thriveFORWARD Sub-Regional Highlights Part 1: Eastern Ontario Innovation

VENTURE13, COBOURG, ONTARIO, October 18, 2023—With the support of FedDev Ontario and the Government of Canada’s Jobs and Growth Fund, NCFDC’s thriveFORWARD initiative backed entrepreneurs and industrial firms across all of southern Ontario in their leading efforts to innovate, expand their business, create jobs and contribute to the inclusive and sustainable industries of our region’s future.

Today we take a moment to showcase investments made in eastern Ontario (fully 27% of all thriveFORWARD projects), where a high degree of momentum is apparent across the entire innovation corridor.

• In Kingston, mDETECT is transforming how treatment decisions are made for late-stage, metastatic cancer patients with innovative and advanced technology.
• In Cornwall, GRID (Geo-Registry Integrated Datachain) has developed a new blockchain-based real estate platform while Foddr invested in process systems for animal feed hydroponics.
• Vaga Refrigeration is bringing new production capacity to Quinte West.
• In Prince Edward County, thriveFORWARD backed the launch of Wild Lot Distillery while the Mapping Network carried out an apiary-monitoring demonstration project.
• In Northumberland, DEC Data is improving the way information about recently deceased Canadians is being handled respectfully and efficiently by institutions across the country, while multiple award-winning start-up Sootsoap is set for major product line expansion.
• In Peterborough, Arc Motor Company is re-engineering classic cars into electric vehicles, completing their first demonstration project (listen to Arc’s Founder in conversation with Braden Kemp and Tracy Morningstar on the Frontier Entrepreneurship Podcast).
• In Kawartha Lakes, home to a new indie gamedev studio known as Turtle Riot, designers are creating their first release with the support of thriveFORWARD, as idhubs, another Kawartha Lakes tech company, expand their web3 enterprise SaaS platform.
• thriveFORWARD-backed Cabn completed and unveiled its first net-zero energy efficient demonstration home near Brockville, in rural Eastern Ontario.
• In Ottawa, Enurgen is commercializing its deeptech software for utility-scale solar power systems. Leynek Medical is creating the future of patient support for cancer and cardiovascular disease, and InferModel is securing energy infrastructure with cloud technology.

While these next gen start-ups are commercializing innovation and attracting millions of dollars in follow-on investment as well as high profile international partnerships, established companies in the region also co-invested in innovation capital. These SMEs are creating new products and processes that are driving business growth and honing competitive advantage through innovation:

• With the support of thriveFORWARD, SMEs such as Green Beaver in Prescott-Russell are advancing digital optimization efforts to position for market expansion, while ATG Industries is investing in robotics and automation.
• In the Bay of Quinte, Triangle Fluids is future-proofing their operations and strengthening sustainability with sustainability investments.
• Heatline in Haliburton is integrating new manufacturing technology and strategic equipment.
• In Prince Edward County, thriveFORWARD has co-invested with the County Couperage in advanced technologies to increase productivity and greening of operations. ;
• Cameron Steel custom machining and fabrication in Kawartha Lakes is implementing advanced manufacturing technologies for business expansion and operational resilience.
• Food Cycle Science in Cornwall are advancing their tech adoption strategy with the support of thriveFORWARD, while Fieldless Farms is integrating advanced control systems and other digital technologies in their operations.
• In Peterborough, thriveFORWARD supported the Plant Bacon Corp’s next stage of company and product development, while co-investing in innovation capital with Dynacast.
• In Lanark, Loon Kombucha was supported in acquiring green equipment to increase production and output.
• In Renfrew, Hec Clouthier & Sons ramped up their capacity through the implementation of sustainable and automated process improvements.
• With nidus3D in Kingston, thriveFORWARD was at the forefront of additive manufacturing innovation while thriveFORWARD and Signority in Ottawa co-invested innovation in integrative AI.

Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs (the avant-garde together with the bedrock of our economy) are fueling clean and sustainable growth across critical sectors and value chains. With FedDev Ontario, NCFDC has worked to help trigger those investments in innovation capital at a 5-to-1 clip (the achieved ratio of private sector to government-funded investment) which is a high water mark for reported public sector ROI (return on investment) from NCFDC programming.

thriveFORWARD (often colloquially referred to as just ‘thrive’) effectively de-risks or augments project and investment scope and accelerates high-potential companies with concurrent support from ecosystem partners.

“The sheer impact of thriveFORWARD projects over the last fourteen months is impressive,” said Wendy Curtis, Executive Director, NCFDC. “It is a testament to the confidence and drive of firms in eastern Ontario as they help to pull us out of a difficult preceding economic period through their leadership and commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation. They are creating the jobs and growth, we are helping to accelerate the timelines.”

For more information about the thriveFORWARD initiative, please visit the official webpage. The next installment of this series will focus on innovation in southwestern Ontario.

Contact

Victoria Pichler
Marketing & Communications Coordinator – NCFDC
647-570-7851