Innovate BC Awards $1.5M to Five Research & Development Projects Advancing Clean Tech and Life Sciences Solutions in British Columbia

Article content

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Through its Ignite program, Innovate BC has awarded $1.5M across five B.C.-based R&D projects focused on developing solutions that equip industries to address priority challenges. Project areas include accessibility in healthcare, emissions reduction in mining, and more, driving industry competitiveness and job creation throughout the province.

Article content

Article content

Article content

“We are proud to deliver the Ignite program, which provides critical funding to drive the commercial success of cutting-edge solutions coming out of industry and academic partnerships in British Columbia,” said Peter Cowan, President + CEO of Innovate BC, “These innovations not only address some of the province’s most pressing challenges, but also help promote productivity and growth in key industries, ultimately contributing to a prosperous economy that benefits all British Columbians.”

Ignite accelerates the commercialization of solutions in clean technology, engineering, and life science projects developed through collaboration between industry and academia, awarding up to $300,000 per project.

The successful projects outlined below were 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 also address an industry problem with the potential for significant benefit to British Columbia and be implemented by a group of academic and industry members.

Article content

Article content

• Clean Technologies: Ideon Technologies and Dr. Shaun Barker of the University of British Columbia are collaborating on a project to develop a new application of cosmic-ray muon tomography for mapping and modelling block-caves to mine minerals critical to energy transition. Through this approach, critical minerals can be mined in a safer, more efficient and accurate way, with reduced environmental impact compared to traditional mining methods. Awarded: $300,000
• Food Sciences: Peqish Group, Food and Hospitality Inc. and Anubhav Pratap-Singh of the University of British Columbia are collaborating on a project to develop fat mimetics containing dietary fibers derived from chia as a low-calorie replacement for ingredients like palm oil. With a substantial reduction in saturated and unsaturated fats, this approach aims to increase the amount of healthy food options, helping tackle lifestyle-related conditions like diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Awarded: $300,000
• Clean Technologies: Rockburst Technologies Inc. and Dr. Bern Klein of the University of British Columbia are collaborating on a project to develop a method of identifying and extracting valuable minerals by using CO₂ to pulverize ore, reducing the need for the heavy machinery and energy typically used in traditional crushing methods. This approach will substantially reduce the emissions output of this phase of the mining value chain, making the process more environmentally friendly, as well as more cost-effective. Awarded: $300,000
• Clean Technologies: Viridis Research Inc. and Neil Branda of Simon Fraser University are collaborating on a project to develop a first-of-its-kind water treatment technology that eliminates, by way of full mineralization, dyes, toxic chemicals, surfactants and microplastics from textile wastewater. This approach can unlock water recycling and reuse in the textile manufacturing sector, helping preserve water resources and protect the environment from harmful pollutants, with the potential to eliminate single-use water across industries. Awarded: $300,000
• Life Sciences and Advanced Health: Geno10X Biosciences Ltd, Gene Bio Medical, Michael Adachi and Peter Unrau of Simon Fraser University are collaborating on a project to develop a new point of care (POC) diagnostic platform that combines rapid, highly sensitive HPV urine testing methods with advanced AI-algorithms. This approach will help predict risk of developing diseases such as cervical and anal cancer in a faster, more cost-effective and non-invasive way, while improving accessibility and responsiveness within the healthcare system. Awarded: $300,000

Article content

Since its inception in 2016, the program has funded 53 projects for a total value of $13.5M. Previous Ignite recipients include notable B.C.-based innovation companies such as VoxCell BioInnovation Inc., Daanaa Resolution Inc., and Terramera Inc., each of which have become significant contributors to high-impact industries through the continued growth of their technologies.

The Ignite Program is funded by the Natural Resources and Applied Sciences (NRAS) Endowment Fund, which was established by the Province of British Columbia to enhance the quality of life for British Columbians by building strong environments in research and development, advanced training, technology transfer, and commercialization.

Additional Quotes

Geno10X Biosciences Ltd/Gene Bio Medical + SFU

Michael Adachi, Associate Professor, Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University

“The Innovate BC Ignite funding is supporting our goal of translating research to a real-world product to address a critical healthcare need of our communities. The multidisciplinary collaboration between SFU researchers and industry partners, Geno10X Biosciences and Gene Bio Medical brings together complementary expertise of ultra-sensitive and rapid nucleic acid detection, next generation of microchip sensors, latest AI models, innovative biomanufacturing, and global distribution networks.”

Article content

Viridis Research Inc. + SFU

Dr. Macarena Cataldo-Hernandez, PHD, Co-Founder + CEO, Viridis Research Inc.

“We are living through a global water crisis, and in B.C., where water is an abundant resource, we truly need deep-tech and hard-tech innovations that tackle the problem efficiently, offering scalable, economically viable solutions for the physical world. For these reasons, government support to develop, pilot and scale water technologies is pivotal to the success of water innovation in the province. We are deeply grateful for the government’s support of innovation and for Innovate BC’s commitment, through the Ignite Program, to promoting technological development that goes beyond the status quo. This kind of vision is critical for addressing the complex challenges of our time, enabling solutions that can create lasting, meaningful impact for communities and industries alike.”

Rockburst Technologies Inc. + UBC

Oscar Malpica, CEO, Rockburst Technologies Inc.

“Innovate BC’s support has been instrumental in advancing our CO₂ Pulverization technology, a process with potential to slash 2% of the global electricity consumption while sequestering CO₂ in the process. Bold innovations with consequential effects in heavy industries like this are extremely capital intensive, and the Ignite program funding has allowed us to de-risk the technology in early stages while attracting clients and investors alike.”

Article content

Peqish Group, Food and Hospitality + UBC

Dr. Anthony Marotta, PHD, Chief Executive and Scientific Officer, Peqish Group, Food and Hospitality Inc.

“With the rise in lifestyle diseases linked to poor quality, highly processed foods, and high caloric intake, innovative proprietary ingredients like ZroFat™, our chia fat replacer, offer a transformative solution to traditional fats and oils, significantly lowering total calorie intake in consumer-packaged foods based on our published research, and reducing saturated fat while increasing fiber intake. By adopting these alternative and integrative solutions, we aim to collaborate with companies focused on developing evidence-based, health-oriented food products, offering the potential to improve quality of life, reduce healthcare costs, and transform the health landscape. The funding from Ignite BC will accelerate our timelines, enabling us to bring these innovative solutions to market more quickly.”

Ideon Technologies + UBC

Gary Agnew, CEO + Co-Founder, Ideon Technologies

“Metals and minerals are the foundation for human society and have been for thousands of years. So much of what we rely upon in our lives – such as healthcare, communication, and transportation – depends on the outputs of the mining industry. The Ignite funding is helping us advance our work in accelerating the world’s transition to low-impact mining and clean energy, giving companies the ability to identify, map, and monitor mineral deposits with confidence, while reducing the risk, cost, and environmental impact of traditional methods. In turn, this improves peoples’ lives and enhances economic prosperity.”

Article content

Dr. Shaun Barker, Associate Professor and Director of the EOAS Mineral Deposit Research Unit, Simon Fraser University

“In order to deliver the mineral resources the world requires, we need new ways of doing things to find them, access them quicker, and deliver them in a way that society expects – safely and sustainably. This program funding has supported this pilot project and allowed us to collect a fascinating new data set that no one in the world has ever seen before from an operating block cave operation, giving us amazing new insights into how block cave mines behave.”

Media Contact

Michael Gleboff
Communications + Community Manager
mgleboff@innovatebc.ca
604–602-5210

About Innovate BC

A Crown Agency of British Columbia, Innovate BC works to foster innovation across the province and bolster the growth of the local economy through delivering a wide range of programs that help companies start and scale, access talent and encourage technology development, commercialization, and adoption. Innovate BC also harnesses crucial data collection and research, and works to forge strategic industry and community partnerships that create more opportunities for B.C. innovators.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8cf32030-0634-4650-8572-63e090f8f201

Article content