Bend Beauty defines beauty as a state of being — the conscious choice to live meaningfully, authentically, and a touch magically. And that magic is rooted in science.

The Challenge

Bend’s products literally work from the inside out. They offer an oral supplement that supports healthy aging of the skin. Their core research explores the way natural ingredients create measurable and beneficial effects — and research is essential in the natural products space, where consumers need evidence that products are effective and safe.

But for a small company, doing research isn’t simple. Projects and lab equipment are costly. It’s difficult to find and attract specialized talent.

The Solution

Through a Mitacs research fellowship, Dr. Steven Hall, a postdoctoral researcher in pharmacology from Dalhousie University, is working with Bend for two years to determine the best scientific basis for enhancing and building out their product line. His research looks at the effect of specific natural product components at the cellular level.

In addition to a research partnership, access to lab equipment and space at Dalhousie provides an advantage. Cell culture work requires specialized facilities in order to prevent infections in the cells. Equipment is also costly. One of the microscopes Steven needs has a price tag just under a million dollars.

The Impact

Bend’s anti-aging formula is unique because it’s taken orally, so it addresses the foundation of skin health from the inside out. An eight-week clinical trial showed that it increases the skin’s resistance to UV-induced sunburn by 84 percent.

“I think fostering these research relationships is important for small companies,” says Anna-Jean Reid, Product Development Manager at Bend Beauty. “With Steven’s expertise and connections, we are able to complete biological analyses internally, opening up a new area of research for us.”

Calgary-based See02 Energy is banking that its cutting-edge technology will help turn the scourge of greenhouse gas emission into high-value fuels and chemicals.

The Challenge

Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are soaring to record-breaking levels not seen in 800,000 years.

“Our goal is to transform CO2 from a liability to a profitable asset while reducing the world’s reliance on fossil fuels and lowering our collective carbon footprint at the same time,” says Dr. Paul Addo, an expert in energy conversion and storage, advanced materials, and electrochemical systems. Addo and co-founder Dr. Beatriz Molero Sanchez, launched See02 Energy to tackle the problem

The Solution

Working within University of Calgary Professor Viola Birss’s chemistry laboratory as postdoctoral fellows, Addo and Sanchez, at the time both Mitacs Elevate interns, developed technology that captures and converts carbon dioxide into high-value products.

With the help of Innovate Calgary, the postdocs transferred the IP from the university to launch their start-up, SeeO2 Energy. The company’s product is a high-temperature electrolyzer that uses CO2 from waste streams, and converts it into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, syngas and pure oxygen, all of which can be used downstream or sold for profit.

The Impact

For every ton of CO2 removed and re-used, three tons of CO2 emissions are eliminated, Molero explains. “If our commercial-scale units were to be used by our end users, such as green plastics or petrochemicals producers, we would significantly decrease CO2 emissions — equivalent to removing 100 million cars off the roads or 700,000 jet planes out of the skies,” she says.

A successful benchtop prototype has been completed, and the company is now securing seed funding to develop a larger-scale field test unit; testing is scheduled to start in 2020. The first companies to test the technology include a U.S.-based green plastic producer and ATCO Energy. Commercial shipments are expected to start in 2021.

Trail, BC-based Austin Engineering is committed to the research and development necessary to support the longevity of dams and the safety of all downstream communities.

The Challenge

Although knowledge regarding how dams react during seismic events is well-documented, there is less known on the specific effects the dam-water interaction can have during an earthquake.

“We’re always thinking globally, and we’ll continue to ask the questions necessary to ensure dam safety is at the forefront,” says Mary Austin, director of business development. “We do this through partnerships with like-minded people and organizations and we’re thankful to have support from Mitacs.”

The Solution

Under a multi-phase project, Austin Engineering creates digitally fabricated dam models for hydraulic and seismic testing at both their own hydraulics lab and at the University of British Columbia’s Applied Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Structures (ALAMS) in Kelowna, BC. Their most recent phase of research was followed by a prestigious international presentation.

In partnership with the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), Selkirk College, and FortisBC, Austin Engineering uses shake-table technology and digital fabrication to test reduced-scale dam sections. The engineering firm’s commitment to furthering dam safety has been made possible in part by a partnership with Mitacs’s internship program, which helped fund Phase 2.

The Impact

This research opened up new opportunities for the team, like current partnerships with international companies that require expertise to determine seismic vulnerabilities and potential retrofit measures for dams worldwide.