OPG Partners with Spark Centre on Start-up Pitch Competition

July 19, 2017

Ontario Power Generation and the Spark Commercialization and Innovation Centre have established a new category in Spark’s annual Ignite pitch competition in Ontario’s Durham Region: inspection technology.

Through the competition, OPG is looking to collaborate with innovators, entrepreneurs, and businesses to develop next-generation technology in the inspection industry. The winner of this category will collaborate with OPG and receive $25,000 of seed funding to further develop their idea.

Spark is one of eighteen not-for-profit regional innovation centres (RICs) that form part of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs. The centre works to improve competitiveness and visibility of Durham Region and Northumberland County as a world-class innovation cluster.

“We couldn’t be more encouraged by OPG’s decision to partner with Spark Centre for this year’s Ignite competition,” says Spark Centre President and CEO Sherry Colbourne. “Durham Region has incredible bench strength in energy technologies, and joining forces with one of Durham Region’s legacy energy companies is a pivotal event for this entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

The OPG category is looking for innovative ideas in the following areas:

• automation and robotics
• NDE (non-destructive examination)
• drones (UAVs — unmanned aerial vehicles)
• process management
• software solutions
• underwater inspections (diving operations)
• laser scanning/mapping
• data visualization

Applications for this and other Ignite categories open August 21 and close September 29. Those interested in applying can do so at www.ignitedurham.ca.

For more information on Spark Centre, visit www.sparkcentre.org.