George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
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.
By the numbers 2024-2025
112
Faculty and Student Researchers
154
Projects
134
Industry and community partners
257
New or improved products, servics, technologies, and prototypes
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
Many people don't need to think twice about getting dressed. But for those with mobility issues or who require a caregiver to help them get ready, clothing that is ill-fitting and difficult to put on and take off causes daily frustration and can affect self-confidence. A group of George Brown...
George Brown College stands ready to lend expertise and provide access to technology to small and medium-sized enterprises as a new member of a manufacturing innovation network. On March 31, George Brown joined the Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI), a group...
George Brown College is the first Canadian partner of a Jamaica-based global tourism think tank that focuses on building resilience in the industry in response to disruptions such as the pandemic, climate change and other world events. George Brown President Dr. Gervan Fearon and Jamaican Tourism...
George Brown College has partnered with Mohawk College to help increase opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing Ontarians and make sure they’re properly supported in the workplace. Through research and data analysis, the colleges, working with the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA), will...
Plastic Flux, a new start-up in Toronto, is looking to turn trash into something beautiful. They transform black plastic into functional furniture by shredding it and forming it into sheets that are then turned into tables, chairs and more. “Our business model is to try and divert trash away at the...
George Brown College’s Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt) now has the potential to share its expertise with businesses across Canada thanks to a new partnership with an agri-tech network. FIRSt signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with Bioenterprise, an agricultural tech engine...
George Brown has once again ranked in the top ten for Canadian colleges when it comes to research activities. With many projects in motion last year, we provided more than 1,000 students with important opportunities to work with industry partners and get experience solving real-world problems...
By Dr. Krista Holmes Making inroads for college researchers amidst Canada's university-dominated research and innovation landscape often feels like climbing uphill in mud. This feeling persisted long before the pandemic and has only been amplified since. But, like climbing uphill in mud, it’s an...
Prefixcode Inc. is an entertainment company with a mission to become a leader in the escape room business. Their premier part-escape room, part-video game simulator Proxima Command is an immersive game experience for teams of four to seven players that simulates the bridge of a futuristic starship...
Created by Dr. Kristine Theurer, the Java Music Club (JMC) program helps combat loneliness and depression in long-term care homes by engaging residents in structured sharing groups and supporting each other. “It's about group identity and power of belonging—if you're not part of a social group, you...