Innovate BC awards $2.3 million for BC’s R&D projects, The Canadian Business Journal

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Innovate BC awarded eight BC R&D projects with $2,325,000 at an awards ceremony in Vancouver tonight. These projects are creating breakthrough innovations that improve the lives of people in British Columbia. Specifically, this year’s funding through Innovate BC’s Ignite program is accelerating the commercialization of biotech, cleantech, mining, agriculture and forestry projects.

Minister for Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation Ravi Kahlon said: “Commercialization of these projects through Innovate BC’s Ignite program will create jobs and bring new investment opportunities to businesses in British Columbia. We look forward to helping make it a more sustainable state.”

The successful projects shown below were selected based on their promising commercial and technical viability and their ability to bring to market within three years. In order for the project to be considered, it must also address industry issues that could be of great benefit to British Columbia and be realized by a group of academic and industry members.

• clean tech/ICT/Wireless/Solar: Daanaa Resolution Inc. and Dr. Shahriar Mirabbasi of the University of British Columbia are collaborating on a project to advance Daanaa’s chip-based wireless power transfer technology in solar panels. These panels improve output power and data monitoring while reducing cost and complexity. Prize: $300,000
• Fuel/Transport/Cleantech: Hydrogen Technology and Energy Corporation (HTEC) collaborates with Dr. Gordon McTaggart-Cowan of Simon Fraser University to help make hydrogen a core component of the transportation industry. This project will increase hydrogen storage pressure and provide cost savings to further solidify hydrogen as a future fuel. Prize: $300,000
• Mining/Civil Engineering/Construction: Dr. Bern Klein of Minpraxis Solutions Ltd. and University of British Columbia finds that rock compression testing can significantly improve the quality and quantity of rock strength data generated for mine design, advanced exploration, production planning and operational management. machine is being developed. . Prize: $300,000
• Biotechnology/Pharmaceuticals/Medical Products: Nanovation Therapeutics and Dr. Eric Jan of the University of British Columbia are working on a project to advance RNA vaccines. This project will enable the development of new intellectual property related to mRNA stability and production with the aim of bridging the gap between drugs and delivery systems. Prize: $300,000
• Agriculture/Soil Conservation: Terramera Inc. and Dr. Sean Smukler of the University of British Columbia are developing a new approach for measuring soil carbon across agricultural landscapes. Prize: $300,000
• Mining, natural resources, road design: Softree Technical Systems Inc. and Dr. Yves Lucet of the University of British Columbia Okanagan are working on a project to advance Softree’s vertical alignment optimization technology. The software not only optimizes initial construction costs and lifetime vehicle operating costs, but also enables more efficient use of materials and construction work. Prize Money: $225,000
• Forestry and drone technology: Flash Forest Inc. and Dr. John Innes of the University of British Columbia improve reforestation. This project advances pod breeding, composition, and methodology systems and methods for germination between pod types, optimal flight paths, detection of remote plant seedlings, and health monitoring using machine learning and artificial intelligence. Let Prize: $300,000
• Cleantech, aquaculture, advanced materials: Browns Bay Packing Company Ltd. and Dr. Hossein Kazemian of the University of Northern British Columbia are developing a renewable and fully biodegradable hybrid packaging solution. This project makes him one of the most promising candidates for alternative materials to replace conventional plastics. Prize: $300,000
  

Raghwa Gopal, President and CEO of Innovate BC, said: “Over the past eight years, Innovate BC has invested over $10 million in market-driven research that creates jobs, transforms industries and pushes the boundaries of innovation.”

Each year, Innovate BC’s Ignite program selects research projects in natural resources and applied sciences, awarding up to $300,000 per project. To date, we have funded 41 projects totaling $10.7 million.

The Ignite program is funded by the Natural Resources and Applied Science (NRAS) Foundation established by British Columbia. This fund aims to improve the quality of life for the people of British Columbia by creating a strong environment for research and development, advanced training and technology transfer. ,Product commercialization.

For more information on Ignite, please visit Innovate BC’s website at www.innovatebc.ca/ignite.

About Innovate BC

Innovate BC helps drive innovation in British Columbia so that British Columbians in all areas of British Columbia can thrive and benefit from a sustainable and inclusive innovation economy. Innovate BC, the Crown Agency of British Columbia, helps grow British Columbia’s economy by helping businesses start and scale, develop talent to meet labor market needs, develop technologies, commercialize and accelerate recruitment. We fund and offer programs that support the

• Innovate BC awards $2.3 million to BC R&D projects

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