Dr. Peter Azmi has been actively engaged in entrepreneurship, innovation and scientific R&D for over 20 years. Peter is a serial entrepreneur, innovator, scientist, artist and educator. An “innovations and ideas broker”, Peter has worked with many companies, startups, intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs from around the globe, helping to connect ideas, opportunities and people to each other.
Peter’s innovations framework, Gonzo Innovation, is informed by his experiences as a scientist and innovator. The core of the Gonzo Innovation framework follows closely the scientific method where: 1) a problem statement is defined, 2) a hypothesis is generated, 3) experiments to test the hypothesis are done, 4) solutions are proposed, and 5) iteration is applied. As a scientist is at the heart of scientific advances, so the Gonzo Innovator is at the heart of advances in innovation. As a molecular biologist by training, Peter brings the same type of system-level visualization techniques used by scientists to understand complex biological phenomena to model and understand business networks.
Peter started his career as a research scientist, receiving graduate degrees from the University of Toronto. During his graduate studies, Peter started his first business, Intelligent Life Sciences Solutions, a consulting practice with a focus on laboratory software and technologies. Following his graduate studies, Peter joined the healthcare investment bank, Bloom Burton & Co.
Peter also worked for the Innovations and Partnerships Office (technology transfer office) at the University of Toronto, where he led the commercialization of several life sciences based assets including: industrial enzymes, bio-engineered plant technologies, new therapeutic targets, medical education, and medical devices. Peter also founded and led the Innovations + Education Office (i+e), at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine. i+e, a first of its kind in Canada and a highly unique and innovative business consultancy for medical education programs, supported the business development and commercialization of medical education products and services. Peter was also one of the founding instructors for the Business Innovations program at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies, where he taught business modelling and business case development for several years.
Currently, Peter is the co-founder of two innovation-centric companies. Cistron Corp, a plant biotechnology services company, uses a proprietary gene-network visualization technology to identify high-impact gene targets in plants. This technology is being used to help develop plant varieties that perform better in commercial operations, reducing production costs and increasing plant yields with fewer resources. Peter’s second company, i+ Business Development Studios, is a full-service innovation and business development agency. i+ Business Development Studios uses the Gonzo Innovation framework to develop solutions for clients. Additionally, Peter teaches business modelling, business case development and Gonzo Innovation at CEDIM, an international Masters of Business Innovations program.
During his career, Peter has helped innovators file patents, license technologies, raise millions of dollars and start companies. Peter has consulted for several Canadian and international technology companies, not-for-profits, academic/scholarly programs and financial institutions.
Peter’s philosophy: people and relationships matter. Through meaningful connections between individuals, striving for common goals, successful businesses grow.
