Shane Kilpatrick (front left) believes universities possess enormous potential to drive economic growth through innovation and commercialization. (PHOTO BY SYDNEY THOMPSON/University of Windsor)
By John-Paul Bonadonna
When Shane Kilpatrick looks across the room at the researchers participating in the University of Windsor's Innovation Fellowship, he sees something familiar: talented people with innovative ideas standing at the threshold of entrepreneurship.
As entrepreneur-in-residence for the fellowship, Kilpatrick works closely with the program's 10 fellows as they explore the commercial potential of their research. Through one-on-one mentoring sessions, workshops and ongoing guidance, he helps participants navigate a path that can be both exciting and uncertain.
"Being able to meet the different researchers and teams has been a real pleasure," says Kilpatrick.
"I think there's a tremendous opportunity here and hopefully I can contribute to helping them along."
Fellowship Innovation is delivered through the Office of Research & Innovation and fully funded by Intellectual Property Ontario. The program brings together faculty members, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from across disciplines — including engineering, science, computer science and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences — to explore how their research could become viable businesses, products or services.
The innovation fellowship culminates in a final pitch competition, but much of its value lies in helping participants develop the entrepreneurial mindset needed to move innovations beyond the lab.
For Kilpatrick, that mission is personal.
A Windsor-area entrepreneur, he founded the biotechnology company MemBio while still a student. Starting with little more than an idea and determination, he spent a decade building the company into a venture that raised millions of dollars, developed technologies and was ultimately acquired by ABEC, a global leader in bioprocess solutions.
The experience taught him lessons no textbook could provide.
"I started a biotech company with no lab, no money and no industry experience," he says with a laugh.
"I would not recommend that combination to people."
What followed was years of learning through trial and error, adapting to challenges and discovering that successful entrepreneurship depends on much more than a strong technology.
"One of the main things I learned is that the technology itself isn't always the most important thing," he explains.
"Your network, your communication skills, your ability to build relationships and bring people along with you — those are the things that matter tremendously."
Those insights now inform the guidance he provides to innovation fellows.
Throughout the program, Kilpatrick meets individually with each participant about every two weeks, helping them evaluate assumptions, identify risks, and focus on the factors most critical to commercial success. While researchers are experts in their respective fields, he says transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship requires a shift in perspective.
"There are different measures of value in academia and in the commercial world," he says.
"Researchers are already very good at testing hypotheses and asking difficult questions. What we're really doing is helping translate those skills into a different environment."
Kilpatrick encourages fellows to look beyond the research itself and consider the market need, customer demand, competitive landscape and business model.
His approach is rooted in a simple principle: time is valuable.
"You want to know as quickly as possible whether an idea is going to work," he says.
"If something isn't viable, it's better to learn that early so you can adapt, find another path or focus your efforts elsewhere."
That kind of guidance can be especially valuable for researchers who may be exploring commercialization for the first time.
Kilpatrick credits mentorship and entrepreneurial support programs with helping make his own success possible.
As a student entrepreneur, he participated in the University of Waterloo's Velocity ecosystem, where he gained access to mentorship, funding opportunities, workspace and practical entrepreneurial training.
"There's zero chance we would have existed without that support," he says.
"The mentorship and guidance were invaluable."
For Kilpatrick, one of the most rewarding aspects of the fellowship has been watching participants grow and adapt in real time.
"I've already seen people changing how they think and approach problems based on what they're learning," he says.
"Seeing those connections happen is exciting."
The program's broader impact extends beyond the individual fellows.
Kilpatrick believes universities possess enormous potential to drive economic growth through innovation and commercialization.
"There is an incredible amount of untapped value sitting inside universities," he says.
"Every technology solves a technical problem. The question is how you find the commercial problem that matches it."
For the University of Windsor, initiatives like the Innovation Fellowship represent an important step toward unlocking that potential. By connecting researchers with mentorship, entrepreneurial training and commercialization expertise, the program helps bridge the gap between discovery and impact.