Government of Canada invests in CDL Defence to accelerate dual-use technologies from research to deployment

TORONTO, Canada. February 26, 2026

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is receiving a Government of Canada investment, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), to support its newly launched CDL Defence program. The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, made the announcement at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. This funding will accelerate dual-use technologies that serve both commercial markets and defence applications.

CDL Defence is a global program designed to support science-based ventures. These ventures are developing technologies that directly address operational needs in defence, national security, and critical infrastructure across domains including autonomy, space systems, advanced materials, energy, and medtech.

CDL Defence provides founders with direct access to experienced mentors who’ve built dual-use companies, operators who understand defence requirements, and procurement expertise to bridge the gap from breakthrough research to scaled deployment. The inaugural program year is currently underway, operating across six CDL sites in Canada and Europe (CDL-Atlantic, CDL-Berlin, CDL-Estonia, CDL-Rockies, CDL-Toronto, and CDL-Vancouver), with in-person sessions taking place alongside major security forums including the Halifax International Security Forum and Munich Security Conference. The CDL Defence program is also supported by partners Osler and BDC, and will welcome new applicants in Fall 2026.

Learn more here.

“Canadian innovators are developing technologies that are essential to our national security and our future economic prosperity. Through the launch of the Defence Industrial Strategy and RDII investments, the Government of Canada is helping build the technologies and capabilities needed to strengthen our sovereignty and support the growth of Canada’s defence sector,” said the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “Today’s investments in Creative Destruction Lab support the development of sovereign technologies to meet Canada’s defence needs.”

“This investment recognizes that commercializing research is critical to Canada’s technology leadership and economic resilience. With the support from FedDev Ontario, CDL Defence provides the structured environment science-based founders need as they navigate from breakthrough research to deployment,” said Sonia Sennik, CEO of Creative Destruction Lab.

About Creative Destruction Lab

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. Its nine-month program allows founders to learn from experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their likelihood of success. Founded by Professor Ajay Agrawal in 2012 at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, the program has expanded and now has 16 sites across ten countries: Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Paris, Madison, Seattle, Estonia, Berlin, Melbourne, College Station, Milan, London, San Sebastian, and Doha. 

About FedDev Ontario

Since 2009, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impact the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our impact stories, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.

Media Contact:

Sofia Ouslis

Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

sofia.ouslis@ised-isde.gc.ca 

Alexander Solomon Report is a socio-corporate media platform of highlights on company news and industry events. The ASR TV Exposé offers higher interests and wider readership in return for mileage. For postings and publicity, email to info@alexandersolomonreport.com

Up to $130 Million to Fuel Drug Discovery and Development at the University of Chicago

CHICAGO, USA. January 29, 2026.

The University of Chicago and health care investment firm Deerfield Management announced today the launch of Hyde Park Discovery, a collaboration to advance the development of new drugs and other life-saving treatments for disease.

Leaders from the University of Chicago and Deerfield Management came together to formalize the agreement and establish Hyde Park Discovery. From left to right: Nadya Mason, Dean of Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Interim VP for Science, Innovation and Partnerships, UChicago; Nadim Shohdy, Deerfield; Frank Nestle, Deerfield; Jennifer Ponting, AVP for Research Administration, UChicago; and Bill Slattery, Deerfield.

Over the next ten years, Deerfield will provide up to $130 million in targeted funding, as well as operational and scientific expertise to advance UChicago discoveries with the potential to improve disease treatments.

The signing ceremony took place on January 28th

“The Biological Sciences Division at UChicago and the UChicago Medicine health system comprise a distinct environment that brings together basic researchers studying fundamental biology and physicians who provide advanced patient care. It is crucial to have the kind of support and innovative capabilities that Deerfield brings to accelerate discoveries and create meaningful results for our community and the world,” said Mark Anderson, dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine and executive vice president for Medical Affairs at UChicago.

In addition to this new collaboration, UChicago is also part of several other initiatives that further enhance the commercialization ecosystem on the South Side of Chicago. Other efforts include the UChicago Science Incubator at Hyde Park Labs, a strategic agreement with Orange Grove Bio to catalyze biotech innovation, and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, through which nine UChicago-led projects were recently awarded a total of $7.2 million to support visionary early-stage research.

Samir Mayekar, associate vice president and managing director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation shows Deerfield Investment leaders around the offices at Harper Court, including the new Hyde Park Labs building currently under construction and set to open later this year.

“Bringing innovative ideas and technologies from the University of Chicago ecosystem to the world is the mission of the Polsky Center, and collaborations such as this help us make this goal a reality,” said Samir Mayekar, associate vice president and managing director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which houses the University’s official technology transfer office. “Backed by Deerfield’s scientific capabilities, we are optimistic that this agreement and the work that follows will result in new potential treatments and cures getting into the hands of the patients who need them.”

Nadya Mason, dean of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Interim VP for Science, Innovation and Partnerships was among the signatories.

A joint steering committee made up of leadership from UChicago, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Deerfield’s scientific team will evaluate projects based on several criteria with the goal of achieving Investigational New Drug readiness on an accelerated timeline. This operating model has the potential to bring new drugs to the market more quickly and cost-effectively.

“Our partnership with the University of Chicago and the Polsky Center underscores Deerfield’s conviction in the significant translational potential of the research that takes place there,” said James Flynn, managing partner at Deerfield. “In joining forces, we look forward to advancing compelling therapeutics together.”

Several partners joined for the event.

The University of Chicago is on the forefront of groundbreaking research and clinical development with a leading academic medical system, more than 160 interdisciplinary institutes and centers, and 50 state-of-the-art core facilities.

World-class faculty bring together the fundamentals of medicine and advanced technology breakthroughs, along with expertise in computer science, AI, materials science, chemistry, and more. Last year, these researchers brought in more than $750 million in federal research awards.

“We are thrilled about partnering with Deerfield in the pursuit of commercializing discoveries made at the University of Chicago that have the potential to impact patient care,” said Scott Oakes, professor and vice dean of clinical science research in the Biological Sciences Division at UChicago. “This investment attests to the incredible science being done here and helps to advance our mission of bringing the fruits of that research to the world.”

Source Link: https://polsky.uchicago.edu/2025/01/29/up-to-130-million-to-fuel-drug-discovery-and-development-at-the-university-of-chicago/

Alexander Solomon Report is a socio-corporate media platform of highlights on company news and industry events. The ASR TV Exposé offers higher interests and wider readership in return for mileage. For postings and publicity, email to info@alexandersolomonreport.com 

Powering Germany's battery future: the forces that led to a new incubator at TUM Venture Labs

Germany. February 3, 2026

The landscape remains stable but fragmented , and early-stage battery deeptech teams face a unique set of scientific, industrial, and scale-up hurdles.

Batteries are at the core of a stable energy future. As Germany expands renewable energy capacity and electrified mobility, the demand for battery cells is projected to surge from today's 22 GWh to 125 GWh by 2030. Yet the country still imports three times more batteries than it produces, despite hosting strong cell manufacturing suppliers, gigafactory activity, and Europe's most vibrant battery startup ecosystem — accounting for 35% of all battery startups on the continent.

The challenge? The landscape remains stable but fragmented , and early-stage battery deeptech teams face a unique set of scientific, industrial, and scale-up hurdles.

At TUM Venture Labs ChemSpace and Climate / Circular, this pattern grew increasingly evident. Several early-stage projects were pushing boundaries in battery materials and energy storage — and among them was Qkera, developing next-generation solid-state electrolytes for greener, safer, high-performance batteries. Qkera's rapid progression underscored a broader need: a dedicated incubator tailored specifically to battery innovation.

Qkera: Powered by an ecosystem for deeptech breakthroughs

Qkera's scientific journey began in 2018 at MIT, when the core technology was first explored by Prof. Dr. Jennifer Rupp. In 2022, the work transitioned to TUM, laying the technical and entrepreneurial foundation for what would become one of Germany's most promising battery ventures.

By January 2024, Qkera officially incorporated — marking the start of its entrepreneurial chapter, and joined TUM Venture Labs Circularity. Shortly after, in March 2024, the team joined both XPRENEURS and TUM Venture Labs ChemSpace, gaining access to expert guidance, infrastructure, and mentorship.

Their momentum continued: by July 2024, Qkera secured funding from UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators and several business angels, and welcomed Martin Goetzeler (former CEO of OSRAM, Aixtron, and dSPACE) to its advisory board.

In February 2025, Qkera joined the EIT Manufacturing Venture Building Program — coinciding with the official opening of the Battery Startup Incubator, where Qkera's founder, Jennifer Rupp, stepped in as an advisor.

The journey reached another milestone in October 2025, when the startup closed a seven-digit pre-seed round with InnoEnergy, reinforcing its position as a rising leader in the European energy storage landscape.

Qkera's trajectory — alongside other promising startups such as Limatica, Litricity, and Manugy — made one thing unmistakably clear: battery ventures require tailored support, specialized infrastructure, and a network deeply embedded in energy storage industries.

Introducing Germany's dedicated battery startup incubator

The Battery Startup Incubator emerged to accelerate battery startup projects across Germany, covering the entire battery supply chain and industries. This is the first-of-its-kind offering within the TUM Venture Labs, aiming to support startup projects nationwide and across the entire battery value chain, backed by the BMFTR and supported by TUMint.Energy.

The Battery Startup Incubator now stands as Germany's dedicated launchpad for early-stage battery innovation, strengthening the national energy storage landscape and ensuring that world-class science — like Qkera's — reaches commercial impact faster.

The official introduction of the Battery Startup Incubator took place at the Ultimate Demo Day, one of the flagship events of the UnternehmerTUM ecosystem. There, Tanja Zuend, Head of the Battery Startup Incubator, together with advisor Sabine Oldemeyer, presented BaStI to startups and ecosystem stakeholders by opening the Pitch Session for Next-Gen Materials & Catalysts—marking the incubator's public launch and its commitment to powering the next generation of battery and materials innovation.

If you are a scientist, founder, or early-stage team working on battery-related technologies and looking to become part of this growing ecosystem, we invite you to apply via the TUM Venture Labs platform and select ChemSpace . Let's accelerate battery innovation together.

Source Link: https://www.unternehmertum.de/news/powering-germanys-battery-future-the-forces-that-led-to-a-new-incubator-at-tum-venture-labs

Alexander Solomon Report is a socio-corporate media platform of highlights on company news and industry events. The ASR TV Exposé offers higher interests and wider readership in return for mileage. For postings and publicity, email to info@alexandersolomonreport.com