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
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...