Concordia’s Gina Cody School Innovation Fund invites applications from student-led startups

Up to $60,000 in funding and mentorship is available to launch bold ideas

May 6, 2025

By Vincent Allaire

Black and white image of city buildings seen from below

Have an idea that could make a real difference — and need support to make it happen?

The Gina Cody Innovation Fund is now accepting applications until June 6, 2025. The program offers seed funding and mentorship to student-led projects with strong potential for commercialization and real-world impact.

The fund was launched by Emad Shihab, associate dean of research and innovation at the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, and Guillermo Mendoza-Suarez, senior director of research and innovation partnerships. It seeks to support Concordia students who are ready to take their ideas beyond the classroom.

“We want to be the bridge between research and entrepreneurship,” says Shihab. “If you’re working on a promising idea — whether in AI, software, robotics, sustainability or something else entirely — this is your chance to move it forward.”

Funding, mentorship and community

Unlike traditional research grants, the Innovation Fund supports practical projects that have clear potential to reach the marketplace. Selected teams receive $10,000 in Phase I, with the opportunity to access up to $50,000 in Phase II, depending on their progress and a strong plan for commercialization.

“You don’t need a finished prototype,” Mendoza-Suarez explains. “You need an idea that solves a problem, a plan to move it forward and the drive to make it happen.”

Support also goes beyond funding. Participants are matched with mentors from industry and academia, including leaders from District 3, Front Row Ventures and successful entrepreneurs. Past teams have used this and other resources to refine their ideas and enter the startup ecosystem.

Previous teams supported by the Innovation Fund have pursued a range of projects across different industries. Examples include:

RLP Industries: Empowering women with wearable tech solutions that enhance safety in public and private spaces.
QuoteNet: Using augmented reality to deliver quick and precise painting quotes.
Alvia Systems: Helping businesses build resilience against climate change by making site-level risk transparency more accessible.
Ploomba: Enhancing farming productivity through robotics and artificial intelligence.
InsightWearAI: Developing wearable devices that empower blind and visually impaired individuals to navigate the world more easily and affordably.

Open to all Concordia students

Undergraduate and graduate students across Concordia can participate, but each team must include at least one student from the Gina Cody School. Diverse and interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged.

Each term, top teams present their progress at Innovation Demo Day — with the next edition coming up on May 7 — where they receive feedback from faculty, entrepreneurs and peers.

Participants also have a chance to earn awards such as Most Innovative and People’s Choice.

“There’s a before and after for students who go through the Innovation Fund,” says Mendoza-Suarez. “It changes how you see the world — and what you believe you’re capable of building.”

Applications for Concordia’s Gina Cody Innovation Fund are due June 6, 2025.

Find out more about the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science.