MaRS partners with Innovate UK to launch advanced manufacturing startups in North American markets

PHOTO: Manufacturing/Nick Youngson via Picpedia.org

TORONTO — On Oct. 18, MaRS announced its partnership with Innovate UK’s Global Incubator Programme to support the international expansion of UK advanced manufacturing companies. Eight ventures will use the pilot program at the Toronto-based innovation hub as a launch pad to find international partners, connections and customers to scale in the North American market.

“The partnership will accelerate the North American growth of our UK cohort and strengthen the manufacturing ecosystem here in Canada,” said Jon Dogterom, senior vice president of Venture Services at MaRS. “We want to build closer connections between the UK and Canadian innovation economy overall.”

Innovate UK, the UK Government’s innovation agency will create a blueprint for future programs with MaRS and collaborations among accelerators, incubators and private ventures around the world. Similar programs are being tested in other global markets.

The first round of advanced manufacturing companies spans the worlds of high precision robotics, vision systems driving automated assembly and high-performance additive and composite fabrication. This inaugural cohort includes a maker of robotic farming harvesters, a company that has developed an automated real-time inspection system and another pushing the boundaries in additive metal production leveraging electron beam printing technology.

The members of the first group of advanced manufacturing ventures are:

• Conundrum Industrial Limited
• Fergusson’s Advanced Composite Technology Limited
• Loop Infinity Ltd
• Loop Technology Ltd
• Muddy Machines Ltd
• Rivelin Robotics
• True Position Robotics Ltd
• Wayland Additive Ltd

The four-month Manufacturing Incubation Program includes targeted workshops, advisory support and networking opportunities to help the participants sharpen their value proposition and better understand the market opportunities.

“MaRS gives these promising innovative UK manufacturing ventures a launch pad to the North American market and the potential for exponential growth,” said David Golding, the Head of Global Innovation Partnerships at Innovate UK.

“Access to the North American market could help turn these companies into global superstars,” said Jane Kearns, vice president of Growth Services at MaRS. “The leaders in our MaRS Venture Services program are the experts at supporting companies to scale to their full potential here.”