UBC's Inventions and Licensing team helps UBC researchers protect and advance high-potential discoveries. The team works with researchers to assess an invention's commercial potential, build a patenting strategy, evaluate spin-off potential, market to and negotiate with potential licensees, and finalize the agreements that move an invention to market. Each year, Inventions & Licensing assesses approximately 150 technology disclosures, files more than 300 patents, and manages a portfolio of over 2,800 patents.
This month, Innovation UBC is launching a new Q&A series that introduces the people within the team, starting with Julia Antoniw, who was promoted to Technology Transfer Manager this summer. In this article, Julia shares her background and the expertise she brings to the team, how she supports researchers through their commercialization journeys, and how the refreshed Express License Agreement continues to uphold transparency and equity in the licensing process.
Tell us a bit about yourself and the expertise you bring to the I&L team.
I'm originally from Ontario and came out to UBC to complete a Master's degree in engineering. At the end of my degree, I joined Innovation UBC as a Technology Transfer Officer (TTO), and spent four years supporting the broader Physical Sciences and IT portfolio. As of June 1, 2026, I stepped into a manager role supporting the Applied Science and Computer Science portfolio.
I had excellent training as a TTO at UBC, which was shaped by the volume and breadth of work our office handles as one of Canada's largest research institutions. That exposure gave me a broad view across technologies, inventors, and deal types early on. My four years as a TTO provided me with a strong foundation in the research landscape I now support, and developed the judgment needed to navigate the ambiguity that comes with supporting early-stage technologies.
I've also supplemented this experience with professional development courses on startups and business development, and I'm currently completing CFI's Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst program to strengthen my ability to support startup formation within the Innovation UBC ecosystem.
When a researcher in your portfolio first reaches out, what does that usually look like, and what's your favourite part of the journey that follows?
The process typically begins with a researcher submitting an invention disclosure. This prompts me to reach out and set up an initial meeting to learn about the technology and their aspirations for it. My favourite part is the work that follows after this initial connection: getting into the lab to see the technology, working collaboratively with researchers to shape an intellectual property strategy, and supporting them through commercialization, grant applications, and connections with the right people across the university.
What's a UBC spin-off or licensing success you've helped make happen that you're proud of?
I'm especially proud of Narval Energy Inc., an energy-tech company developing next-generation battery technology, which started as an idea for a sodium battery module for extreme environments from the lab of Dr. David Wilkinson. I worked on this technology from the initial disclosure in 2023 through to licensing in 2025.
We held working sessions with the research team to establish what differentiated the technology from incumbents, I drafted the provisional patent application, supported the team in applying for NSERC I2I, and followed along on their journey through Venture Founder, national phase IP filings, licensing, and successfully raising a seed round. Beyond the technology, it's a fantastic team - super smart, motivated, and easy to work with. I'm super excited to see where they go next!
Of the recent Express License updates, which do you think matters most for the researchers in your portfolio, and why?
I wouldn't point to a single clause, but to what the Express License represents generally: transparency and equity in the licensing process. Researchers know upfront what deal terms to expect, and that they're getting the same fair deal as every other eligible spin-off. When you're operating in a role that serves as a connector between research, business, and law those connections are built on trust; having transparent, consistent terms in place makes that trust easier to earn and maintain.
Researchers with a disclosable invention, or questions about whether their work qualifies, are encouraged to reach out to Julia or another member of the I&L team.
