From honing a concept to launching a company, Brock University’s startup programs are helping entrepreneurs bring their business ideas to life.

The Brock LINC community gathered in the Rankin Family Pavilion on Dec. 3 to celebrate the latest Navigate, Blueprint and LINCubator cohorts. Students, alumni and community innovators in the three programs have spent months growing their businesses from idea to prototype to launch.

Brock LINC Entrepreneurship Program Manager Tamara Jensen (left) presented fourth-year Biotechnology student Hinkal Patel with the student prize at the Navigate program pitch competition on Dec. 3.

While each Brock LINC program supports a different stage of development, together they form a commercialization pathway. Navigate helps founders validate concepts, Blueprint turns promising ideas into tested prototypes and the yearlong LINCubator prepares entrepreneurs to enter the market and scale their businesses.

More than two dozen entrepreneurs — supported by 28 mentors and 10 judges — were recognized at the celebration, joining an ecosystem that now supports almost 500 business founders each year.

The evening opened with pitches from 14 Navigate participants, offering a glimpse into the earliest stage of the pipeline where ideas first meet validation.

Fourth-year Biotechnology student Hinkal Patel took home the student prize for Field Front Medical Services, a venture offering on-site emergency medical coverage for events across Niagara. By deploying certified medical personnel, the company aims to reduce strain on EMS services and create safer community events.

The community prize went to Joanne Lachance and Franco Venturato for Purvivino, a natural filtration product that removes sulphites and histamines from wine without altering aroma or taste.

“The Navigate program not only boosted confidence in ourselves and in our product but also provided us with strategic insight in a well-structured and supportive environment,” said Lachance.

Each winner took home a $2,500 prize to support the next phase of growing their businesses.

The event also featured a panel of entrepreneurs who have completed the LINCubator program, including:

• Matthew Cary (BA ’08, MAG ’23), whose business Fawkes uses research-backed assessment tools to improve candidate selection for 911 dispatch centres.
• Isabelle Hill (BKin ’22, MSc ’24) and Sean Locke, who are equipping health professionals with behavioural-change tools to better support patients through Healthy Habits Coaches.
• Zohra Sheikh and Teddy Lapkin, whose Villagely, Inc. grant platform uses artificial intelligence to help organizations manage the full grant lifecycle.

Brock LINC Entrepreneurship Program Manager Tamara Jensen (left) presented Franco Venturato and Joanne Lachance with the community prize at the Navigate program pitch competition on Dec. 3.

Moderated by Brock LINC Executive Director Farzana Crocco, the panel shared practical insight into resilience, product development and the realities of launching a business.

Current LINCubator teams also presented their ventures and outlined next steps to a packed room of ecosystem partners, including representatives from the Ontario Centre of Innovation, Innovate Niagara and Venture Niagara, who help entrepreneurs access external funding, business development supports and wider community networks.

The celebration wrapped up with time for guests and Brock LINC participants to network, with judges sharing advice, program alumni offering peer coaching and mentors connecting founders to new resources.

“The success of our 2025 cohorts is proof that Brock University’s commercialization pipeline is building momentum and delivering results,” said Crocco. “Through the stage-by-stage support we offer, Brock LINC is strengthening Niagara’s startup ecosystem by helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into viable businesses.”