On this week’s episode of ‘Making it in Ontario’, Nick chats with Andrea Johnson, the General Manager of the Centre Emerging Research Initiatives and Jeff McIsaac, the Dean of Applied Research at Mohawk College in Hamilton. Andrea and Jeff are central to the team leading IdeaWORKS, Mohawk’s hub of applied research and innovation. IdeaWORKS includes the Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), Sensor Systems and IOT Lab, Medical Technologies Innovation Centre (MTIC), and Energy and Power Innovation Centre, among other research centres and laboratories. IdeaWORKS and its affiliates work closely with start-ups, established companies, and community organizations, enhancing their capabilities with specialized expertise and access to industry leading equipment and facilities.
Much of Nick’s conversation with Andrea and Jeff focused on how IdeaWORKS helps companies bridge the ‘valley of death’. In this case, the valley of death refers to the period between the development and commercialization of a product or service. It is during this period that companies, especially start-ups, require significant investment and where the risk of failure is high, no matter how useful and innovative that product or service is.
The good news is that Andrea, Jeff, and their colleagues at Mohawk College are helping Ontario manufacturers – from start-ups to major international metal manufacturers – bridge this valley and commercialize innovative products and services. To learn more about how they do this take a listen to this episode of ‘Making it in Ontario.’