Research at Conestoga creates practical solutions that address real-world challenges
Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Conestoga brings together students, faculty, community partners and industry in collaboration to identify, address and solve challenges across a variety of sectors in our ever-changing economic, social and environmental landscape.
With the largest gathering of research minds at a Canadian college, Conestoga is dedicated to achieving real-world results for partners, recruiting, mentoring and empowering thinkers, problem solvers and thought leaders ready to help change the world, one innovation at a time.
Applied research
Explore Conestoga’s applied research centres, labs, and innovation hubs supporting industry and community partners.
Research impact
Supporting shelf-life and packaging development for North Pacific Kelp Wild Foods’ kelp biostimulant
Enhancing packaging and shelf-life strategies for Live On Chocolate
Supporting product development and packaging strategies at Hummingbird Chocolate Maker
Announcements
Conestoga receives $720,000 to advance health care and social innovation research
Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Conestoga has been awarded $720,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) to support two social innovation research projects over three years. The Centre for Health Care Research & Innovation will measure the impact of an evidence-based care transitions model designed to improve health outcomes for people on the waitlist for long-term care and their family caregivers. The Conestoga Social Innovation Lab will explore mental health, identity and well-being among Bangladeshi-Canadian youth in the Greater Toronto Area through collaborative, arts-based community research. Read more
2024-2025 Research & Innovation Impact Report now available
The 2024–2025 Research & Innovation Impact Report is now available, featuring a refreshed layout and design that tells a clearer, more compelling story of how Conestoga’s applied research delivers real-world impact through faculty, students, and industry partnerships.
Conestoga's SMART Centre receives $1.75 million and renewed Technology Access Centre designation
Conestoga's SMART Centre has been awarded $1.75 million over five years from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to support its renewal as a designated Technology Access Centre. This funding enables the SMART Centre to continue helping small and medium-sized enterprises overcome innovation challenges, while also expanding into the zero-emission vehicle ecosystem and agri-tech sector. Since its launch in 2020, the SMART Centre has supported 251 unique industry partners across 294 projects while hiring and training 423 paid research students. Through this funding, the centre plans to employ and train over 500 student researchers over the next five years. Read more
Conestoga awarded $120,000 from NSERC to expand on shared equity housing research
In partnership with Ourboro, a company that co-invests in homes with buyers in exchange for a share of future value, this research will build on existing projects exploring the shared equity ownership model. In this phase, the Conestoga Social Innovation Lab and Ourboro will assess the product’s impact on customers’ lives and gather feedback to refine the model for broader reach.
We acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Conestoga part of $47.5 million investment from FedDev
As part of a $47.5 million investment from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Waterloo's Communitech, in partnership with Conestoga College, will continue to offer regionally tailored programming for entrepreneurs to help their businesses succeed locally and globally through the Scale-Up Platform program. Read more
