Canadian manufacturing and technology companies have no shortage of ideas on how to shape the future of advanced manufacturing.
You just have to ask them.
That’s what NGen did, putting out an open call to companies for project proposals that could be funded under its Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster program. The impressive results were on display April 16 at Lot42 in Kitchener, where over 450 people gathered on the site of an old steel fabrication factory to trade plans and aspirations for manufacturing’s next generation.
Attendees from across Ontario and from as far as Newfoundland & Labrador and British Columbia heard sharply presented project pitches from 12 companies in manufacturing sectors, ranging from steel and automotive to med-tech. All the projects are in the development stages and all are looking for potential partners to meet the Supercluster requirement that projects be composed of multiple partners.
That was followed by an afternoon technology showcase, in which 33 presenters delivered concise pitches on their companies’ technology capabilities.
John Laughlin, NGen’s Chief Technology Officer, led the room through an overview of NGen’s requirements for Supercluster projects, emphasizing that funding only goes to projects in advanced manufacturing.
You can see John’s presentation here. And, all NGen’s project requirements are posted in the members section of our website and available to all members.
Membership is free. Join here.
It was a perfect representation of what NGen aims to accomplish: bringing Canada’s manufacturing and technology strengths together in order to build world-leading capabilities in advanced manufacturing.
Video of the project pitches will be posted online in the coming days.