Faculty of Science

Entrepreneurship Speaker Series

The Entrepreneurship Speaker Series was established in 2022 to foster the entrepreneurial mindset for students in the Faculty of Science and generate meaningful discussions around emerging themes in industry and research. Stay tuned for future events.

Upcoming events

Dr. Les Tari, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Cidara Therapeutics and a two-time UM Faculty of Science chemistry alum [BScHons/89, PhD/95]

Tari is the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Cidara Therapeutics and a two-time UM Faculty of Science chemistry alum [BScHons/89, PhD/95]. Following his time at UM, Tari focused on supporting early-stage drug discovery in both academic and industry settings, developing over 50 publications or patents. Previous to working for Cidara Therapeutics, Tari was a member of the scientific staff of the start-up, Syrrx Inc., co-founded ActiveSight Inc., and held various positions at Trius Therapeutics (acquired by Cubist Pharmaceuticals). At Cidara Therapeutics, Tari oversees the development of targeted immunotherapies designed to treat serious diseases.

Date and time: Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Marshall McLuhan Hall - 204 UMSU University Centre, 65 Chancellors Circle Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

Agenda

Doors open at 2:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Lecture by Dr. Les Tari at 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Open networking happens at 4:00 to 4:30 p.m.

This event is free, but registration is required. Light refreshments will be served.

Past events

Dr. Stasi Baran, Chief Operating Officer, nQube Data Science

Dr. Anastasia (Stasi) Baran, is the Co-founder and COO of nQube Data Science. As part of the team that has been integrating AI into the gaming industry for several years, she has played a crucial role in developing AI-based slot floor optimization and player segmentation solutions.

Driven by a desire to have fun at work, she pivoted from the academic world to the casino industry, where her innovative approach and extensive experience in implementing casino AI technologies have been essential to the success of nQube's AI-driven casino technology suite. Baran obtained her PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Manitoba. Her academic background includes a BSc in Physics and an MSc in Astrophysics. With her multi-disciplinary expertise, she develops fitting applications for nQube's advanced artificial intelligence technology in casinos, merging her interests in data modeling and the gaming world to encourage innovation and efficiency.

Chris Schmidt Co-Founder/CEO, Pluto Ventures

Chris started his first business at the age of ten and is still protecting Winnipeg's trees from Dutch Elm Disease. After completing a B.Sc. from the University of Manitoba, he decided not to follow in his family's footsteps and pursue medicine. Instead, he founded the world's first Snapchat filter company, Geofilter Studio.

Watch Chris's talk on YouTube

Geofilter Studio exploded at an unprecedented rate of 24,000% and grew to 85 employees in the first year. It was Canada's fastest-growing company in 2017 and created over 100,000 filters that accumulated 5 billion views worldwide. Chris then formed EveryStudio, which housed Geofilter Studio, EveryStudio AR, and EveryStudio Stickers. EveryStudio AR created augmented reality products, while EveryStudio Stickers made iOS sticker packs with over 150 million views in the App Store. In 2019, EveryStudio was acquired.

In 2018, Chris started Pluto Ventures, an artificial intelligence company with a world-class team backed by a strong group of investors and advisors. Together, they are building Parallel, a social commerce platform with users spanning 191 countries.

When Chris is not working on his companies, he enjoys helping others with their business journey and has presented at over 125 events.