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College Applied Research - EN

What is Tech-Access Canada?

Tech-Access Canada is a non-profit organization that supports the pan-Canadian network of 67 Technology Access Centres (TACs)—leaders in college applied research and developing new innovative products and solutions using technology.

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4-Why

Why work with a TAC?

A TAC is your scientific troubleshooter. TACs offer businesses different ways to collaboratively access state-of-the-art facilities and multidisciplinary teams of experts that can turn innovative ideas into market-ready products. Companies retain all the IP and TACs can help de-risk the company’s investment in the research by accessing government funding programs. TACs are trustworthy and reliable partners that generate positive productivity and innovation results.

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5-Where
1-What

What is a TAC?

A TAC is your trusted applied R&D partner. A Technology Access Centre (TAC) is a specialized R&D centre affiliated with a college that provides Canadian businesses, particularly SMEs, with applied research and innovation services to produce new prototypes, scale-up manufacturing, solve unique business challenges, and provide customized training on the latest equipment and emerging technologies.

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3-Who

Where are the TACs?

You’re likely within an hour drive of a TAC right now. There are 67 TACs that are affiliated with colleges and cégeps across Canada—from Victoria, BC to Inuvik, NWT to St. John’s, NL.

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Connecting Companies To Canada's
Technology Access Centres
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Photo Credit: SIRT

Do You Have an Innovative Idea?
Need Help Scaling Up Your Production?

Tech-Access Canada’s Interactive Visits Program provides eligible clients of NRC-IRAP with up to 20 hours of access to the equipment, facilities, and expertise of a TAC to solve a business or technical challenge.

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Start Working with a Technology Access Centre Today!

TACs make the R&D process easy and efficient for entrepreneurs and innovators to navigate. Most applied research projects are completed in 6-12 months. Team members understand confidentiality and sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to ensure that businesses retain all of their trade secrets and intellectual property.

Initial Meeting

Open a project file, discuss your innovation challenge at a high level. What has your firm done to address the issue already? Decide whether to proceed further.

Project identification

Scope a project plan, discuss timelines, concerns, limitations. Is there a valid technical challenge? Is there an innovative solution? Is the TAC best situated to help solve the challenge?

Feasibility Study

Assess the project’s technical and financial feasibility, and the alignment with TAC capabilities and capacity.

Statement Of Work

Document from the TAC that outlines collaborative obligations, human and physical resource requirements, timelines, project costs, and the Intellectual Property policy.

Funding

TAC takes a cash deposit to start the project. If not a straight fee-for-service engagement, identify potential sources of funding leverage. Draft applications, submit, and follow-up on decisions.

Start of Project

Finalize the applied research project plan and allocate internal TAC human and physical resources to the project. Engage external human and physical resources if necessary.

Performance

Execute the applied research project plan, multiple follow-up meetings with firm, analyze preliminary results, report back to client. Revise as needed.

Completion

TAC delivers final report and deliverables to firm. TAC provides after sale service and support, and settles final invoice and payment with client.

Learn how to engage a TAC

What our members say...

Dr. Nathalie Méthot
Director, Office of Research and Innovation, La Cité and Chair of the Board, Tech-Access Canada
Tech-Access Canada is a young, dynamic organization that plays an important role in the development of applied research in Canadian colleges. Collège La Cité was immensely proud to join the family in 2015, which has been growing ever since. Our Technology Access Centre in Bio-Innovation (TAC-B) has just been renewed for another 5 years, and part of its success is due to the support obtained by the network, notably through collaborations that resulted from networking meetings and the securing of funding through the Interactive Visits Program.
David Berthiaume, M.Sc., MBA, Chemist
Executive Director, Kemitek, and Secretary and Treasurer of the Board, Tech-Access Canada
We founded Tech-Access Canada to develop a harmonized, integrated, efficient and easily accessible innovation system for Canadian businesses. The sharing of best practices among Tech-Access Canada members allows us to adjust our ways of doing things together in order to better serve the development of our businesses and our economy. We are proud to see the dynamism, professionalism and collegiality of our members! Mission accomplished Tech-Access Canada!
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