2025 has been an exciting year of growth for UBC’s innovation ecosystem. This fall, Innovation UBC’s Inventions & Licensing team supported the launch of nine new spin-off companies, bringing the combined total to 284. Of this group, seven ventures completed a UBC Express License Agreement (ELA), Innovation UBC's new templated agreement launched this spring to accelerate the formation of spin-off companies and developed in consultation with our community, law firms, investors, and researchers. Each of the nine ventures builds on UBC research, turning discoveries into real-world impact.
What is a Spinoff?
UBC spinoffs are companies created to commercialize innovations developed at UBC, support university research by funding further development, or deliver services that originated within a UBC department or unit. These spinoffs are a key part of our innovation ecosystem. They push researchers to take their breakthroughs from lab to market, supported by the Inventions & Licensing team, who work behind the scenes to evaluate inventions, secure IP rights, and build commercialization pathways. Many of these companies received support from Innovation UBC’s venture building programs, including Venture Founder and HATCH Venture Builder.
What is the UBC Express License Agreement (ELA)?
The express licensing program streamlines the process of creating researcher-led spin-off companies, making it easier for UBC innovators to commercialize their research through new ventures. Through the Express License Agreement, companies receive a fair, transparent, and benchmarked license that supports the foundation and growth of their venture. The terms of the UBC Express License Agreement were developed through extensive community consultation and have been reviewed by investors, law firms, entrepreneurs, and members of the UBC research community.
Meet UBC’s Fall 2025 Spinoffs
3C Therapeutics
UBC Express License Agreement (ELA)
Developing next-generation Degrader-Antibody Conjugate (DAC) therapeutics that harness targeted protein degradation to treat previously undruggable diseases.
UBC affiliation: UBC Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Founding team: Dr. David Perrin
Baerfell Advanced Materials Inc. (HATCH)
UBC Express License Agreement (ELA)
Developing high-performance, bio-based insulation as a sustainable alternative to synthetic and animal-derived materials used in jackets, sleeping bags, and cold-chain packaging.
UBC affiliation: Faculty of Forestry
Founding team: Dr. Feng Jiang, Marc Massicotte
Leading the innovation of advanced materials by providing sustainable and cost-effective carbon fiber solutions that can be customized to fit each industry’s specifications.
UBC affiliation: UBC Materials Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, and Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry
Founding team: Dr. Yasmine Abdin and Dr. Scott Renneckar
UBC Express License Agreement (ELA)
Empowers scientific discovery and innovation by providing next-generation cell analysis tools that are simple, scalable, and accessible through cutting-edge nanowell technology.
UBC affiliation: UBC Mechanical Engineering, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, Faculty of Medicine
Founding team: Dr. Hongshen Ma and Samuel Berryman
Developing a tumor-specific antibody-drug conjugate for the treatment of cancer based on a novel tumor target called podocalyxin (PODXL).
UBC affiliation: UBC School of Biomedical Engineering (KMM) and Dept of Cellular & Physiological Sciences (CR), Faculty of Medicine
Founding team: Prof. Kelly McNagny, Prof. Calvin Roskelley, Dr. Samuel Abraham, Dr. Julyanne Brassard, Ms. Pamela Dean, Dr. Michael Hughes, Mr. Daniel Wattier
UBC Express License Agreement (ELA)
Designing a personalized activatable nucleic acid-based treatment platform to deliver therapeutics for currently untreatable tumours.
UBC affiliation: UBC Faculty of Medicine
Founding team: Dr. Dermot Kelleher and Dr. Shane Duggan
UBC Express License Agreement (ELA)
Defining the future of drug development by combining world-leading AI drug-discovery technology with tailored biological target qualification.
UBC affiliation: UBC Urologic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
Founding team: Dr. Artem Cherkasov, Dr. Mads Daugaard, Jeffrey Bacha
UBC Express License Agreement (ELA)
Pioneers nanotherapeutics that boost innate immunity for acute infection treatment, offering resistance-proof care for patients.
UBC affiliation: UBC Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine
Founding team: Dr. James Russell, Dr. Pieter Cullis, Dr. Cedric Brimacombe, Dr. Ehsan Ansari Dezfouli
A pre-clinical stage biotech company committed to reimagining the treatment of coagulation disorders through innovative RNA and nanomedicine technologies.
UBC affiliations: UBC Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine
Founding team: Dr. Erika Siren, Dr. Lih Jiin Juang, Dr. Amy Strilchuk, Dr. Katherine Badior, Dr. Christian Kastrup, Dr. Pieter Cullis
UBC’s growing community of spin-off companies highlights what’s possible when research meets entrepreneurial drive. Congratulations to all the founders and teams powering this year’s new ventures, each one shaping impact beyond the lab.
Contact our Inventions and Licensing team to learn how your research could become the next big idea.
