What is CONII?

CONII – the Colleges Ontario Network for Industry Innovation – expertise of the Ontario college system. As a network of 20 Ontario colleges, Ontario’s Ministry of Research and Innovation provides financial support to CONII to assist in connecting Ontario’s small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and other industry partners, to the applied research and commercialization expertise of Ontario’s colleges. Our goal is to help SMEs develop their products and become more competitive - and stay competitive - in a challenging and rapidly changing global economy.

What makes college applied research different?

College research is practical and applied, aimed at solving a particular problem, developing new – or modifying existing – products or services, or meeting specific organizational goals. CONII colleges work in response to “market pull”and industry needs, enabling SMEs and other partners to bring their research challenges to the college to develop a solution.

What are CONII’s areas of expertise?

As a network of 20 Ontario Colleges, clients can access a broad base of expertise. These include key economic sectors such as: alternative and renewable energy; aviation; building and construction; digital and new media; environmental technologies; food technologies; geospatial information systems (GIS); health and life sciences; hospitality and tourism; information and communication technologies (ICT); manufacturing and materials; sustainable building and design; viticulture and agri-business; and water and waste water.

What types of services are available?

Working in a variety of industry sectors, colleges can provide a diverse suite of services to industry to support both your technical and business needs. These include:

• Proof of principle projects and testing
• Product, process and prototype development
• Industrial design
• Marketing and communications strategies
• Business planning, market research and other commercialization services
• Access to R&D-related business support services such as funding opportunities and tax credits

Where will the research be conducted?

Depending on your needs, we can conduct the research at one of our campuses or onsite at your facilities.

Who will be doing the work?

A project work plan will be developed collaboratively by the partner and the college. Several models can be explored, ranging from direct research contracts with faculty as principal investigators to faculty-led projects that use students in project-based learning. Each has its advantages. CONII members will work with you to develop a model that meets your needs.

How quickly can colleges respond to my company’s needs?

We understand the time pressures you often face and the impact this can have on your business operations and productivity. We will work quickly to respond to your inquiry with a preliminary assessment of your needs. Most CONII projects are short-term – lasting about six to twelve months. In terms of project execution, the college will work with you to develop a timeline that meets your requirements.

Can colleges access government research and development funding?

Yes. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the ability of colleges to access federal and provincial funding opportunities. A significant portion of the funding which CONII receives from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation is dedicated to providing support for industry-driven applied research and commercialization projects in partnership with its member colleges. This funding is managed directly by the CONII network and can be applied for through a member college. In addition, many CONII colleges have funding from NSERC’s College and Community Innovation Program, which enables colleges to work with local companies on applied research projects and collaborations that facilitate commercialization, technology transfer, and adaptation and adoption of new technologies. FedDev has recently announced its Applied Research and Commercialization (ARC) initiative which is also aimed at addressing the gap between research and commercialization between SMEs and postsecondary institutions. It is expected that many CONII colleges will have access to such funding. Provincially, the Ontario Centres of Excellence and the Ministry of Research and Innovation both have funds which are available to colleges working on R&D collaborations with industry partners.

What about confidentiality?

Member colleges are willing to execute confidentiality agreements that protect the interests of the client, the college, researchers and students. Project partners routinely negotiate and sign Memoranda of Understanding or research agreements that clearly spell out the role, rights and obligations of each party.

What about intellectual property?

We understand the importance of ownership of know-how and intellectual property (IP) to any business, and especially SMEs. Each college has developed its own applied research policies and would be happy to share these with you. We support the exploitation of IP to support a strong Canadian economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians. In many cases, the IP already belongs to the client. Leading commercialization efforts is not typically the mandate of a college. If IP is developed by the college during the execution of a collaborative project with an industry partner, we are open to licensing this to you. However researchers and colleges must be free to use the research results for internal, academic purposes. As publicly-funded institutions, colleges cannot conduct “secret” research, but we will work with you to ensure that your IP rights are protected.

How does the process work?

Each CONII college has an Industry Innovation Centre (IIC) on its campus. The IIC serves as a first point of contact for SMEs wishing to explore possible collaborations. Through its IIC, colleges assess the needs of an SME in light of available resources and expertise. Where the fit isn’t right, the IIC will identify another college in the network that may be better able to meet the company’s needs. From there, a work plan and timelines will be developed, funding secured, and the project executed for the client.

Contacting us

To learn more about CONII, or to further explore a potential partnership, you can either contact the Industry Innovation Centre at the member college closest to you, or contact the CONII’s central office directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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