Are you a student or alumni with a business idea? Mann Parikh gets it — he’s been there, watching that passion grow into something bigger. Two years ago, the undergraduate student started working with the Forge Incubator’s Startup Survivor program.

Today, Parikh is the founding CEO of NerView Surgical, developing a tool to help improve surgical patient outcomes.

In addition to helping transform his vision into a robust prototype with a go-to-market strategy, Parikh says Startup Surivivor helped him build the confidence and skills to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship and deliver award-winning pitches.

Startup Survivor is accepting applications for its summer program until Feb. 23, offering McMaster students an immersive, hands-on entrepreneurship experience.

Hosted by the Forge McMaster, the program provides funding, mentorship and $95,000 in total awards across ten startups every year.

Parikh shares how the Startup Survivor program played a crucial role in bringing his vision for NerView to life.

Where are you now? What’s the status of your startup? 

We’re just wrapping up our major preclinical studies on animal and mouse models with our fourth-generation prototype. Our team has grown significantly — I’m now joined by four interns who are supported through various government resources, as well as many other Experience Ventures students who have been critical to our journey.

Additionally, we’ve begun establishing strategic partnerships with our early adopters across North America, which will drive further testing and clinical validation of our device.

How did your experience in the Startup Survivor program influence your journey? 

The Forge Startup Survivor program was the launchpad for our early success. The resources provided — from mentorship to workshops — gave us the foundational knowledge and strategic guidance needed to navigate the complexities of the startup landscape.

You not only learn the basics of how to run a startup and make a business case but also how to tell your story though pitching to different audiences.

After graduating from the Startup Survivor program, it was only up from there.

What were the most significant challenges you faced during the program and how did you overcome them?

Probably the most significant challenge was adapting to the amount of learning happening during the program. The program is four months long, which seems like a long time in theory, but with the amount of information and learning that happens, it feels no longer than four days.

Before you know it, you are on the stage pitching your start-up and story to hundreds of people, from what just started as an idea at the beginning.

There’s a lot of information thrown your way and it’s easy to fall behind, which is why it’s important to be all in for the program throughout its entire duration.

The continuous support from mentors kept us grounded and helped us prioritize what really mattered.

What advice would you give to applicants or future participants? 

Immerse yourself completely and give it your all. This is a very, very competitive program. Don’t hold back – bring 110 per cent to every challenge. The more you put into the program, the more you’ll get out of it.

Take full advantage of the resources and networks available. The program will train you to be absolutely relentless with your startup. Everyone is there to help and see you grow – so be proactive in seeking feedback and don’t hesitate to reach out to mentors and peers for support.

Embrace every learning opportunity and stay adaptable, because the startup journey is full of unexpected twists and turns.

Most importantly, stay passionate and committed to your vision.

Any exciting plans or projects on the horizon? 

We’ve come a long way since our first two prototypes back in October 2023 during the Startup Survivor program. Now, we’re ready to deploy our fifth and most advanced prototype into clinical trials in Q2 2025. We’re also collaborating with the Mayo Clinic Innovation Exchange Program, the HEALTHI program with Hamilton Health Sciences, along with many others, which are opening up amazing opportunities for our research and development.

On top of that, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been selected as finalists in the HealthTech, MedTech, BioTech & Accessibility category at the South By Southwest (SXSW) Competition in March 2025 in Austin, Texas.