Raquel De Souza

Raquel De Souza is Director, Partnerships & Innovation at the University of Toronto (U of T's) Mississauga campus, where she leads innovation support as well as support for research partnerships between academics and external organizations. She led the creation of SpinUp, U of T's first wet-lab-based startup incubator that provides subsidized lab space and equipment, office space, and entrepreneurship programming for early-stage startups. Raquel is its inaugural director.

Prior to joining U of T, Raquel worked at the University of British Columbia (UBC), leading life sciences research partnerships support for the university, then establishing a robust partnerships portfolio for the School of Biomedical Engineering. While at UBC, Raquel was responsible for establishing and operationalizing UBC's wet-lab incubator, SBME Innovates. Her earlier roles include consulting for the pharmaceutical industry at a Toronto-based boutique agency, conducting scientific research at the University Health Network, and lecturing at U of T. Raquel holds a PhD and HonBSc from U of T.

Strategic and research partnerships; startup incubation at SpinUp