Dr. Stephen Lucas
CEO,
Mitacs
Dr. Rami Abielmona
CTO,
Larus Technologies
Tariffs and economic uncertainty highlight the need to
advance made-in-Canada innovation through partnerships that bring business, research, and talent together.
For Canadian businesses to grow, scale, and compete globally, they need access to expertise and leading edge research,” says Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO of Mitacs, a leading innovation organization that brings together businesses and researchers in partnerships with highly skilled talent. “Research partnerships provide that bridge — helping industries develop new technologies, improve productivity, and drive long-term economic success.”
Canada has a growing productivity problem that is impacting our economic competitiveness and standard of living. According to the Centre for Canadian Innovation and Competitiveness, between 2002 and 2022, Canada’s labour productivity growth was 47 per cent lower than in the previous two decades. And our investment in research and development accounts for just 1.5 per cent of our GDP, well below that of comparable countries. To close this gap, productivity growth must come from technological advancements, process improvements, and workforce upskilling.
Transforming ideas into real-world solutions
For over 25 years, Mitacs has championed innovation, helping industry tap into the extraordinary talent and research that exists in Canadian post-secondary institutions and creating partnerships that can transform ideas into productivity gains. The results speak for themselves. Over the past six fiscal years, Mitacs has invested over $1.2 billion in collaborative research with government and industry and supported 39,000+ interns who completed 81,000+ internships across 31,000+ innovation projects, thereby encouraging the growth of a skilled workforce. This investment is especially critical for small- and medium-sized businesses that don’t have easy access to research talent. In the past seven years alone, Mitacs has worked with more than 10,000 enterprise partners, 76 per cent of which were small businesses, across Canada. And the outcomes have been significant: according to a Statistics Canada report, on average, businesses that partner with Mitacs experience an 11 per cent boost in productivity, a 9 per cent increase in revenue, and a 16 per cent rise in sales over three years.
“When we invest in talent-fueled research partnerships, we’re investing in Canada’s economy,” says Dr. Lucas. “Across the country, busi-nesses that invest in research and advanced skill talent and access leading edge knowledge through collaborative partnerships with universities and colleges are growing faster, creating high-quality jobs, and competing successfully in global markets. But the impact goes beyond research — 30 per cent of program participants are hired straight out of their Mitacs internship, and more than 80 per cent are in full-time employment within three years. By connecting talent with opportunity, we’re ensuring that innovation isn’t just happening in labs — it’s fueling real-world growth and positioning Canada as a global leader.”
When we invest in talent-fueled research
partnerships, we’re investing in Canada’s economy.
While Mitacs has created a strong national network by partnering with 200 post-secondary institutions, it also helps researchers and business access global talent with partners in 25 countries. These partnerships foster invaluable bilateral opportunities for collaboration while also bringing talent and innovation to Canada. This ensures Canadian industries remain competitive, research institutions stay at the forefront of global advancements, and businesses gain access to the expertise needed to scale in high-growth sectors.
Driving business growth through research
Canadian-based Larus Technologies is a good example of the partnership between academia and industry in action. Originally focused on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) solutions for aerospace and defence applications, Larus successfully expanded into the retail sector through collaborations with Mitacs, Scale AI, and Unilever Canada. These partnerships enabled Larus to adapt its dual-use AI technology for retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, and supply chain use cases including trade promotion optimization, demand forecasting, and shipment fulfillment, thus opening a new market vertical and driving business growth. As a result, the company has strengthened its position in the AI ecosystem, demonstrating how research partnerships can fuel diversification and economic impact.
“Access to top research talent, through Mitacs, helped us accelerate innovation, enhance our competitiveness, and scale in a way that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise,” says Dr. Rami Abielmona, CTO of Larus Technologies. “This partnership allowed us to grow our operations in Canada, hire skilled professionals, and develop made-in-Canada AI solutions that support our long-term success.”
Canada’s economic future will be shaped by how well we connect research, talent, and businesses, which means the need to invest in more partnerships like the one with Larus is critical. “In a rapidly changing world, the countries that lead in innovation will be those that build strong, strategic partnerships between their brightest minds and their biggest challenges,” says Dr. Lucas. “By fostering these collaborations, we can ensure that Canada’s economy becomes more productive, globally competitive, and resilient in an uncertain and challenging world.”
Learn how Mitacs can help bring innovation into reach at mitacs.ca.
