Five Innovation Centres, more than 900 industry projects and over $200 million in contributions since 2011, all directed at helping small and medium-sized businesses innovate, grow and compete.
Small and medium-sized enterprises rarely lack ideas. What they lack is capacity. Time, people and financial resources are limited, and the equipment, expertise and research staff needed to test an idea properly are often out of reach for a growing business.
Niagara College Research & Innovation exists to close that gap. Its teams work directly with businesses to solve real-world problems, develop and improve products and processes, adopt new technologies, strengthen commercialization and ultimately become more competitive.
Through collaborative projects, SMEs gain access to expertise, specialized facilities and equipment, and to talented researchers, students and graduates. These are resources that can often be difficult for a growing business to access on its own.
Five Centres, One Point of Entry
Niagara College Research & Innovation operates five Innovation Centres, each with specialized expertise: advanced manufacturing, business and commercialization, food and beverage, healthy aging and wellness, and horticultural and environmental sciences.
That breadth allows Research & Innovation to support businesses at different stages of their innovation journey. A company may arrive needing to develop and test a prototype or improve a manufacturing process. Another may be developing a new food product, validating a technology, conducting market research, building a brand or preparing an innovation for market.
Businesses can also draw on cross-disciplinary expertise, bringing together the right people and resources to address challenges that do not fit neatly into a single area. A food producer, for example, may need both product development and commercialization support, while a manufacturer may need technical validation alongside market research.
Reducing the Barriers to Innovation
Niagara College Research & Innovation’s model is built around lowering the practical obstacles that keep smaller businesses from pursuing innovation.
Dedicated research teams are put to work on industry-driven projects, which means the business is not asked to supply the staff time it does not have. Research & Innovation also helps clients leverage regional, provincial and federal funding opportunities that can offset project costs.
The focus throughout is practical: helping businesses solve a problem, capitalize on an opportunity and move forward.
A Record Built Over More Than a Decade
Since 2011, Niagara College has completed more than 900 industry projects and attracted over $200 million in government, industry and institutional contributions.
Niagara College Research & Innovation has built its applied research model around helping industry innovate, grow and compete, and that record reflects sustained engagement with businesses across the region and beyond.
How Businesses Get Started
For an SME considering applied research for the first time, the process begins with a conversation about the challenge, idea or opportunity the business is facing. From there, Niagara College Research & Innovation’s teams identify the expertise and facilities required and the funding routes that may apply.
Businesses in the Niagara region and across Ontario can approach Niagara College Research & Innovation directly to discuss a project.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information intended only for informational purposes. CanadianSME Small Business Magazine does not endorse or guarantee any products or services mentioned. Readers are advised to conduct their research and due diligence before making business decisions.
