Wine Lovers Find Relief Through Brock University Startup

Jo Lachance loved wine, but a single glass left her flushed, congested and miserable for eight years until she decided to do something about it.

When Lachance met her partner Franco Venturato, who views wine as essential to culture and connection, they hatched a plan. Together, they set out to create a natural product that removes sulphites and histamines from wine without altering its color, taste or aroma.

One year later, their company Purvivino is headed for store shelves thanks to a network of support at Brock University in Ontario. The duo started at the Brock-Niagara Validation, Prototyping and Manufacturing Institute, where scientists helped develop the filtration technology. Then staff literally walked them down the hall to get business support.

"We didn't have to say, 'Now you have to go to a business school in Toronto to get that,'" says Paul Zelisko, the institute's director.

At Brock LINC, the university's innovation office, Lachance and Venturato dove into Navigate, an 11-week crash course in entrepreneurship. They interviewed potential customers, refined their pitch and won a community prize at a pitch competition.

Tamara Jensen, who manages the entrepreneurship program, saw their potential immediately. "From the first day, it was clear Jo and Franco were hungry for knowledge," she says. "That coachable mindset is essential for success."

The couple then joined the year-long LINCubator program to develop their business plan and a five-week Brand Sprint to craft their messaging. Meanwhile, the university hired a postdoctoral researcher through partnership funding to perfect the science behind removing wine triggers.

Now enrolled in a 17-week prototype development program, Lachance and Venturato are working with multiple innovation centers to design both the product and its packaging.

The Ripple Effect

Purvivino's journey shows how university innovation hubs can transform personal struggles into solutions that help entire communities. Wine sensitivities affect millions of people who've given up something they love because of uncomfortable reactions.

By connecting entrepreneurs with scientific expertise, business mentorship and manufacturing resources all in one place, programs like Brock LINC are removing the barriers that stop good ideas from reaching people who need them. The couple estimates their product could help anyone who experiences flushing, headaches or congestion from wine.

"Our experience has taught us entrepreneurship isn't having all the answers," says Venturato. "It's about having the right people and resources to help you find them."

For Lachance, the journey means more than building a business. After eight years without wine, she's creating a way for herself and countless others to participate fully in moments of celebration and connection.