Toronto-based BehrTech, a startup that develops wireless connectivity products for the Internet of Things (IoT), has received a $3 million grant from a joint funding program between the federal government and a non-profit organization.
The lab is expected to hold equipment to develop, analyze, and integrate Industrial IoT sensors.
The funding came from a program through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The grant will be used to create and staff an Industrial IoT lab solely dedicated to sensors, communications, applied research, and integration.
“This grant is testimony to BehrTech’s innovation and contribution to the sensor and communication technologies market,” said Albert Behr, CEO of BehrTech. “The new equipment and infrastructure will enable us to further develop the wireless IoT sensors needed to overcome the connectivity barriers that are currently plaguing Industry 4.0.”
The lab, which will be based in Toronto, is expected to hold equipment to develop, analyze, and integrate innovative Industrial IoT sensors. BehrTech said the lab will also be a “trial platform” for prototypes ahead of full-scale demonstrations and deployment.
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IoT refers to a network of “endpoints,” or “things,” that communicate through the internet, WiFi, or other wireless protocols. According to a whitepaper from the Information Technology Association of Canada, although IoT is still in its infancy in Canada, it could have a global economic impact of $4 to $11 trillion per year by 2025.
Founded in 2018, BehrTech offers a wireless connectivity software platform that is built for large-scale Industrial IoT, which works with computers’ industrial applications, including manufacturing and energy management.
NSERC and CFI’s grant program connects colleges with local companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to work together on applied research projects that will facilitate the development of new products and technologies. For this project, BehrTech will work alongside partners BGC Engineering, Molok, Ecoation, ioAirFlow, and Aoms.
NSERC is the major federal agency responsible for funding natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. NSERC directly funds professors, students, and Canadian companies to perform research and training. CFI is an independent not-for-profit organization that invests in research facilities and equipment in Canada’s universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions.
Image source Unsplash. Photo by ThisIsEngineering.