Inspiration, Ideation, Innovation

Originally from Uruguay, Ignacio worked at INGENIO, a business incubator where he mentored entrepreneurs in finance and marketing. After moving to Canada and earning a Master’s of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) from the University of Waterloo, he worked at the Waterloo Accelerator Centre as Director of Client Services where he led the JumpStart funding program and other strategic initiatives. He has a vast amount of experience in analyzing and developing high-value, actionable business plans for small to medium sized clients, and in supporting critical business initiatives and process improvements. Ignacio also worked at Haltech Regional Innovation Centre supporting clients and community members by managing a range of business advisory programs, including the Haltech HEAT™ startup services program, and specialty programs to support scaleup of high-growth ventures. Ignacio is also an entrepreneur at heart and co-founded Apartmint, an online rental platform with over 70,000 monthly users.

Kasey Dunn is a serial entrepreneur who has founded a number of companies and non-profit organizations tied to social innovation and the arts community. In her most recent role she served as program manager for all women’s programming at Community Innovation Lab. Kasey is passionate about empowering through innovation and entrepreneurship, and addressing the socio-economic barriers that hold women back from reaching their full potential. Her diverse background including a BA in Liberal Arts, career in the fine performing arts, and experience as a civic engagement and animal rights advocate, informs her creative and impact-driven approach to entrepreneurship. Kasey is currently a women’s entrepreneurship mentor with the Diversity Institute’s WEHub at the Ted Roger’s School of Management, and a facilitator at Daniel’s Artscape Launchpad for creative entrepreneurs.

Duncan Jones has just recently been appointed an adjunct professor in the Institute of Management of Innovation (IMI) at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) as well as the Acting Director of UTM's iCube incubator, which provides support and training for entrepreneurs. 

Duncan holds a Bachelor's of Science (Chemistry and Biochemistry), a Master's of Science (Biochemistry) and a Master's of Business Administration all from the University of Toronto. In addition, he is a Project Management Professional (PMP). For over 30 years, he has primarily worked with inventors in the Life Sciences, especially University professors assisting them in bringing their ideas to market. He has worked in a major pharmaceutical company, as a venture capitalist and with the technology transfer teams at each of Ontario's Universities. He has lectured on and taught business and biotechnology at the high school, college and university levels.  Duncan also manages Hexagon Innovating (www.hexagon-innovating.com), a consulting firm focused on the fuzzy front end of new product development, sourcing and in-licensing technology, performing technology and intellectual property reviews, doing market research and competitive intelligence, developing business models and strategy, partnering, fundraising, as well as project and portfolio management.

Duncan brings his commercial and industry experience to the classroom as well as his interest in pedagogy, especially as it relates to critical thinking and experiential learning. Over the last 4 years, he has taught or co-taught 7 different courses at the University of Toronto: 4 in the Master of Biotechology program (MBiotech UTM), 1 at the Masters level in Institute of Management of Innovation (IMI UTM), and 1 undergraduate course for each of the IMI Business Minor (UTM) and Human Biology (St George). He currently teaches 5 of these courses.