Reaction (RXN) HUB is thrilled to announce the development of their YGK Scale-Up Centre; RXN HUB’s first facility that will streamline the go-to-market process for cleantech ventures as they scale their chemistry-enabled technologies. This multimillion dollar initiative will be made possible through a public/private funding collaboration between Kingston Process Metallurgy, Modern Niagara and the City of Kingston. Together, their investment will support venture-backed start-ups addressing sustainability challenges while simultaneously creating hundreds of new job opportunities in the green economy.
The YGK Scale-Up Centre, will be located in Kingston, ON., situated within Modern Niagara’s near net-zero 945 Princess building, tapping into the city's rich 80-year history of chemical expertise to establish a central hub for cleantech commercialization that brings together innovators, investors, and industry adopters. Now under construction, the facility will be outfitted with ready-to-use industrial piloting spaces and cutting-edge labs. The first-of-its-kind facility is specifically designed for developing advanced materials, green chemistry, energy and energy storage solutions, and biomanufacturing technologies.
At its core, the YGK Scale-Up Centre is designed to assist ventures to go beyond their university, college, or incubator settings by offering a comprehensive pilot program, essential infrastructure, hands-on scale-up support, and tailored project assistance. The primary goal is to help ventures bring clean technologies to market more affordably with faster development timelines.
Bryan Watson, SVP at Venbridge, Managing Director of CleanTech North and Founding Director of the Ontario Clean Technology Industry Association, shared his thoughts on the impact RXN HUB will have on the entrepreneurial community and cleantech industry as a whole. “Companies developing technology and IP in the chemtech/cleantech space can change the world producing the materials and processes that can reduce harmful alternatives and create the foundation for new technologies. They do, however, require a particular suite of specialized support for their scale-up - a suite that the RXN HUB YGK Scale-Up Centre will provide. I am proud to be a supporter of this initiative and look forward to the results helping Canada regain its productivity and drive a green, prosperous future.”
Jeanette Jackson, CEO of Foresight Canada, further adds, that "the launch of the YGK Scale-Up Centre signifies a collective dedication to catapulting cleantech innovation to new heights and clearing a path for cleantech ventures to bring their transformative technologies to market efficiently and affordably".
This initiative began in 2021 with several founding partners creating a new not-for-profit entity, called RXN HUB, to tackle the unique scaling challenges in Canada. Sebastian Alamillo-Falkenberg, Executive Director of RXN HUB, highlights the strategic intent that drives the organization, stating “After trying and failing to scale my own start-up in 2018, I know just how hard it is on founders and their teams to bring tech to market without the right resources available. This organization and its facility are the things I wish I had. To me, this represents the centralization of the best resources from the Canadian startup ecosystem, delivered through a system designed by founders for founders.”
The founding partners of RXN HUB include Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC), Canada Cleantech Alliance, City of Kingston, Cleantech North, DuPont, Foresight Canada, Fractal Workspace, GreenCentre Canada, Invest Kingston, Kingston Process Metallurgy (KPM), Loyalist College, Ontario Clean Technology Industry Alliance (OCTIA), Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, Venbridge, and Modern Niagara. RXN HUB is committed to actively engaging with more ecosystem members and stakeholders while construction is underway, fostering collaborative expansion.
The YGK Scale-Up Centre is anticipated to open in the fall of 2024, with venture intake beginning in spring. Following the call for applications, ventures will be able to apply for piloting space and support through a portal on the RXN HUB website, located at www.rxnhub.org.
Key Companies:
Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc. (KPM) was established in 2002 to provide process development and optimization, through contract research and development services to chemical, mining, and metallurgical industries. Our team has the expertise, multidisciplinary skills, and fundamental knowledge to develop concepts and solve unique challenges for our clients.
Modern Niagara helps building owners, managers, and general contractors achieve their objectives by developing custom, turnkey solutions that meet the mechanical, electrical, integrated building technology, and building services needs of their properties across Canada.
RXN HUB supplies shared physical infrastructure & critical resources for innovators to enable a fully supported go-to-market pathway for chemistry-enabled technologies that address complex sustainability issues.
For further information about the YGK Scale-Up Centre and RXN HUB, please contact:
Karleigh Young
Communications Associate
RXN HUB
Email: Karleigh.Young@rxnhub.org
Phone: 6133314294