New Partnerships Strengthen ventureLAB’s Hardware Catalyst Initiative

December 07, 2021 - MARKHAM, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, ventureLAB announced new partners for its Hardware Catalyst Initiative, Canada’s only lab and incubator for hardware and semiconductor companies, funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) with a $9.7-million investment. 

“Semiconductors power virtually every modern-day technology and product, but it's an industry that poses bigger barriers for Canadian startups”

The new partners join ventureLAB’s global network of over 30 industry leaders, including Siemens, Silicon Catalyst, TSMC, Arm, and many more. Together with founding partners AMD, Synopsys, and others, Hardware Catalyst Initiative partners have committed over $15 million in resources, equipment, expertise, and mentorship for the participating companies.

As the demand for chips and sensors continues to increase, global shortages and production disruptions signal the importance of building a strong and resilient Canadian hardware and semiconductor supply chain.

Joining the Hardware Catalyst Initiative’s global network of innovators are:

• Imec, a world-leading research and innovation centre in nanoelectronics and digital technologies.
• Dena Technologies, a recognized leader in circuit board design, assembly (pcba), and logistics solutions, helping the world’s most forward-thinking technology companies bring their ideas to life.
• Micro Interface Design (MID), providing a holistic approach to the hardware start-up ecosystem with Capital, Product Development, Assembly, Business Development, and Business Strategy, going beyond standard consulting services to provide tailored solutions to turn client’s ideas into products; and
• Testforce and their measurement experts, helping companies develop their semiconductor test strategies by representing the top brands of test and measurement instrumentation.

"Semiconductors power virtually every modern-day technology and product, but it's an industry that poses bigger barriers for Canadian startups," said Melissa Chee, President and CEO, ventureLAB. "The time to market is lengthier and more expensive, and requires highly specialized engineering talent. We're excited to partner with these industry leaders to enable companies to go global and build hands-on experiences to solve real industry challenges."

“We are excited to join the Hardware Catalyst Initiative and to offer our expertise and ecosystem leveraging start-ups to build breakthrough products and technologies. At imec, we believe that start-ups are key in building a sustainable future,” said Raffaela Borzi, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Americas.

Also joining the Hardware Catalyst Initiative’s extensive partner network is Seneca College. With a focus on talent and skills building, ventureLAB and Seneca will create work-integrated learning opportunities and hands-on industry and lab experiences, with a focus on data analytics and electronics engineering.

“Seneca is delighted to be working with ventureLAB, the Government of Canada and our many industry partners on the Hardware Catalyst Initiative," said Seneca President David Agnew. "This initiative will give our students the opportunity to help develop made-in-Canada solutions to strengthen the hardware and semiconductor supply chain.”

The global semiconductor industry plays a crucial role in technology advancement and innovation, as part of a $7-trillion market that powers advanced technologies like electric vehicles, robotics in precision agriculture, and 5G communication in mobile devices. The industry is also a major contributor to job creation, attraction, and retention, generating nearly five new jobs for every one semiconductor job created.

To learn more about the Hardware Catalyst Initiative, visit www.venturelab.ca/HCI.