Research & Innovation

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Welcome to Research & Innovation at George Brown Polytechnic — where research drives impact.

At George Brown, we turn ideas into action. We partner with industry and community organizations to solve real-world challenges — quickly, responsibly, and with the people who will actually benefit from the results.

Since 2007, our research and innovation teams have built significant capacity in areas vital to Ontario's economic and social development — from advanced manufacturing and digital transformation to social innovation and sustainability. Shaped by practical applications, real timelines, and the need for solutions that hold up beyond the lab.

Think boldly. Make with purpose. Test for real-world impact. It's how we work — and it's what sets George Brown apart. We work with our partners to de-risk innovation, explore ideas, build and test solutions, and validate them in real-world settings. We bring researcher expertise, student talent, specialized facilities, and funding support to projects at every stage.

If you're looking for research that's collaborative, grounded, and built for real conditions, George Brown is ready to get to work with you.

Research Innovation Showcase with guests engaging with projects on display

George Brown's Research & Innovation Institutes establish defined priority areas where interdisciplinary teams tackle the challenges that matter most to industry and community. As part of Canada's innovation ecosystem, our Institutes create the focused conditions for evidence-informed collaboration — and knowledge that drives real change.

Since 2007, George Brown has attracted over $110 million in research funding, collaborated on more than 2,100 projects, and delivered nearly 20,000 student research experiences. Explore what's possible when industry ideas, academic expertise, and community need come together.

At George Brown, research is designed by people — curious minds, bold thinkers, and committed partners who bring real-world expertise and a drive to make things better. When you work with us, you gain more than a research team — you gain co-creators invested in your success.

Stay up to date with all of the exciting Research and Innovation projects happening at George Brown.

Questions? Connect with our team!

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News and Projects Highlights

George Brown Polytechnic’s Research & Innovation team made a strong impact at the 2026 Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Connections Conference, contributing to national conversations on applied research, equity-informed leadership, and sector-wide collaboration.

Reducing our impact on the environment and developing cleaner, greener ways of operating are core to who we are. Environmental sustainability is one of our institutional values and strategic priorities.

George Brown Polytechnic has formalized a partnership with the Black Entrepreneurship Alliance through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) announced February 5, 2026, at the BEA's annual Demo Day.

Our partnership with Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) helps us support small businesses and startups to secure their future ideas and innovations.

George Brown welcomed Canadian and Caribbean leaders to its Waterfront campus for the opening plenary of the Canadian-Caribbean Leaders Dialogue, held from May 22 to June 1, 2025.