Parent Child Mother Goose - Board Member

How do you help academic entrepreneurs get their ideas from the lab bench to the market?

MaRS Innovation (MI) is the official commercialization agent for 15 of Toronto's leading research institutions. Technologies disclosed to us span therapeutics, medical devices and diagnostic imaging, information and communications technologies, and advanced manufacturing and clean technologies.

MI taps into $1 billion of annual research and development in Toronto’s largest research hub. Located within the MaRS Discovery District building, we are a separate, not-for-profit organization and have an independent mandate, board of directors and staff.

MaRS Innovation is supported by the Networks of Centres of Excellence (federal funding body), the Ontario Government and by our members as part of a collective strategy to close the nation’s productivity gap and improve Canada’s economic security. In 2008, the Networks of Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) awarded us $14.95 million over five years; we extended this funding by another $14.95 million in 2013. Combined with support from our members, industry partners and other in-kind contributions, MaRS Innovation and its companies have secured approximately $75 million in our six years of operations.

Creating an organization like MaRS Innovation is completely unprecedented. It demonstrates the readiness of Toronto’s academic, health care and research communities to unleash the benefits of clustering. Their willingness to experiment enables MI to see technologies emerging across our portfolio, combining both like minds and research assets, as we build the strongest possible start-up companies and license opportunities. 

MaRS Innovation

Prior to joining MaRS Innovation, Judith was a principal with Genesys Capital Partners, one of the largest Canadian-based venture-capital firms focused on the life sciences industry.

She is a past director of Insception, Millenium Biologix Corp., Plexagen Diagnostics, and Zelos Therapeutics Inc. Previously, Judith was a partner with Royal Bank Capital Partners Life Sciences Fund and, prior to that, director of Bio/pharmaceutical Research at Drug Royalty Corporation.

Investing in Life Sciences

Making Investments and Overseeing Existing Portfolio Companies

English

Thing Tank Lab

Senior Director, Corporate Development

MaRS Innovation backs big thinkers with bold ideas. We support translational research emerging from our 15 academic member institutions by helping to bring their ideas to market. 

Together, we're discovering new ways our partners can launch and grow Canadian companies while changing lives.

Visit us at: http://bit.ly/1w5KGmx

Judith Blumstock

MaRS Innovation

Media

Social

Biography

Industry Expertise

Areas of Expertise

Education

University of Toronto

Columbia Business School

Columbia University School of Business

Affiliations

Links

Languages