Ottawa announces $1.2 billion Strategic Innovation Fund 

Ottawa is launching a new $1.26 billion Strategic Innovation Fund that’s available across all sectors, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains announced today in Hamilton, Ont. The fund is intended to support four types of innovation activities, according to a government news release. Those are organized into four different streams: research, development, and […]

Simon Fraser University receives $1 million from Coast Capital Savings for student program

Simon Fraser University has received a $1 million gift from Coast Capital Savings to help fund Western Canada’s first university business “student incubator” over the next five years. Don Coulter, president and CEO of the 1,650-employee Surrey-based credit union, said he was extremely proud” to announce to fund the SFU Venture Connection over the next […]

Canada Foundation for $1.3M in innovation funds five new leadership awards at UCalgary 

Five University of Calgary researchers have been awarded Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) awards, valued at over $1.3 million. Announced today by the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, the awards will support research in the Cumming School of Medicine, the faculties of Kinesiology and Arts, and the Schulich School […]

QD Solar, incorporated by MaRS Innovation and the University of Toronto, secures over $10M for the development of transformational Solar Energy Technologies

QD Solar, a Canadian technology company created by MaRS Innovation and the University of Toronto, announced today the closing of a C$2.5M Series A funding led by DSM Venturing, with matching investment participation from existing investors, MaRS innovation and KAUST Innovation Fund. The development of this technology is also supported by project funding that was […]

$20-Million Fund Will Support Innovation at Ontario’s Colleges

The new $20-million Colleges Applied Research and Development Fund (CARDF) announced by Premier Kathleen Wynne will promote new economic growth, the Ontario Centres of Excellence and Colleges Ontario said today. “College-based applied research projects continue to develop innovations that help businesses throughout the province grow and create new, high-quality jobs,” said Linda Franklin, the President […]

How Canada can provide a powerful spark for innovation through an SBIR-like program

“Government is a big buyer with many complex challenges. Entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to these problems should have a shot at solving them, don’t you think?” This was a question asked this fall by federal Minister of Small Business and Tourism Bardish Chagger in a speech she gave to celebrate Small Business Week in Ottawa. […]

Two entrepreneur alumni donate $1 million each to UBC seed fund

Greg Peet, a technology entrepreneur who attended UBC’s Sauder School of Business, and Glenn Walsh, who founded the mining construction company Tercon Group and is an alumnus of the faculty of applied science, donated the money to a seed fund run by entrepreneurship@UBC. The fund, known as e@UBC, “provides startup programs, industry mentorship, office and […]