Design for Startups

Fall 2026

Over the course of 12 weeks, ten student designers will work directly with the technical and business leads of ten companies to apply design thinking in shaping product development, strategy, and innovation as part of Design for Startups.

Dova Health Intelligence is an advanced health intelligence company transforming gastroenterology by turning complex clinical imaging into objective, actionable data science. By combining clinical expertise with advanced computer vision machine learning, we build 100% digital, device-agnostic software platforms—like DovaSound—that standardize disease assessment, eliminate operator dependency, and streamline workflows. With gastrointestinal diseases affecting millions worldwide, our technology is designed to reduce interpretation variability and optimize clinical decision-making. Ultimately, our dual-value track supports global pharmaceutical drug development, powers academic research, and elevates everyday clinical practice to significantly improve patient outcomes.

Andy Nguyen will work with Dova Health Intelligence to design the clinical workflow and interface for AI-supported intestinal ultrasound assessments within the DovaSound platform.

Inlets.ai is an AI visibility platform that helps healthcare organizations understand and improve how they are represented across ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI search engines. We audit how AI answers patient questions about healthcare providers, services, and physicians, identify gaps in visibility and accuracy, and provide actionable recommendations to improve AI-generated responses. Our platform helps health systems, ambulatory surgery centers, and healthcare organizations ensure they are accurately represented as AI becomes a primary channel for patient discovery and decision-making.

Dorsa Nazarimanesh is working with inlets.ai to design an in-product experience that helps customers understand and communicate the impact and ROI of their AI visibility work.

Cognitive3D is an analytics platform for virtual and augmented reality. We support companies running training and simulation programs, as well as immersive entertainment and academic research.

Grayson Arndt is working with Cognitive3D to simplify the user experience of its spatial analytics platform and make complex data and analysis tools easier to navigate.

PsychSafe is an all-in-one workplace psychological health and safety platform that helps organizations identify psychosocial risks, meet emerging compliance expectations, and ensure every employee is included in their compliance efforts. Unlike one-size-fits-all surveys or training programs, PsychSafe creates a personalized pathway for each employee, connecting them with the assessments, learning, resources, and actions most relevant to their needs and role. It brings these individual pathways together with organization-wide risk assessment, action planning, analytics, progress tracking, and audit-ready documentation – giving employers a practical, ongoing system for building healthier workplaces, reducing risk, and improving performance.

Mahtab Foroozandeh will work with PsychSafe to simplify the information architecture and navigation of its psychological health and safety platform across different user roles.

Mapletrite is a Canadian fintech company simplifying global payments through secure, fast, and affordable cross-border money transfers. Registered by the Bank of Canada as a Payment Service Provider (PSP), Mapletrite serves individuals and businesses across North America, Europe, and Africa. The company combines innovative payment technology, AI-powered security, and customer-centric solutions to make sending money globally smarter, safer, and more accessible.

Rosemary Nwabuike will work with Mapletrite to transform its informational website into an accessible and trustworthy web application for cross-border payments.

Barry is the AI operations agent for trades and home service businesses. It plugs into the group chats and software tools teams already use, like WhatsApp, iMessage and Jobber, etc. to turn field updates into completed admin work, keep a clear record of what happened on each project, and surface issues before they become expensive.

Max McDonough is working with Barry to improve how an autonomous AI agent communicates its capabilities, actions, and need for input to owner-operators in trades and home services.

SynaVie is a non-clinical wellness ecosystem that combines educational epigenetic insights, food sensitivity support tools, an educational AI guide, and a network of licensed wellness professionals within a structured 90-day client journey.

Sade Adeshida will work with SynaVie to improve the UX and information architecture of Intoléris, including mobile food-scanning experiences and its connection to the wider SynaVie ecosystem.

Research Money is an online publication reporting on science, technology and innovation policy and investment in Canada. Our readers include leaders and practitioners in government, academia, industry, finance and the non-profit sector involved in Canada’s science, technology and innovation ecosystem. We hold an annual conference that brings together members of our community to discuss how to improve Canadian’s prosperity and quality of life through innovation.

Sarah Won will work with Research Money to improve the navigation, content structure, search, and overall user experience of its subscription publication.

Disposal Queen provides reliable, flexible waste and recycling collection services for businesses across Metro Vancouver. We deliver straightforward pricing, responsive local support, and customized service plans, with no long-term contracts or hidden fees.

Sherlyn Tandinata will work with Disposal Queen to redesign its public website and create a cohesive design system that aligns the website with its customer portal.

Sqnc is addressing the Canadian housing crisis by reducing permit review times from months to minutes.

Yona Cha will work with sqnc to improve the information architecture and review experience of its municipal building permit application platform.

This program is generously supported by the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) Fall 2026 – Spring 2028.