From university labs to global pharmaceutical campuses, Mississauga is where ideas get turned into real-world health solutions. One of Canada’s most integrated life sciences hubs, it brings together startups, manufacturers and policymakers to move innovation forward, faster. By hosting your next event in Canada, you can tap into a life sciences pipeline built for growth.

A connected ecosystem

In the early 1960s, when AstraZeneca chose the rolling fields west of Toronto as the site of its new research facility, few would have predicted the region would become one of the biggest life sciences hubs in Canada. Today, Mississauga is home to more than 500 firms, employing about 27,000 skilled workers across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and contract manufacturing.

Situated between Toronto’s research hospitals and the Toronto Pearson International Airport, Mississauga has evolved into a practical point of connection, a vital link between research, development and global markets.

“This is a place that’s seen extraordinary development around a new industry, new technology and rapid population growth,” says Alexandra Gillespie, principal at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) campus. The school ranks first in Canada for life sciences—and the Mississauga campus is a key pipeline for research, talent and startups in the region.

University of Toronto (shown here, U of T Mississauga) ranks first in Canada for life sciences and medicine.

Scaling up to commercialization

Access to specialized wet lab equipment often determines whether a life sciences company can move from discovery to development. In 2024, UTM opened its wet lab incubator, SpinUp, to give early-stage researchers a path out of the laboratory and into the market. One of its tenants, Maman Biomedical, is developing a needle-free hormone patch for fertility treatments.

“When they started experimenting on this technology, they were doing it in their own apartment,” says Gillespie. “We were able to provide highly affordable university space, access to students, access to other professors and a whole startup ecosystem.”

Once ideas take shape at SpinUp, they can graduate to SPEC Labs, a not-for-profit facility launched in 2026. It provides ready-to-move-in wet labs, designed to keep later-stage startups from losing momentum.

“Shared lab space is critical at this stage because it helps keep costs down,” says Sam Ricchezza, chief alliance officer at SPEC Labs. “By sharing equipment and resources, companies can focus capital on advancing their science rather than duplicating infrastructure.”

SpinUP provides wet-lab space and equipment to early-stage entrepreneurs.

The power of proximity

Beyond lab space, Mississauga also offers the behind-the-scenes infrastructure needed to compete globally. Contract development and manufacturing is supported by firms such as Eurofins CDMO Alphora, temperature-controlled logistics by global operators including Kuehne+Nagel, and regulatory navigation by specialist advisers such as Q&C Services. Together, these capabilities create an environment in which life sciences firms can grow without leaving the city.

That density, combined with a well-developed conference ecosystem—including convention centres, major hotels and Canada’s largest airport—has made Mississauga a practical hub for collaboration. By hosting your industry meetings or scientific workshops around SpinUp, SPEC Labs or the city’s established pharmaceutical campuses, you give your delegates direct access to the researchers, investors and manufacturers bringing health innovations to market faster.

“Progress happens when people cross paths,” says Ricchezza. “The more often that happens, the more ideas you generate and the more opportunities it creates.”

Learn more about hosting your next meeting in Canada at businesseventscanada.ca.

Pearson International Airport (YYZ), located in Mississauga, serves the wider Greater Toronto Area