Professors, researchers and students at colleges, Indigenous institutes, and universities across Ontario make significant breakthroughs every day. Many of these innovations progress from research to commercialization, generating hundreds of new startups each year. From improving electric-vehicle capacity to reducing neck injuries in high-impact sports, Ontario innovations are changing how we live, work and play.

But this pathway from campus to commercialization doesn’t have to be a one-way street. eCampusOntario is helping startups, scale-ups and large enterprises put Ontario’s post-secondary research engine to work with its new Ontario Collaborative Innovation Platform (OCIP). The program connects Ontario-based companies with expert researchers at post-secondary institutions to help them solve problems and get to market before the competition. 

Bridging the gap between industry and academia

OCIP aims to make it easier for businesses to connect with post-secondary institutions for research projects. Matt Parreira, Senior Strategist at eCampusOntario, said it’s a way to help Ontario businesses discover research facilities and capabilities they might not know exist.

“The businesses can submit an idea or a challenge they’re facing, and we can potentially match them with one of the 53 partner institutions on the platform,” Parreira said.

The institutions include colleges, universities and Indigenous institutes across the province. Once matched, researchers can accept the opportunity and start working on the project.

Advancing research commercialization

Post-secondary research institutions are more focused than ever on applying their findings to real-world applications. OCIP provides them with opportunities to contribute to products and services used worldwide. Parreria noted that post-secondary researchers will often go out to companies to see if there are business components that their research findings can apply to. OCIP changes the equation by bringing business challenges directly to talented researchers on their campuses.

“We can streamline the entire process so that a business puts its idea in, and then OCIP will find you an expert,” he said.

Showcasing Ontario’s research capabilities

Ontario has 23 public universities, 24 colleges and nine Indigenous institutes. While larger institutions such as the University of Waterloo, the University of Toronto and Queen’s University are well known for their research facilities, Parreira said the province is home to many others outside the major innovation spaces. OCIP provides a platform to promote the research capabilities of these smaller yet still mighty institutions.

“When you look at the smaller institutions up in Thunder Bay, North Bay and the southern part of Ontario, they don't have the resources to amplify what they can do. Using OCIP, they can have one database of their equipment, experts and facilities all in one place and then be matched with businesses they wouldn't have ever met before,” Parreira said.

Helping early-stage startups get to market faster

Startup founders often bootstrap their ventures, with most of their funds dedicated to building their minimum viable product (MVP) and finding their initial customers. This leaves little room in the budget for research and development. OCIP provides these businesses with world-class researchers to help them gain a commercial advantage over the competition.

“OCIP is best for startups in their first steps into the research space. It’s an opportunity to explore an idea or a project with a network of researchers who want to apply their work to commercial applications,” Parreria said.

OCIP does more than make matches between businesses and researchers. It also has access to over 80 different funding programs.

“If you don't have the budget to fully fund the completion of an innovation project, OCIP can provide you with partners who do funding as well,” he added.

Creating new experiential learning opportunities

On the talent development side, OCIP-matched projects create opportunities for students to work on real-world applications of their studies. OCIP receives funding from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities to develop work-integrated learning opportunities to benefit students, their institutions and businesses that will benefit from a new talent pipeline.

“OCIP creates opportunities for students to work directly with the private sector, get that experience and build up their network so that, ultimately, they can secure jobs easier and faster after graduation,” Parreira said.

Visit ocip.ecampusontario.ca/ocip-for-businesses to learn more about the program and how to apply. OCIP is available to any business or organization operating in Ontario with a current business number.