Shelley King is a strategic, decisive, and highly respected leader in the Canadian technology commercialization, innovation, and investment space. For 25 years, she has married a scientific background in academia with an in-depth knowledge of entrepreneurship and industry to help Canadian innovations go from bright idea to market-ready product.

Shelley believes Canadian innovations have what it takes to compete globally in the trillion-dollar natural products market. Starting in 2016, and with $14MM in funding from Government of Canada’s Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research program, she championed and built NPC from the ground up with a small team of allies. Under her stewardship as founding CEO, Shelley has positioned Canada as a global pioneer and trailblazer in the natural product sector and established relationships with multinational companies, investors, and European innovation and government organizations. Under Shelley’s leadership, NPC’s national team helps researchers and companies navigate regulatory, IP, scale-up, R&D, and financing hurdles on the road to commercialization—bridging the gaps between scientists, entrepreneurs, industry, and investors.

Previously, Shelley was VP, Research and Business Development for Genome Atlantic, a not-for-profit organization that promotes research in genomics by investing in and supporting exceptional projects that demonstrate economic and social benefit. As a key player on the management team, Shelley convened and catalyzed industry-academic relationships, putting Canadian genomics research on the international map and sparking the interest of large corporations in Canada and around the world. In this role, she spearheaded the development of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Genomics Strategy, directed the management of $28MM in research projects, negotiated $17MM in multi-stakeholder collaborative research and funding agreements, and raised $8MM in co-funding for projects.

As CEO of Synapse, a not-for-profit organization responsible for the University of Prince Edward Island’s applied research and industry services, Shelley worked with the national technology transfer community, businesses, researchers, economic development, and innovation organizations to establish collaborative research and purposeful partnerships. During her two-year tenure, Shelley brought strategic vision, impactful rebranding, improved processes, international partnerships, and raised multi-year funding. As president of NovaLipids Inc., a biotechnology start-up that developed lipid-based drug and vaccine delivery methods for the global animal health market, Shelley raised $2MM in public and private funds and led the development of the technology from invention disclosure to upscale production for testing.

Shelley holds an MSc in medicine specializing in neuroscience and an MBA from Memorial University. She has a proven track record of foundation-building in the technology and innovation sectors and is a sought-after contributor to innovation and commercialization initiatives, committees, review panels, and boards across Canada and internationally. She is a member of the board of the Metabolomics Innovation Centre and has served as a member of the selection board for the Genesis Centre, NL and on the boards of Springboard Atlantic Natural Health Products Research Society, the Aquaculture Association of Canada (including one term as President), the Pan American Marine Biotechnology Association, and the Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Technology Industries.

Shelley is a measured risk-taker, relationship broker, and bridge builder. She is a bold and exacting leader known for her ability to see two moves ahead and forge disruptive pathways to accomplishing even the most audacious goals. Shelley is guided by an unshakeable belief that NPC can guide the transformation of the natural product space — locally, nationally, and globally.