Applicants must be:

• Current McMaster Master’s or PhD students, or Postdoctoral Fellows
• Recent Master’s or PhD graduates (within the past 12 months)
• From any academic discipline

Ideal Candidates Will Demonstrate:

• Strong communication, teamwork, and organizational skills
• A clear interest in innovation and entrepreneurship
• Motivation to explore commercialization opportunities
• Willingness to participate in training workshops and mentorship
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments
• Relevant technical skills valued by the participating startup

Participating startups must meet one of the following criteria:

• Received investment from the McMaster Seed Fund
• Utilize McMaster-based research or ideas and have secured early-stage seed funding from other sources
• Be vetted and approved by the Office of the Vice-President, Research

Startups should demonstrate sufficient organizational maturity, including operational, administrative, and governance capacity to support a meaningful Fellowship experience.

Participating startups are expected to:

• Develop a clear workplan with defined goals and milestones
• Assign a dedicated supervisor to guide the Fellow and coordinate with program partners
• Provide exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making
• Support the Fellow’s participation in training and mentorship activities

The supervising Faculty member is expected to:

• Work with the Fellow and Start-up to develop a workplan
• Provide ongoing mentorship and support to the Fellow
• Participate in status meetings during the project
• Support the Fellow’s training opportunities
• Review and authorize the mid-term and final reports