Innovation

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The region’s innovation network cultivates growth and ensures ample opportunities for success. An extensive startup support system and established, prominent research hubs position the Edmonton Metropolitan Region as a place to unlock your potential and achieve the unthinkable.

To see how the Edmonton Metropolitan Region utilizes this network see the emergent industries page.

Emergent Industries

Startup assistance

TEC Edmonton
TEC Edmonton is a business accelerator program out of the University of Alberta that supports the commercialization of technological innovations. It’s been named the world’s 3rd best business incubator linked to a university, and helped launch almost 200 products and services in 2016-17.

TEC also provides more industry-specific programs to ensure that your business is getting the help it needs, including:
- TEC Health Accelerator
- Advanced Technology Centre
- Merck Invent Accelerator
- DynaLIFE Accelerator
- TusStar Accelerator Exchange
- TEC Launch Program
- University of Alberta Health Accelerator
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Business Link

This accelerator program helps individuals throughout Alberta start and grow their businesses by giving free one-on-one support and guidance, market research, access to experts, and training and networking events.

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Startup Edmonton

Startup Edmonton focuses on helping tech startups, providing them with mentorships & programs, workspace, access to talent, and community. Since 2010, they have helped successfully launch over 75 different companies.

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NABI

NABI helps tech businesses grow and flourish by offering services such as consulting, marketing, and everyday operational support.

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Edmonton Research Park

The Edmonton Research Park is dedicated to fostering research-based growth stage companies within the region, focusing on IT and software development, biotechnology, nanotechnology, clean energy, and oil and gas support.

With over 1,500 members representing more than 55 companies, the research park provides access to workspaces, on-site programs, soft-landing programs, personalized referrals to support and funding agencies, and a network of local, national, and international accelerators, science parks, and incubators all looking to collaborate.

The research park has two buildings designed to nurture different initiatives: the Advanced Technology Centre, and the Biotechnology Business Development Centre.

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Research and Development Centres

Alberta Innovates

Alberta Innovates is Alberta’s largest research and innovation agency with a vision to deliver solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing Albertans and the world. They provide research and financial support to focus sectors including health, environment, energy, food, artificial intelligence, and nanotech.

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UAlberta/NRC Nanotechnology Initiative

The Nanotechnology Initiative is a collaborative initiative between the University of Alberta and the National Research Council of Canada. This 20,000-square-metre facility is one of the most technologically advanced in the world, attracting leading minds and producing groundbreaking research.

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Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII)

Founded in 2002, The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, or AMII, is a world leader in machine learning and artificial intelligence research. As a forward-thinking and influential organization, they collaborate with other sectors to produce innovations that have monumental implications.

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Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
NAIT fosters progressive and dynamic industry growth through their 4 research centeres. Almost all of NAIT’s research is done in partnership with industry to ensure that innovation is relevant and can be quickly adopted. Majority ownership of patents developed through this collaboration is maintained by industry, with a nominal fee for its services.

Applied Research Centres:
- Centre for Oil Sands Sustainability
- Centre for Sensors and System Integration
- Centre for Innovative Media
- Boreal Research Institute
- Center for Culinary Innovation
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University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a top 5 research institution in Canada with 88 research chairs specializing in areas such as health, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, food safety and security, and cleantech. With access to over 100 world class facilities and an abundance of strategic partnerships, UAlberta is the heart of innovation in the region.

Key Centres include:
- Institute for Oil Sands Innovation
- Centre for Earth Observation Sciences
- Alberta Centre for Surface Engineering and Science
- Centre for Intelligent Mining Systems
- Oil Sands Tailing Research Facility
- Centre for Applied Business Research in Energy and the Environment
- Canadian Centre for Clean Coal/Carbon and Mineral Processing Technologies
- Oil Sands Research and Information Network
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute
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