About CAGE Chemical
Built in Vancouver on ~97% renewable energy, in partnership with the University of British Columbia.
How We Got Here
Organocatalysis Emerges
Scientists discover that simple, non-toxic molecules can replace heavy-metal catalysts in organic reactions. A safer approach to industrial chemistry — at scale — becomes possible.
CAGE Chemical Founded
Incorporated in British Columbia. 55 research tracks opened across 8 categories. Computational screening pipeline built across five layers. Platform deployed publicly.
First Two Patents Filed
Two USPTO provisional applications filed simultaneously — one covering ZIP chemistry (coatings, textiles, surface treatment) and one covering UNZIP chemistry (plastics recycling, depolymerisation). Independent IP tracks for both reaction directions.
UBC Partnership Secured
Prof. Feng Jiang (UBC Faculty of Forestry) agreed to serve as Mitacs academic supervisor, anchoring the research programme at one of Canada's top research universities.
Mitacs Accelerate Approved — $140K Research Programme
$140K total research programme approved — co-funded by Mitacs and CAGE Chemical over two years. Government co-funding converts industry investment into validated university research, with UBC as the academic anchor. The flywheel is live.
Third Patent Filed
Third USPTO provisional filed, covering yellowing prevention and pH-control methods — extending the patent portfolio to a third independent mechanism. Three provisionals now protect the platform.
What We've Built
4 USPTO Provisional Patents
Four provisional applications protect ZIP chemistry (coatings, textiles), UNZIP chemistry (plastics recycling), yellowing/pH-control methods, and catalyzed pH optimum. Independent IP coverage across both reaction directions.
Mitacs Accelerate — $140K Research Programme
Approved June 2026. $140K total project value, co-funded by Mitacs and CAGE. Prof. Feng Jiang (UBC) as academic supervisor; Jianan Yin as researcher. Government co-funding turns industry investment into validated university research.
UBC Partnership
Prof. Feng Jiang (Faculty of Forestry, Wood Science) as Mitacs academic anchor. UBC provides independent research validation, instrumentation, and co-publication rights.
W.A.R.P. — Lab Validated at UBC
Wrinkle-resistance, anti-shrink, repellency, and performance. Formaldehyde-free. Proprietary food-grade catalyst. Independent ATR-FTIR validation at UBC confirms +112% crosslink density improvement. Pilot validation with industry partners underway.
5-Layer Computational Pipeline
GFN2-xTB screening → DFT → molecular dynamics → docking → lab validation. 37 of 40 original tracks outperform toxic incumbents computationally. All results live on the research platform.
IP Counsel Retained
Christina Kwok at Oyen Wiggs (Vancouver) retained as patent attorney. Freedom-to-operate analysis completed. Non-provisional strategy set. AccelerateIP Stream 2-2 application submitted in collaboration with counsel.
Kickstart Graduate · Spring 2026
CAGE Chemical completed Foresight Canada's Kickstart Accelerator — a six-week cohort covering problem-solution definition, go-to-market strategy, and cleantech commercialisation. Letter of Completion received June 25, 2026.
Accepted into Foresight's Launch & Deliver programs for Fall/Winter 2026 — the next stage of Canada's leading cleantech accelerator.
Partnerships & Affiliations
University of British Columbia
Mitacs Accelerate partnership. Prof. Feng Jiang (Faculty of Forestry) · Jianan Yin (researcher). $140K total research programme, government co-funded.
Foresight Canada
Kickstart Spring 2026 graduate. Accepted into Launch & Deliver programs. Canada's largest cleantech accelerator.
AccelerateIP / New Ventures BC
Stream 2-1 mentorship approved. Stream 2-2 IP strategy application submitted. IP Pathways Level 1 Certification completed.
AATCC
Member since May 2026. Industry standards body for textile testing methods. AATCC 66 and AATCC 124 are our target certification standards for wrinkle recovery.
Who We Are
Cornelius van Heerden
AI practitioner and engineer. Burnaby, BC. Founded CAGE on the intersection of computational chemistry, food-grade catalysis, and open research infrastructure. Recognized AI speaker and hackathon judge.
Terry McTavish
Serial entrepreneur. Leads investor relations, grants management, commercial relationships, and operational scale-up. Vancouver, BC.
CAGE Chemical operates on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are grateful to work and research on this land.
This acknowledgment is a statement of respect and a commitment to ongoing relationship — not a legal disclaimer.
Certain statements on this page are forward-looking. Actual results may differ materially from expectations. See our Terms of Service for details.
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Be part of the community replacing toxic industrial chemicals with food-grade alternatives. Built in BC. Open to the world.
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