation Clinic at York University, and funded by Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON).

Apply Now

Built to Take You From Vision to Venture

This isn't a classroom. Inventor to Founder Fellowship is built around doing — from execution sprints and expert mentorship to peer accountability that keeps you moving. After 13 weeks, you will walk away with a validated idea, a functional MVP, a go-to-market strategy, and a pitch ready for investors.

At Inventor to Founder Fellowship, you will learn how to

Validate+

Problem framing, customer discovery, and market sizing — with real feedback loops before you build.

Build+

Dedicated MVP sprint with mentors and technical subject matter experts to help you ship fast.

Position+

Brand identity, go-to-market strategy, pricing, and customer acquisition planning.

Pitch+

Investor-ready narrative, deck refinement, and live critique from industry leaders and angels.

IP Strategy

IP foundations, commercialization pathways, and protection planning woven throughout every stage of the program — in partnership with the IP Innovation Clinic.

6 Ways We Support You

Everything you need to move from idea to investor-ready — in one 13-week program.

$10,000 Stipend

Eligible participants will receive $10,000 to support their entrepreneurial and/or commercialization journey.
Weekly Workshops | Virtual

Expert-led sessions on validation, market sizing, business modelling, MVP development, branding, go-to-market strategy, and pitching.
Peer Circles | In-person

Structured accountability sessions where founders share progress, test assumptions, and receive candid feedback from peers.
MVP Sprint | In-person

A dedicated build week to develop and stress-test a functional MVP — with real-time feedback from mentors and subject matter experts.
Pitch Sprint | In-person

An intensive week to sharpen your venture narrative, strengthen your deck, and refine your delivery with live critique from industry leaders.
Showcase | In-person

A public pitch event where selected founders present to 100+ attendees — mentors, angels, and ecosystem partners.

Key Dates for Summer 2026

From your first application to your final showcase — here's the full journey.

Applications open

April 6th, 2026

Applications Close

May 4th, 2026

Program kick-off day

June 2nd, 2026

Program Duration

June - September 2026

Demo day

September 3rd, 2026

Application process

Step: One

Applications for the Summer 2026 cohort are now open!

If you have any questions about the application process, email us at yspace@yorku.ca

Apply Now

Step: Two

Short-listed candidates will be invited to interview in early May. The candidates will provide a short pitch followed by Q&A from our experts.

Step: Three

The selected participants will be notified in late May with program kick off and orientation in early June.

Program eligibility

To qualify for the program, individuals must:

Be a student, recent graduate (within 2 years of completing an undergraduate or graduate program), researcher or faculty member based in Ontario — or apply as a team of students. Faculty enrollment, including from institutions other than York University, is subject to institutional discretion.
Disclose to the respective institution full or partial ownership in a prospective or protectable invention or innovation.
Express serious interest in advancing this invention for social and/or commercial gain.
Complete Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON)'s virtual IP education modules (6–8 hours), or an in-house IP program deemed equivalent to IPON's program as a requisite to course completion. Note that IPON will provide a link to the modules, and participants' names and emails must be shared with IPON to confirm enrolment.
Meet any qualification standard as determined by the institution.

Frequently asked

This program is designed for students, recent graduates, researchers, and faculty in Ontario who are working on a protectable innovation or invention and are serious about advancing it toward commercialization. We are looking for individuals or teams who are ready to actively validate their ideas, build solutions, and explore real pathways to market.

No, the program is sector agnostic. All the resources and support are focused on technology-based ventures across all industries with strong IP potentials.

The program includes:

Weekly Workshops (Virtual): Expert-led sessions on validation, business models, GTM, and pitching
Peer Circles (In-Person): Accountability and feedback sessions
MVP Sprint: Dedicated build week for product development
Pitch Sprint: Intensive pitch refinement
Showcase: Final pitch event with mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners

The program runs from early June to early September, with a final showcase taking place at the end of the program. On a weekly basis, participants should expect to commit a minimum of 5 hours to program activities, including workshops, mentorship sessions, peer circles, and office hours. Additional time outside of sessions is strongly encouraged for customer discovery, product development, and advancing your venture.

The program is open to all students, researchers and faculty in Ontario, including those from institutions other than York University. All applicants must meet the program’s eligibility requirements and will be subject to verification during the selection process.

A maximum of 30 ventures will be chosen for the program.

It can be difficult to quantify the exact impact of the program, as the value will vary depending on your venture and how you engage. The program provides significant support to help you move your invention or innovation toward commercialization in a structured and practical way. Through mentorship, workshops, and execution sprints, you’ll refine validate your idea, build your product and gain early traction.

Participants will also receive a $10,000 stipend to support their work throughout the program. In addition, the top ventures will have the opportunity to present at the final showcase and gain exposure to mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners.By the end of the program, you’ll have the tools, network, and momentum needed to continue scaling your venture.

The application process begins with submitting an online application that captures key information about your background and invention or innovation. Applicants will be required to confirm eligibility and ownership of their invention or innovation, followed by verification of student or faculty status. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in an interview as part of the selection process. Successful applicants will then receive an offer and complete onboarding steps before the program begins.

NOTHING! It is a free program and we do not take any equity in the company!

You don’t need formal IP filed yet, but you must:

be working on a protectable invention or innovation and
be prepared to develop an IP strategy during the program
be agreeable to having your invention or innovation disclosed to IPON as part of the program

Ready to Build Your Venture?

Applications for 2026 cohort are now open. Apply by May 4th!

Apply now

Our Partners and Funders

This program is funded in part by the IP Ontario (IPON). The views and information presented on this page are those of YSpace and do not necessarily reflect those of IPON.

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Contact us

For more information, please contact us at
yspace@yorku.ca
416-736-2100 ext. 44940