What motivated you to start your business and what is your vision for the future of the company?

Since childhood, my dream has been to build a globally impactful company solving real world problems with accessible technologies. This ambition led me to graduate school, where I studied the molecular genetics of low-temperature stress in crops. During my PhD research at Queen’s University, I made substantial research breakthroughs, completing my program with research that has the potential to solve a growing, real-world problem. In pursuit of my dream, I returned home to British Columbia and founded Advanced Agriscience. The recent losses in BC vineyards and stone fruit crops due to extreme cold weather in January remind us of the consequences of climate change on agrifood productivity and food security. Coupled with supply chain vulnerabilities highlighted by COVID and the need to produce food locally, along with the projected need to produce 50% more food by 2050 due to population growth, it is clear that we need innovative tools for climate resilience. The underlying technology of our business can help provide this. My vision for the future of Advanced Agriscience includes building a strong team and establishing a world-class R&D and biomanufacturing campus in Metro Vancouver. This team and facility will deliver a library of biological crop inputs for climate resilience, pest biocontrol, and crop enhancement, supported by extensive field trial data to provide new tools for growers. I envision our biological products registered in every country, ready to deploy the most in-demand traits anywhere, anytime to support resilient and sustainable agriculture worldwide. Ultimately, I envision Advanced Agriscience among Canada’s greatest companies and a global leader in synthetic biology, biomanufacturing, and equitable climate resilience agritechnologies. Frost protection is just the beginning for us.

Why do you deserve to win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award?

In the past year, as a solo founder, I have grown Advanced Agriscience through resourcefulness and resilience from a vision and dream into an internationally recognized startup. To develop our novel products, I have secured key partners for in-kind access to world-class research facilities, non-dilutive government funding, signed nationwide partners for pilot trials, filed our first patents, and garnered international interest and media recognition. My background includes a doctorate in molecular genetics and a proven track record of leading complex projects with international stakeholders to success on limited resources. My research underpins the technology behind our flagship products highlighting my technical expertise. As an entrepreneur, I have successfully entered and navigated both national and global accelerator programs, including Entrepreneur First followed by Bioenterprise, and THRIVE Academy, where we were awarded National Runner-Up and People’s Choice Winner, respectively. I have completed the first steps in our regulatory pathways through consultation with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), filed our first patents, and initiated product development and pilot trials in collaboration with research partners both locally and nationally. Winning this award would not only validate the hard work and dedication I have put into my entrepreneurial and scientific endeavours but also inspire other young scientists to pursue entrepreneurship. Recognition of Best Youth Entrepreneurship would encourage scientists to develop their novel research and innovative ideas to address global challenges and build impactful companies in British Columbia and Canada.