INVENTOR TO FOUNDER FELLOWSHIP - YSPACE

📅 Join us at our May Lunch & Learn: Scaling Your Venture, From Capital to Coaching → Home » Programs & Streams » Inventor to Founder Fellowship 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). Join the waitlist 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 01 Validate+ Problem framing, customer discovery, and market sizing — with real feedback loops before you build. 02 Build+ Dedicated MVP sprint with mentors and technical subject matter experts to help you ship fast. 03 Position+ Brand identity, go-to-market strategy, pricing, and customer acquisition planning. 04 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 closed! If you have any questions about the application process, email us at yspace@yorku.ca Join the waitlist 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