The Queen’s Innovation Centre Summer Initiative (QICSI) is a 16-week summer program that offers aspiring entrepreneurs a stipend, seed funding, valuable training, and mentorship to begin forming their ventures. The 2024 cohort was chosen from a competitive pool of applicants and are hard at work in their teams as they prepare for the Dunin-Deshpande Final Pitch Competition at the end of the summer. Read on to hear more about some of the ventures competing in the final pitch competition on August 15th.
Solace Mobility:
This team is working on motor rehabilitation software encouraging consistency in the upper limb motion rehabilitation process. Their goal is to motivate individuals with motor impairments, encouraging consistency and easing access to rehabilitation. They have recognized that the Canadian population is rapidly aging and does not receive anything near the quality of care they need.
“There is a shocking statistic that the average stroke patient only receives about 41% of the recommended care in terms of rehabilitation.” (Annelies Henckel, Artsci’25)
The team’s intent is to target the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 and 10, good health and well-being, and reduced inequalities.
Monarch Informatics:
Monarch Informatics is creating a tool for operational data analytics in clinical laboratories. They are seeking to assist laboratories across Canada in making efficient and data-driven decisions. The team is working with researchers at Queen’s to help develop software that the researchers had identified a need for. A struggle for the team during ideation was identifying the needs of an industry they have limited experience in, and being given the opportunity to partner with researchers and industry professionals has proven valuable in identifying a problem and commercializing their solution.
“We wanted to have hands-on business experience, and so we saw that collaborating with a professional who has industry experience and understands the problem space well can give us a real advantage in making real progress and solving a real problem.” (Theo Lemay, Sc’25)
Continuing Education Provost Task force:
Provost Evans challenged this QICSI team to create a continuing education program offering at Queen’s. Together with the School of Graduate Studies, the DDQIC is supervising the team in QICSI and guiding them through a human-centred design process to identify what Queen’s can address through continuing education. The courses are targeted towards individuals looking to increase skills and knowledge, setting themselves apart in the job market. The group is looking to leverage the Queen’s reputation and the success of alumni to create a comprehensive program that addresses skill-based gaps in the job market.
Have your say! What are your career or education goals? Are there certain gaps in skills or career knowledge that you are facing? The continuing education team is excited about the opportunity to offer skills and competencies that are not typically provided academically. Share your input using the survey linked here. The team is interested in gaining insights from everyone, regardless of field, industry, or stage of professional development.
The Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre (DDQIC) is dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among students and the wider community. Through various programs and initiatives, DDQIC supports the development of entrepreneurial skills and provides resources for aspiring entrepreneurs to succeed.
For more information, visit the DDQIC Website.