The event opened with a lively dinner reception where attendees shared their work and networked. The subsequent days featured a series of keynote speeches and panel discussions led by leading companies and nonprofits, covering topics such as cellular agriculture, AI, governance, and phage therapies. The third day focused on entrepreneurship, showcasing some of Ontario’s most innovative biotech startups—from synthetic fats to nanoparticles — and concluded with an exciting pitch competition. The winning team, Advanced Agriscience, presented a freeze protection system for crops, an essential tool for Canadian farmers. Every participant brought their best, contributing to a vibrant bioeconomy that all attendees supported.

Ahmed engaged with a number of groups at the conference, secured leads from universities that had not competed in recent years, built valuable professional connections, and gained insights into the Canadian s ynbio scene, particularly from the perspectives of industry and governance. He also secured promising leads from York, Carleton, and TMU, with potential interest from Northwestern, to participate in the iGEM Competition. Additionally, two participants from the pitch competition expressed interest in the iGEM Startups program!

To find more information about the iGEM Ambassadors & Promoters for North America and regional synbio activities visit our North America webpage. Learn more about the Ambassador Program here.

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