Current Funding Partners
- Council of Ontario Universities (COU) in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment - $1,250,000
- Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc., Bolingbrook, Illinois - $1,000,000
- Ontario Soybean Growers - $500,000
- Anonymous philanthropist who established the Biomaterials Innovation Fund
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Profiles - Founding Funders and Investors
Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
Based in Bolingbrook, Illinois, Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. creates a wide range of specialty chemicals from natural oils. Using a Nobel Prize winning technology called olefin metathesis, the company creates high performance waxes, functional oils, anti-microbials, lubricants, additives and other chemicals. Elevance was named one of BusinessWeek's Top 10 Most Successful Startups of 2008. It is skilled at developing global strategic collaborations with partners that have strengths in feedstocks, technology and market access that will speed the development and commercialization of novel specialty chemicals from renewable oils.
The Trent University Biomaterials – lipid utilization research program is an opportunity for Elevance to develop a strategic partnership with a research team that is a recognized leader in both fundamental and applied research utilizing natural oils to develop new bio-materials, bio-chemicals, food matrices, and bio-products.
Ontario Soybean Growers
Established in 1949, the Ontario Soybean Growers organization represents over 23,000 farmers who grow soybeans in Ontario. The organization works on a number of levels to represent the interests of soybean growers including government and public relations, new market development and promoting research and innovation.
The Trent University Biomaterials – lipid utilization research program represents an opportunity where the soybean farmers of Ontario can invest in applied research to create new or improved products, foods and materials which utilize soybean oils as their prime feedstock.
Later in 2009, the Ontario Soybean Growers organization will complete their merger with the Ontario Corn Producers Association and the Ontario Wheat Producers Marketing Board to create the Grain Farmers of Ontario organization which will represent over 28,000 Ontario farmers.
A Trent University Philanthropist
Trent University is fortunate to have a benefactor with the vision to see the benefits of a biomaterials research program – for the environment, for the emergent bio-economy, for the agricultural community and for the development of the Trent University Centre of Knowledge in the Environment.
Our philanthropist has established the Biomaterials Innovation Fund which is will be used to fund critical needs in the start-up of the new laboratory and research program.
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
The Ontario government played a pivotal role in the creation of the Lipid Utilization Research Program. Their early commitment to fund the equipment in the start-up scientific research laboratory made it possible for Trent University to attract investors to other aspects of the program.
Trent’s new program is a perfect complement to the bio-materials research being done at other Ontario universities with the provincial government’s support. While Trent will focus on high-value uses for vegetable oils, researchers at the University of Guelph are advancing the use of proteins and fibre from oilseeds.
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is proud of Trent University’s contribution to our green economy.
The Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster and Industry Canada Community Adjustment Fund
The Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster is a not-for-profit corporation with a mandate to facilitate an economic environment in which high paying jobs are created, wealth generated, and an increased quality of life established in the Greater Peterborough Area. The Innovation Cluster assists in advancing life sciences, environmental, DNA and other innovative research in the Peterborough, Ontario region to help promote and sustain a strong local knowledge-based economy.
On September 4, 2009, Dean Del Mastro, Member of Parliament for Peterborough, announced that the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster will be receiving funding in the amount of $500,000.00 to assist in establishing a biomaterials initiative at Trent University. This investment is being provided under the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) in Southern Ontario.