The Germinator is where we explore ideas about commercialization, entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, innovation, and any other pathway that takes science/engineering/technology from the lab/workshop and into people’s hands. This is NOT a course, and ALL are welcome to attend, students, faculty, staff, members of the general public. You don’t need to have prior knowledge or experience, your curiosity is all that is needed.
Throughout the year, I will bring guests to join me virtually (via Zoom), to share their stories and experiences with commercialization, entrepreneurship and innovation. If you would like to suggest possible guests you think others would like to hear from, feel free to connect with me at alon.eisenstein@ubc.ca
The Germinator is coordinated and offered by UBCO School of Engineering’s Dr. Alon Eisenstein.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of ETSI-BC
The 2026 – 2027 Program is in the works!
To be notified of future events, you can add yourself to our mailing list:
Past Germinator Speaker Recordings:
October 14, 2026
IN PERSON and ONLINE
In conversation with...
Brandon Farr, MBA, CEO and Founder of Level Up Strategies Inc., and of Goodfinity (#45)
about Creating New Hope - Building Companies Differently
As a B Corp-credentialed entrepreneur, I have spent more than a decade turning the 'how' into practical action.
My experience in the construction industry—a field not typically associated with glamour—has provided me with tangible, practical, and rigorously clarifying insights, cultivating a mature understanding of sustainable practices that translate very well to the digitized landscape of AI tech.
As one of the individuals responsible for creating a guiding vision, my focus is on the realms of ecological consciousness, community integration, and profitability, which guide my leadership efforts.
Departing from the mainstream approach, my journey emphasizes embracing regenerative principles based on ecological influences, bringing a relational connection between a business's inner and outer realms.
I have discovered that as my organizations move away from the stifling fatigue that comes from battling contexts (climate crises, market variability, fighting for profits), the companies are free to navigate new realms of potential that have been fulfilling, exciting, and profitable.
October 28, 2026
In conversation with...
Bob Mighell, CEO & Founder, Chondros Bio (#46)
about the Journey from Snowboards to Medical Equipment to Motorcycles to BioTech
Bob Mighell is the Founder and CEO of Chondros Bio, a Vancouver-based UBC spinout developing OsteoChon, a biodegradable biomimetic protein hydrogel implant designed to repair damaged cartilage and underlying bone in the knee joint. He brings 38 years of entrepreneurial experience to the venture, having founded and led four companies across medical devices, healthcare equipment, and consumer products.
Bob's medical technology roots trace back to his engineering studies at Dartmouth's Thayer School, where his thesis focused on the design of instrumentation for artificial hip implants. He went on to found World Medical Equipment, outfitting hospital operating rooms and outpatient surgery centers for two decades before selling the company in 2014. He later founded Tilting Motor Works, a tilting three-wheeled motorcycle front-end company that raised $3M and secured three patents, eventually acquired by Arcimoto, where he served as Chief Tilting Officer.
Most recently, Bob served as Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Oregon before relocating to the Vancouver area to launch Chondros Bio. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Engineering from Dartmouth College and Thayer School of Engineering, and an MBA from the University of Washington. He is a holder of four patents and two land speed records, and mentors founders through Creative Destruction Lab's BC Biomedical stream.
December 2, 2026
In conversation with...
TBA (#48)
about TBA
January 6, 2027
In conversation with...
Daniel Zongjie Wang (#49)
about TBA
January 20, 2027
In conversation with...
TBA (#50)
about TBA
February 3, 2027
In conversation with...
TBA (#51)
about TBA
February 24, 2027
In conversation with...
Alexander Hutton and Kade Schwarz, Co-Founders of EverSense (#52)
about TBA
March 10, 2027
In conversation with...
TBA (#53)
about TBA
March 24, 2027
In conversation with...
TBA (#54)
about TBA
April 7, 2027
In conversation with...
TBA (#55)
about TBA