Outstanding Innovator
Recognizes four individual Mitacs program participants (students or postdoctoral fellows) whose research shows exceptional potential for broader societal or economic impact.
Mitacs Innovation Awards 2026
Celebrating the people and partnerships delivering Return on Innovation for Canada
Nominations are open from July 30 to September 8, 2026.
The Mitacs Innovation Awards recognize students, postdoctoral fellows, professors, start-up founders, entrepreneurs, partner organizations, and industry leaders whose Mitacs-supported work is helping Canada innovate faster, commercialize sooner, strengthen productivity, and compete globally.
About the Awards
Now in their 16th year, the Mitacs Innovation Awards celebrate the people and partnerships turning research, talent, and ambition into real-world results.
From breakthrough research and inclusive innovation to start-up growth, commercialization, mentorship, and industry collaboration, the awards recognize the achievements that help build a stronger and more resilient Canadian economy.
Each year, the Mitacs Innovation Awards bring together leaders from research, business, post-secondary institutions, government, and the broader innovation ecosystem to celebrate the impact of Mitacs-supported work across Canada.
Submit a nomination
Do you know a Mitacs-supported innovator whose work deserves national recognition? Are you ready to share your own story of research, partnership, commercialization, mentorship, or inclusive innovation?
We invite current and former Mitacs program participants, academic supervisors, start-up founders, entrepreneurs, industry partners, and partner organizations to submit a nomination for the 2026 Mitacs Innovation Awards.
Self and peer nominations are accepted in all categories.
The nomination period runs from July 30 to September 8, 2026. No late submissions will be accepted.
Important nomination notes
Some categories require letters of recommendation. Please review the nomination requirements for your selected category before submitting.
Self-nominations for the Outstanding Innovator Award and Inclusive Innovator Award require a letter of recommendation from an academic supervisor or industry partner.
Self-nominations for the Canadian Start-up Award require a letter of recommendation from an academic supervisor.
Self-nominations for the Outstanding Research Leadership Award require a letter of recommendation from a student, postdoctoral fellow, or industry partner.
Additional requirements may apply by category.
Award categories
Eligibility note
These award categories are open to nominations for college, CEGEP, polytechnic, and university participants from eligible Mitacs programs.
All awards are open to peer and self-nomination. Letters of recommendation from academic supervisors are required for intern and student self-nominations where noted in the category requirements.
Help us recognize innovation at your institution
Institutional sharing section
Post-secondary leaders, VPRs, ORS teams, and institutional partners play an important role in helping us identify outstanding Mitacs-supported projects across Canada.
If you know a student, postdoctoral fellow, professor, start-up founder, entrepreneur, partner organization, or research team whose work deserves national recognition, we encourage you to submit a nomination or share this opportunity through your institutional channels.
Meet last year’s winners
Eleven talented individuals and organizations were awarded for their impactful work across five categories.
The Mitacs Innovation Award for Outstanding Innovation recognizes extraordinary talent among students and postdoctoral fellows from across Canada who’ve participated in a Mitacs program. This category emphasizes the societal and economic impacts of research, and the potential to drive innovation and address real-world challenges.
Dr. Nicoletta Faraone
Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, and
Head of Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre,
Acadia University
Dr. Faraone led development of an all-natural and long-lasting fabric spray tick repellent. An alternative to synthetic insect repellents like DEET, the first-of-its-kind product is expected to be on the market by next summer.
Dr. Nello David Sansone
Postdoctoral Researcher, Multifunctional
Composites Manufacturing Laboratory,
University of Toronto
Dr. Sansone designed lightweight alternatives to the industry-standard glass-filled polypropylene (plastic) materials used by car manufacturers. With these new materials, manufacturers can design cars that use less energy to drive longer distances.
Dr. Tae-Ho Kim
Postdoctoral Fellow, Biomechatronic Systems Laboratory, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Kim designed a first-of-its-kind, self-powered continuous blood pressure (BP) monitor that provides measurements every few seconds. The device saves physicians the time it takes to collect multiple readings from traditional arm cuff BP monitors.
Dr. Sara Imani
Postdoctoral Researcher, McMaster University
Dr. Imani developed a coating that can reduce infection risk on surfaces in high-traffic areas such as hospitals, schools, and airports. The coating has demonstrated more than 99 percent efficacy at killing pathogens.
Nitesh Sanghai
PhD Candidate, College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba
Sanghai’s promising new ALS drug brings hope for a better quality and longer life to the 3,000–4,000 Canadians living with the disease. The drug has shown potential to delay disease onset, prevent ALS-induced weight loss, and extend life.
The Mitacs Inclusive Innovator of the Year Award celebrates the achievements of equity-deserving groups in developing and/or fostering an inclusive innovation ecosystem. It celebrates research achievements that promote social inclusion, incorporate diverse perspectives, and prioritize accessibility in the design and execution of innovative projects, products, and services.
Dr. Anne Laurie
Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Education (Child Studies), Concordia University
Dr. Laurie’s work on an equitable Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) assessment tool has provided a culturally sensitive way to distinguish language differences from DLD, promoting early intervention for children who need it while avoiding mislabeling.
The Mitacs Canadian Start-Up Innovator of the Year Award celebrates an outstanding Canadian innovator who kickstarted their entrepreneurial journey with Mitacs’ support. This award highlights successful research commercialization and/or a new business enterprise by a Mitacs program participant &emdash; celebrating the infinite potential created when research and entrepreneurial vision align.
Dr. Narjes Allahrabbi
Postdoctoral Researcher, Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering Department, Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Allahrabbi’s work on a novel sperm enhancement device offers a more affordable and accessible alternative to in vitro fertilization (IVF). Her Toronto-based start-up, Fertilead, is currently developing clinical and at-home versions of the technology.
Fattah Haeri
Biomedical Engineer, Femera Med Tech
Haeri’s start-up company, Femera, is commercializing a vaginal probe that restores tissue elasticity and strengthens pelvic floor muscles, offering women experiencing urinary incontinence a more affordable, accessible, and minimally invasive alternative to surgery.
The Mitacs Canadian Enterprise Innovator of the Year Award recognizes a Mitacs industry partner whose leadership, adoption of emerging technology, and support of innovative research and development demonstrate an ongoing commitment to fostering talent and boosting Canada’s productivity and economic growth.
Hydro-Québec
Electricity Utility, Quebec
Through its innovation hub — and with the help of hundreds of Mitacs interns — Hydro-Québec is developing next-generation technologies to improve grid reliability, integrate renewable energy sources, and accelerate the transition from fossil fuels.
The Mitacs Innovation Award for Outstanding Research Leadership recognizes a post-secondary supervisor with a record of fostering collaboration with business partners. Associated with a university or college, winners in this category provide valuable research and training experience to Mitacs interns and implement funding toward impactful projects.
Dr. Lucas Hof
Mechanical Engineering Professor and Director of Laboratory for Smart and Circular Manufacturing, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS)
With support from more than 40 Mitacs interns over six years, Dr. Hof has developed innovations ranging from recyclable 3D-printed shoes and intelligent industrial safety systems to flexible solar panels and manufacturing processes that repurpose textile waste.
Faramarz Samavati
Computer Science Professor,
University of Calgary
Dr. Samavati’s made-in-Canada 3D digital earth system provides an alternative to traditional geographic information systems like Google Maps that represent the Earth as flat.
Celebrate innovation with us
The 2026 Mitacs Innovation Awards will take place on November 23, 2026 at National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
We look forward to celebrating the individuals and teams behind the projects delivering return on innovation for Canada.
Further event details will be shared closer to the date.
Questions?
For questions about the Mitacs Innovation Awards or the nomination process, contact [email protected].
How can Mitacs support your research and innovation project?
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De quelle manière Mitacs peut-il soutenir votre projet de recherche et d’innovation?
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