Innovation
Accelerate research and innovation from within UCalgary and our surrounding communities
UCeed
The largest university-based fund of its kind in Canada, UCeed is a group of early-stage investment funds accelerating startup companies to advance problem-solving research, create jobs and fuel the economy.
Three pillars of UCeed
Entrepreneurship
Enrich the quality and breadth of learning by providing real-world opportunities for entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking.
Community
Integrate UCalgary and Innovate Calgary with communities both on and off campus through entrepreneurship and innovation.
How UCeed fits into the innovation ecosystem
UCalgary has developed an innovation ecosystem that supports the translation of lab-based research to real-world impact. As a wholly owned subsidiary, Innovate Calgary plays a leading role within the innovation ecosystem, and manages the operation and development of UCeed funds.
UCeed is critical for the future economic and talent diversification of our city and our province. It is the culmination of UCalgary’s focus on entrepreneurial thinking, invention and innovation, education and community impact.
Funded entirely through philanthropic support, and backed by leading investment advisors, UCeed funds, trains, mentors, and supports startup companies during the critical translational stage between innovation demonstration and commercialization.
Our funds
Haskayne Student Fund
A private equity fund managed by and for students, with oversight and coaching from Innovate Calgary and Creative Destruction Lab – Rockies.
Child Health and Wellness Fund
Canada's first early-stage fund for child and maternal health - a priority research area for UCalgary and key to positive health impacts for children and families.
Health Fund
Focused on advancing health care innovation across the field, including areas like therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and software.
Social Impact Fund
A unique partnership in social finance supporting an ecosystem of organizations focused on addressing social issues in our communities.
Energy Fund
Focused on advancing energy innovation across a wide spectrum of fields, including areas like energy efficiency solutions, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and renewables.
Our process
UCeed represents a unique model in venture philanthropy, unlike any other university-based investment fund.
Focusing on strategic priority areas for UCalgary, our city and province, UCeed has launched a series of funds poised to make an immediate impact, diversify the economy, and create new industries, opportunities and jobs.
Fund management
Innovate Calgary has recruited a seasoned team to manage UCeed funds. Our fund managers are thought leaders with industry expertise, and have experience in all facets of startup and early-stage company development.
Innovate Calgary UCeed Management Team
UCeed uses a milestone investment methodology to focus investees on key technical or business models that will help them engage with the private sector. In addition to capital, UCeed provides commercialization expertise, mentorship and networking, and education and programming to make companies investor-ready. In order to build a sustainable innovation ecosystem, UCeed re-invests any returns back into the fund of origin to create an “evergreen” funding model.
Due diligence
Investments undergo a multi-phase due diligence process in which UCeed collects and analyzes key business and technical information for each venture. Third-party validation methods are then used to determine which ventures have the strongest investment potential. Each UCeed fund has its own Investment Advisory Group made up of experienced professionals with deep sector experience, proven leadership, and knowledge and expertise in fund investment and are hand-selected to join UCeed as advisors.
Ventures are also vetted through regulatory experts, subject matter experts, intellectual property experts, and in the case of any health venture, our Clinical Advisory Board.
Networks and connections
UCeed works with its portfolio companies to prepare them for further investment. Through its robust network of venture capitalists and angel investor networks, UCeed connects its investee companies to follow-on investors, providing a detailed investment summary that distills all of the information collected about the portfolio company from its due diligence process. This process ensures that follow-on investors are connected to companies that meet preferred investment criteria, with all of the information needed to make informed investment decisions. In this process, UCeed serves as a source of high-quality investment opportunities for the local investment community.
Value added investing
Ventures that successfully receive UCeed investment gain more than funding from being part of our portfolio. Each UCeed investee company is paired with at least one mentor who can provide advice, monitor performance milestones, and ensure proper corporate governance mechanisms. UCeed ventures also have access to the UCalgary Innovation Ecosystem, which includes access to programs, resources, and physical space that would not be available elsewhere.
Thank you to our partners
