Innovative Projects Realized

Phytochemical & Clinical Evaluation of Natural Health Products Against Cancer

Substantial research has been implemented to delineate the efficacy, mechanism of action and identification of the medicinal components of natural extracts for clinical use, especially in the field of cancer. This project is aimed at identifying all biologically active components of dandelion root extract (DRE), a natural health product (NHP) that has shown potential as an anticancer agent. The identification of these components will enable the development of quality control standards for DRE. The successful development of quality controls, along with the previous findings, has allowed the introduction of other potentially effective NHPs against cancer. Along with quality control studies, the effectiveness of DRE in clinical settings will be evaluated by efficacy and gene expression analysis of patient blood samples, to identify patients that would benefit from this mode of treatment. If this project succeeds, it will demonstrate the chemical basis of the effect of DRE and potentially provide AOR with new intellectual property resulting in new product opportunities, while potentially improving the quality of life of cancer patients.

Anomaly Detection on Serial Bus Systems (extension)

Thales, a global leader in technology, invests in digital and “deep tech” innovations such as Big Data, artificial intelligence, connectivity, cybersecurity, and quantum technology to create a trustworthy future. Operating across defense and security, aerospace, digital identity and security, and transport, Thales delivers solutions, services, and products that support critical missions. This internship falls under the Serial Heckler initiative, which aims to enhance the safety of vehicular platforms by securing the CAN Bus.
The project will utilize machine learning to manage high-dimensional, high-frequency data, tackle class imbalance with infrequent anomalies, and pioneer feature engineering techniques to detect subtle discrepancies in vehicular communications—all while ensuring real-time processing for robust cybersecurity. Additionally, the intern will incorporate advanced algorithmic strategies that optimize detection accuracy by analyzing patterns over time and across various system inputs, without relying on continuous manual updates or intervention.
Thales collaborates closely with Canadian public safety organizations such as the Canadian Space Agency or Defence Research and Development Canada, for making any advancements achieved by Thales a direct benefit to Canada. The success of this project not only benefits Thales but also strengthens Canada’s position at the forefront of innovation and technological development in crucial domains.

AI-Driven Scheduling and Payment Platform for Realtor Vendor Services

Our project aims to streamline vendor coordination in real estate by embedding AI-powered scheduling and payment automation into a task-based workflow system, similar to Monday.com. As agents move through their listing tasks—such as booking photography or staging—the system will intelligently schedule the right vendor at the optimal time and automatically process payment, without manual intervention.

Leveraging AI, the system will factor in variables like vendor availability, location, and even weather forecasts, helping to reduce cancellations and improve service reliability. This smart automation ensures listings move forward smoothly while saving agents time and reducing administrative work—creating a faster, more efficient real estate experience.

AI Voice Cloning Voicemail Application for Realtors

Our project aims to transform realtor communications by introducing an AI-powered voice cloning voicemail application that delivers personalized messages at high speed. Using advanced voice synthesis technology, the system replicates each agent’s unique tone, enabling them to reach out quickly and efficiently. This rapid outreach is particularly beneficial during busy, high-traffic events, ensuring clients feel a personal connection. Additionally, the feature targets potential buyers in the agent’s database by automatically notifying them of upcoming open houses that match their specific criteria. By combining timely alerts with a customized, human touch, the application helps agents boost engagement, drive higher through-traffic at events, and ultimately increase conversion rates.

Business Development Coordinator

Spandrel Interactive, a leader in interactive media and gaming solutions, is seeking to expand its client base, refine its sales pipeline, and enhance its market research strategies to drive sustainable growth. While the company has established itself as an innovator in digital engagement, its business development efforts require a more structured approach to identifying new opportunities, optimizing outreach initiatives, and improving competitive analysis. The key challenges include acquiring new clients in a competitive market, streamlining the sales process for better lead conversion, and leveraging data-driven insights to inform strategic decisions. This project will support Spandrel Interactive in addressing these challenges by implementing targeted outreach strategies, refining proposal development, and strengthening market intelligence. By going beyond day-to-day operations, this initiative will enable the company to scale more effectively and maintain a competitive edge in the industry. Solving these challenges requires expertise in business development, market research, sales strategy, and client engagement, ensuring a data-driven and strategic approach to growth.

HR Policy & Procedures Intern

12 Neighbours is a non-profit organization committed to providing permanent housing, personal development support, and employment opportunities for individuals overcoming barriers to independence. Through its social enterprises, including Neighbourly Coffee, Neighbourly Print, and Neighbourly Ventures, the organization creates meaningful job opportunities and training programs to help community members build sustainable livelihoods. As 12 Neighbours expands, a key challenge is the need for a standardized and scalable Human Resources (HR) framework across its various business units. Currently, HR processes such as hiring, onboarding, training, and employee management vary, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies in operations. To address this, the organization seeks to develop clear policies, structured workplace guidelines, and best-practice HR procedures tailored to a social enterprise setting. This project will support 12 Neighbours in implementing standardized HR processes that improve operational efficiency, ensure compliance, and enhance employee engagement. By going beyond day-to-day HR functions, the initiative will contribute to the long-term sustainability and growth of the organization, allowing it to better serve its community. The expertise required for this project includes knowledge of HR policy development, compliance regulations, organizational development, and process improvement within non-profit and social enterprise environments.

Process Improvement & HubSpot CRM programming Intern

Ignite Fredericton is focused on workforce development and attraction, with an emphasis on optimizing internal processes and enhancing stakeholder engagement through technology. The primary challenge they face is the inefficiency of their current workflows and the need for improved data management, which hinders their ability to operate effectively. The innovation challenge involves integrating existing processes into HubSpot CRM, automating workflows, and ensuring seamless system adoption to support the team’s objectives. This project will go beyond daily operations by transforming manual and fragmented processes into a streamlined, technology-driven approach that enhances productivity, decision-making, and stakeholder engagement. To address these challenges, expertise in process analysis, CRM implementation, workflow automation, and data management is required. Additionally, strong problem-solving skills, technical proficiency in HubSpot, and experience in stakeholder collaboration will be essential to execute this initiative.

Business Support Intern

Ignite Economic Development Agency, through its Planet Hatch initiative, supports entrepreneurs by providing resources for business development, strategic planning, and market research to drive regional economic growth. However, many startups face challenges in accessing tailored support for refining their marketing strategies, financial planning, and securing funding opportunities, which can hinder their scalability and long-term success. To address this, the Business Support Intern will play a key role in bridging these gaps by assisting Planet Hatch members with market analysis, sales database management, and funding identification. This project goes beyond routine operations by strengthening the agency’s ability to offer in-depth, data-driven support to startups, ultimately enhancing their competitiveness and sustainability. Solving this challenge requires expertise in business strategy, financial analysis, market research, and digital tools for managing and interpreting business data to provide actionable insights for emerging businesses.

Transfusion of transformers and state space models

Boson AI specializes in AI-driven simulation and optimization, focusing on multi-modal learning, generative modeling, and structured state-space architectures. The company develops AI models that integrate text, audio, and structured signals to enable high-fidelity simulation and synthesis across domains like speech processing, acoustics, and human-AI interaction. Through this project, Boson AI aims to address key challenges in multi-modal fusion and instruction-driven audio synthesis. The intern will help bridge the gap between discrete and continuous modalities by developing a unified learning framework. The intern will also work on capturing long-range dependencies in audio signals to improve synthesis coherence and quality. Additionally, the intern will enhance user control over AI-generated audio, enabling customization, interpolation, and real-time adaptation, while also ensuring scalability for diverse linguistic, tonal, and contextual inputs. This project will strengthen Boson AI’s AI capabilities in multi-modal learning, opening new business opportunities in media, virtual assistants, entertainment, and accessibility technologies. It will also contribute to intellectual property advancements, positioning Boson AI as a leader in generative audio synthesis. By supporting commercialization efforts such as licensing models and API development, this work will align with Boson AI’s mission to create scalable and adaptive AI technologies with long-term industry impact.

Emotion-Aware Speech Processing for ASR and TTS

Boson AI is dedicated to advancing cutting-edge AI research, specializing in large language models for interaction and entertainment. The company focuses on developing innovative AI-driven solutions that enhance human-computer interaction, particularly in speech and language processing. One major challenge Boson AI aims to address through this project is improving AI’s ability to detect subtle emotional cues in speech and generate appropriate responses. Current speech models often struggle with nuanced emotional understanding, leading to unnatural or ineffective interactions. By pretraining a highly intelligent speech model, this project seeks to bridge that gap, enabling more natural and emotionally aware AI interactions. The anticipated benefits for Boson AI include enhancing its AI-powered customer service solutions, leading to more accurate recognition of customer intent and emotions. This advancement could improve user satisfaction, streamline support processes, and provide a competitive edge in AI-driven communication technologies. Additionally, the project may contribute to broader applications in mental health support, virtual assistants, and interactive entertainment, strengthening Boson AI’s position as a leader in AI research.

Unity Community Centre

The Unity Community Centre is a dynamic social enterprise dedicated to fostering inclusive spaces that drive social innovation and community empowerment in Greater Fredericton. The centre is currently addressing key operational and infrastructural challenges through two distinct internship projects. The first internship focuses on coordinating capital upgrade projects and researching residential housing development, requiring expertise in construction, project management, data analysis, and compliance monitoring. The second internship aims to enhance operational efficiency, communication, and community engagement, demanding skills in office administration, process documentation, stakeholder coordination, and digital communication. The main challenge for Unity Community Centre is ensuring its spaces remain accessible, functional, and conducive to growth while improving operational workflows and engagement strategies. These projects go beyond routine activities by implementing structured improvements that enhance long-term sustainability, optimize resource use, and strengthen community impact. To tackle these challenges effectively, expertise in construction management, data-driven decision-making, administrative systems, and community engagement strategies is required, ensuring a well-rounded approach to the centre’s development and outreach efforts.

Rhythm & Blues Cambridge Black Needs Assessment

Rhythm & Blues Cambridge is leading a Black Needs Assessment Study to identify service gaps, barriers, and opportunities for Black families in Cambridge and across Waterloo Region. As the only Black-led nonprofit service provider in Cambridge, Rhythm & Blues Cambridge is committed to expanding culturally affirming programs, strengthening community partnerships, and advocating for equitable access to essential services. Through stakeholder engagement, focus groups, and data analysis, the intern will provide actionable insights that drive service innovation, inform program development, and position Rhythm & Blues Cambridge as a leader in Black-led advocacy and community support. The findings will be shared through a public community forum during Black History Month, stakeholder reports, and strategic recommendations, ensuring that Black communities in Cambridge receive the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.