The Forge McMaster

Ready to witness the next big idea? Join us at the Startup Survivor Pitch Competition!

Student entrepreneurs are taking the stage to pitch their game-changing businesses and compete for a $15,000 prize. Be part of the excitement, support local talent, and see innovation in action!

📅 Wednesday, November 19, 5-8PM
📍 McMaster University (L.R. Wilson Concert Hall)

Who will survive and thrive? Don't miss out – reserve your spot now! https://startupsurvivor.eventbrite.ca

Happy Thanksgiving from The Forge! 🍁

We’re thankful for our incredible community of entrepreneurs, mentors, and partners who continue to inspire innovation and growth every day.

We can’t wait to celebrate innovation at our upcoming event:

Startup Survivor: The Pitch Competition
📅 Wednesday, November 19 | 🕔 5:00–8:00 PM
📍 L.R. Wilson Hall, McMaster University
🎟️ Reserve your free ticket: Link in bio!

🚀 McMaster Student Innovation Takes Center Stage!

Five dynamic student-led startups are set to compete at The Forge’s Startup Survivor Pitch Competition on November 19th — showcasing creativity, technical expertise, and entrepreneurial drive.

These top teams have spent the last four months in The Forge’s Startup Survivor program, turning bold ideas into market-ready ventures with mentorship, funding, and investor feedback. Now, they’ll pitch live for $30,000 in cash prizes and a chance to impress industry leaders and investors. 💡

Meet the Finalists:
🔹 DOT – Bridging analog journaling with digital note-taking.
🔹 Innovo Surgica – Redesigning tools to improve spinal surgery safety.
🔹 NeuroSpritz – Revolutionizing EEG testing with spray-on sensors.
🔹 O2Link – Modernizing oxygen therapy through smart monitoring.
🔹 Wonder Guard – Detecting urinary tract infections in minutes with DNA biosensors.

👏 A special congratulations to Wonder Guard who received a $5,000 award from the Sam and Roma Mercanti Foundation for innovation excellence.

Event Details:
🗓️ November 19, 2025 | 5–8 PM EST
📍 LR Wilson Hall, McMaster University
🎟️ Free tickets: Link in bio!

Join us for an inspiring evening celebrating the next generation of McMaster innovators! ✨

Five Startups. One Stage. $30,000 Up for Grabs.
After a summer of building, pitching, and pushing boundaries, the top five teams from Startup Survivor 2025 are stepping into the spotlight for the final showdown!

Join us for the Startup Survivor Pitch Competition:
📅 Wednesday, November 19
🕔 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST
📍 L.R. Wilson Hall, McMaster University
🎟️ Free tickets → Link in Bio

These McMaster-born ventures are tackling everything from smarter surgery to AI-powered infection monitoring.

Meet the finalists:
DOT (Aaron Roodhart | DeGroote School of Business - McMaster University) – The paper notebook that bridges pen and paper with your digital life

Innovo Surgica (Manvir Matthew Bhangu | McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences, Yazdaan Ahmad | Faculty of Engineering - McMaster University) – Standardizing spinal surgery tools to reduce complications within the operating room

NeuroSpritz (Lucas Monter | McMaster Faculty of Science) – Revolutionizing EEG with wireless, disposable, spray-on scalp electrodes, and an AI- powered interface, enabling faster, flexible, patient-friendly diagnostics and research across neurology and psychiatry

O₂Link (Selay Momand | McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences, Sajroop M. | McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences & McMaster Faculty of Science Alumni) – Oxygen therapy that replaces outdated flowmeters with data-driven clinician control, personalizing care through multiple breathing metrics to ensure patients get the right oxygen dosage while streamlining clinical workflows.

Wonder Guard (Manak B. | Faculty of Engineering - McMaster University) – AI-powered catheter monitoring system that uses integrated biosensors to enable real-time detection and prediction of infections.

Three winners will take home $15K, $10K, and $5K — but all five are pitching for partnerships, investors, and the Startup Survivor crown. Whether you're a founder, investor, student, or just startup-curious, this is your chance to witness the future of student entrepreneurship and innovation at McMaster University!

Last chance to apply! 🚨

Business Incubator applications close tonight at 11:59 PM. Don’t miss out—apply now!

There are two things most people avoid talking about: end-of-life planning and asking for help.

For Dr. Laura Shoots, founder and CEO of Take Care, both are central to her mission — and her journey as a founder.

Take Care is a physician-built digital platform helping people get organized for aging, illness, and end-of-life. As a first-time founder, Laura faced the steep learning curve of building a startup — and she didn’t do it alone.

At The Forge, Laura found more than mentorship. She found a community of fellow founders who understand the rollercoaster of startup life and a team that’s genuinely invested in her success.

💬"Any first time startup company faces a steep learning curve — and The Forge's Incubator Program has been nothing short of transformative in helping me climb that curve. From day one, they connected me with invaluable, no-cost resources and truly exceptional mentors who have gone above and beyond to support my journey. These mentors have been instrumental in shaping my company’s direction and success, generously offering their time, expertise, and guidance without expecting anything in return.

Their support has been absolutely pivotal to my growth as a founder and to the trajectory of my company. I can say without hesitation that I wouldn’t be where I am today without them."

🌟If you're building something bold and need the right support to grow, The Forge can help you, too.
📆 Applications for the next cohort are open — apply by July 31 → bit.ly/ForgeIncubator

🚨 Attention Hamilton-based startups!
Are you building something bold? The Forge Business Incubator is now accepting applications for our Fall cohort — and we want you on board.

From expert mentorship and business resources to helping you gain real market traction, we’re here to help your startup thrive.

🌱 Early-stage? No problem.
🧠 Big ideas? Even better.
🎯 Let’s turn your vision into a scalable business.

🗓️ Apply by July 27 → bit.ly/ForgeBusinessIncubator
Let’s build something great — right here in Hamilton.

📣 The Forge Business Incubator is now accepting applications!

We’re looking for early-stage founders with traction — whether you’ve launched your startup or built a working prototype, our 12-month program is designed to help you grow.

What we offer:
✅ Customized support & mentorship
✅ Sector-agnostic, innovation-focused
✅ No equity taken — ever
✅ Backed by McMaster University

Located in Hamilton but open to all.

🗓 Application deadline: July 27, 2025
📍 Learn more & apply: bit.ly/ForgeIncubator

Happy Canada Day from The Forge! 🇨🇦🍁

Grateful to be part of a country that champions creativity, community, and innovation. 🔥