Conestoga's SMART Centre has been awarded $1.75 million over five years from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to support its renewal as a designated Technology Access Centre (TAC).
This funding enables the SMART Centre to continue helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) overcome innovation challenges, while also expanding into the zero-emission vehicle ecosystem and agrifood sector.
"The renewal of our funding for five more years and our continued designation as a TAC will allow the SMART Centre to grow and expand its impact on the innovation of SMEs regionally and nationally," said Jeff Dukes, director, SMART Centre.
The funding is part of NSERC's ongoing investment in TACs across Canada, which provide companies with access to specialized research expertise, technical services and state-of-the-art facilities to solve real-world challenges.
Since its launch in 2020, the SMART Centre has supported 251 unique industry partners across 294 projects while hiring and training 423 paid research students. Through this funding, the centre plans to employ and train over 500 student researchers over the next five years.
"The funding will ensure our student researchers gain valuable knowledge and experience that prepares them for their future career as strong and talented innovators in the workforce," said Dr. Michelle Chrétien, vice president, Research & Innovation.
Situated within a thriving innovation corridor that includes incubators, accelerators, and university research labs, the SMART Centre remains the region's only provider offering an integrated model of applied research, technical services and specialized training under one roof.
Technology Access Centres are specialized innovation hubs embedded within colleges and cégeps. Funded through NSERC's TAC grants, these centres enable SMEs to reduce risk, accelerate product development, and improve processes by providing access to expert staff, advanced equipment and research capabilities. TACs support economic development by bridging the gap between academic expertise and business innovation.
Conestoga is ranked among Canada's top research colleges and works in collaboration with industry and community partners to develop innovative products, improve processes and support informed decision-making. The college's centres of excellence and innovation focus on applied research in a variety of areas that navigate the ever-changing economic, social and environmental landscape to create practical solutions that address real-world challenges. Visit Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship to learn more.
For more information
299 Doon Valley Drive
Kitchener Ontario
Canada N2G 4M4
www.conestogac.on.ca/
