Innovate BC has awarded $1,075,000 to four B.C. based research projects through its Ignite Program.
Since the Ignite Program launched in 2016, Innovate BC has awarded $8.5 million to 34 projects. When including matching funds from industry and government sources, total investment into these projects jumps to more than $24.8 million.
The Ignite Awards is just one way that Innovate BC helps tech ventures start, scale, and stay in British Columbia.
Ignite Award winners are selected based on their promising commercial and technical viability, as well as their ability to be market ready within three years.
To be considered, projects must address an industry problem in the natural resource or applied sciences, have the potential for significant benefit to British Columbia, and be realized by a group of academic and industry members.
Each year Innovate BC’s Ignite program selects 6-8 research projects in the natural resources and applied sciences, awarding up to $300,000 per project.
The following four projects receiving funding.
3D bioprinting personalized brain tissue models
Using 3D bioprinting, this project is producing next generation brain organoids. These organoids can be used as a tool for screening potential drugs to treat neurological diseases and disorders as well as for understanding how COVID-19 infection affects the function of neural tissue. Partners: Dr. Katherine Elvira, University of Victoria; Dr. Stephanie Willerth, Axolotl Biosciences. Award: $175,000
High-power density fuel cells for heavy duty zero emission vehicles
This project is supporting development of the next generation of cost-effective, high-power density fuel cell membrane electrode assembly for heavy duty zero emission vehicles. Partners: Dr. Majid Bahrami, Simon Fraser University; Dr. Erik Kjeang, Simon Fraser University, Shanna Knights, Ballard Power Systems. Award: $300,000
Transcritical CO2 Rock Pulverization
This project is developing a rock comminution processing system that deploys a first-of-a-kind approach in comminution. It aims to improve efficiency, GHG reductions, achieve operational simplicity and minimize environmental impact. Partners: Dr. Bern Klein, University of British Columbia; Chuck Lee, Rockburst Technologies Inc.; Richard MacKellar, Chrysalix Venture Capital Fund. Award: $300,000
Contact-based inspection using tethered flying robots
Traditional industrial asset inspection methods are unsafe, expensive and time consuming. This project is developing tethered flying robots for contact-based inspection to eliminate health hazards and risks to human operators and to reduce time and cost of inspection. Partners: Dr. Shahriar Mirabbasi, University of British Columbia; Dr. Reza Tavakoli, Avestec Technologies Inc.; Dr. Pouya Kamalinejad, Avestec Technologies Inc. Award: $300,000
The next round of Ignite applications is open until June 30, 2021. Learn more and apply here.
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