The John F. Wood Centre empowers students, recent grads with support, mentorship and real-world experience to launch new ventures
Dr. Farzaneh Nasrollahzadeh always knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur.
“All my family members have their own businesses, so I really wanted one too,” she says.
Nasrollahzadeh, who graduated from the University of Guelph with her PhD in biophysics in 2023, found an opportunity to make her dream a reality by joining the Hub Incubator.
Part of the John F. Wood Centre in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business, the incubator supports students and recent graduates from all disciplines across campus to develop and test business ideas.
“My venture started from a personal pain point,” Nasrollahzadeh explains. “Most of the high-protein products on the market are on the sweet spectrum, are over-processed and have preservatives. I was always trying to find a way to add more protein in my diet, without relying solely on protein bars and shakes.”
It was that idea that grew into WiseProtein, an innovative product developed in the Hub that offers a protein-rich savoury mix-in sauce designed to be added to everyday meals.
Nasrollahzadeh has over 10 years of experience researching food proteins and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in food science. With her PhD expertise from U of G, she is working at the intersection of food science and biophysics.
Nasrollahzadeh has validated her venture over the past year in the Hub Incubator.
After extensive market research, including interviews and surveys with consumers to better understand their needs around protein, she’s developed a solution and is testing her recipe with real customers.
Mentors provide ‘guidebook’ for developing entrepreneurs
The Hub Incubator connects student founders with experienced entrepreneurs, who offer invaluable guidance and advice through each stage of building their venture.
“Imagine you have a guidebook beside you,” Nasrollahzadeh says. “Whenever you face a challenge, you can just open the book and ask whatever question you want, and it will give you a practical solution.”
Nasrollahzadeh worked with Khalil Khamis, a graduate of the Management Economics and Finance program who is now the CEO of Crafty Ramen. He says it was an easy decision to return to U of G to mentor the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders.
“I always missed being on campus,” he says. “I love the energy of being here and giving back to a community I really care about.”
Khamis is happy to share both the successes and failures of his entrepreneurial journey with his mentees.
“I love talking about the mistakes we’ve made, because that’s where true learning happens,” he says. “We gain more knowledge from where we fumbled, not where we were successful.”
Nasrollahzadeh appreciates the openness Khamis brought to her mentee experience.
“The mentorship is the most interesting and helpful part of this program,” she says.
Small businesses fuel economy, create jobs
Khamis, who has stayed in Guelph for his entire career, understands the importance of small-business owners giving back to the places where they live and work.
“Fifty per cent of the private workforce is employed by a small business in Canada. It’s the lifeblood of employment and community,” he says.
“In many cases, small businesses can have a bigger impact than a big multi-national company, because they are deeply embedded in the communities they serve.”
The strong entrepreneurial community in Guelph has inspired Nasrollahzadeh, who grew up in Iran, to launch her business here.
“People in Guelph really care about each other,” she says. “I’d like to do my hiring and development here. This community really helped me grow and I’d like to give back.”
Showcasing student, grad businesses
The Hub Incubator program culminates with the LaunchLab Expo on March 31.
There, participants will showcase their ventures for the first time to gather feedback and answer questions about their business idea that is now a reality.
The goal is to gain real-world tradeshow experience and practice how to effectively pitch their new ventures to business leaders, fellow entrepreneurs and members of the U of G community while answering questions, gathering feedback and gaining tradeshow experience.
This year’s Expo features nine businesses:
- SmartJump: Automated equestrian retractable jump system
- Neer: Protein-packed paneer snack
- ProMint: Probiotic mint
- WiseProtein: Protein-rich mix-in sauce for meals
- Glory Bakes: Guilt-free mini cakes
- SULI Hydration: Ready-to-drink hydrogen water
- Brewed Beauty: Sustainable upcycled coffee body scrub
- CivicAI: AI-assisted bylaw search system for municipalities
- AsLynx: AI platform for automated document processing
For anyone thinking about signing up and pursuing their own entrepreneurial goals, Nasrollahzadeh has this advice: “You don’t need to have everything figured out before joining this program. The Incubator will give you a structured plan for turning your idea into a real business.”
Students aspiring to become entrepreneurs who have a consumer product idea are encouraged to join the Hub Incubator’s IgniteLab program next fall 2026, to learn, test and take the first steps in their entrepreneurial journey.
Contact the Wood Centre to learn more at woodcentre@uoguelph.ca