Innovation Saskatchewan invests $26,300 in USask program to support student startups
Innovation Saskatchewan is investing $26,300 in the University of Saskatchewan’s Saskatchewan Innovation Growth & Market Acceleration (SIGMA) program to help engineering students develop startup ideas and strengthen the province’s innovation ecosystem.
Based in the USask College of Engineering, SIGMA integrates innovation and entrepreneurship into engineering education, giving students opportunities to test products, identify customers and explore career paths beyond traditional engineering roles.
The funding will support SIGMA’s venture accelerator and community programming through spring 2026, including hackathons focused on industries such as mining, energy and agriculture. The events are designed to build entrepreneurial skills and help students move from engineer to founder.
“SIGMA strengthens Saskatchewan’s innovation pipeline and gives students the tools and connections to succeed,” Innovation Saskatchewan Minister Warren Kaeding said. “By investing in training and skill-building for future leaders, we are fuelling innovation, creating jobs and building a stronger tech sector that drives Saskatchewan’s economic growth.”
SIGMA provides hands-on experience and mentorship for students working on early-stage technology ventures. The program draws on principles and resources from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Global Leadership Entrepreneurship Educators Network, of which USask is a founding member.
Since 2021, more than 500 students have participated in SIGMA events and 56 have graduated from the program. SIGMA has supported 15 startups through its accelerator, including RUNNR, which operates in logistics and delivery management. Other ventures, including CanXTract, NutraMate, TauLab, PrairieBond and SafeShift, have gone on to participate in additional accelerators such as Opus, Lab2Market and Co.Labs, and in investment competitions including Startup TNT.
“SIGMA is grateful to Innovation Saskatchewan for the resources and support,” SIGMA interim lead David Yee said. “The engagement and mentorship from the agency and the access to Collider at the Research and Technology Park in Saskatoon puts our program participants on equal footing with startup founders anywhere in the country and the world.”
Innovation Saskatchewan also provides SIGMA startups and hackathons with access to workspace, a podcast studio, collaboration areas and programming at its Collider co-working hub in Saskatoon. Collider locations in Saskatoon and Regina are the province’s only tech-focused co-working spaces and include Saskatchewan’s only 5G Innovation Labs.
Innovation Saskatchewan said accelerator programs such as SIGMA play a key role in supporting a sustainable startup ecosystem and growing Saskatchewan’s technology sector.