Tenant Criteria for Cleantech Commons

The Cleantech Commons Management Committee has released a list of “Tenant Criteria” for our 85-acre clean & green technology research park.

Learn more about the sectors that are a core focus of Cleantech Commons, our tenant criteria, and the tenant evaluation and assessment process here!

“As a clean, green & low-carbon technology community of innovation, Cleantech Commons will be selective in terms of the companies it approves as tenants,” executive director, Martin Yuill, says.

The focus of Cleantech Commons is building a community of cleantech innovators and entrepreneurs who benefit from being co-located with world-class academic research and expertise, technical facilities, value-adding business support and incubation services, as well as with other innovators and entrepreneurs in similar and complementary fields.

“This is classic cluster development strategy,” Yuill says, adding that “clusters drive economic development by bringing together the collective wisdom and experiences of interrelated, competing and collaborating firms, and by locating them in close proximity to one other.”

“Clusters,” he says, “produce higher levels of innovation and help accelerate growth.”

As a catalyst for innovation, Cleantech Commons is designed to bring together big-thinking problem solvers, state-of-the-art resources, specialized facilities & innovation programming to inspire and drive collaboration & next-generation cleantech startups.

“Key to building Cleantech Commons as an engine for growth in a smart regional economy,” Yuill says, “is ensuring that tenants:

• are focused on research & development;
• are involved in the advancement and development of new technologies and intellectual property (IP);
• have an existing, or are committed to creating a collaborative relationship with Trent University, Fleming College or other local post-secondary education institutions, including leveraging the skills, research, students, facilities or amenities of the institution; and
• demonstrate a commitment to taking advantage of being part of a cluster of cleantech-focused businesses”.

 

Sector Focus

Cleantech Commons will emphasize tenants focused on:

• Water technology.
• Clean technology.
• Environmental services.
• Advanced material sciences.
• Biotechnology.
• Medical and health products.
• Agri-food and agri-business.
• Information & communications technologies.

 

Tenant Evaluation & Assessment Process

The Cleantech Commons Management Committee will thoroughly assess all applications from companies seeking to take up residency in the Park, ensuring that they meet admission criteria, including the requirement to engage in research and development activities.

In addition to being involved in one of the core sector focus areas, tenants must commit to locating their innovation functions as a significant portion of their overall operations in the Park.

Due diligence will ensure that every company residing at the Park adheres to these requirements.

Applications from professional services companies that provide value-adding business support and consulting services – in so far as they are considered necessary for supporting the needs of tenants of the Park – will be considered; as will the provision of ancillary amenities that support the overall objectives of the Park, provide gathering spaces for the innovation community and support the successful growth of tenants and the attraction of employees.

Cleantech Commons will prioritize applications from companies committed to fostering connections between the business and startup communities and the academic and student communities, including collaborative R&D and the provision of experiential learning opportunities for students.

Cleantech Commons offers opportunities for tenants to either lease office and laboratory space in a state-of-the-art multi-tenant building, or to lease land to erect their own customized facility designed to their own specifications.

All tenants are required to observe the Park’s Design and Development Guidelines, and all structures will be subject to approval by the Cleantech Commons Management Committee.

Tenant Criteria

The Management Committee of Cleantech Commons is inviting applications for tenancy from companies whose business products, processes and models:

• Focus on clean technology, green industry, and/ or water treatment technologies, such as those that:
  • • Eliminate pollutants and toxins in the environment.
    • Contribute to a low-carbon economy or climate change mitigation.
    • Improve green transportation.
    • Enhance resource and energy utilization efficiency or reduce waste.
    • Contribute to agricultural sustainability and innovation, including food production, growth and nutrition enhancement.
    • Develop biomaterials products engineered from partially or fully renewable resources.
• Focus on research, development and knowledge transfer.
• Involve the advancement and development of new technology and intellectual property (IP).
• Have an existing, or commit to creating, a collaborative relationship with Trent University, Fleming College or other local post-secondary education institutions, leveraging the skills, research, students, facilities or amenities of the institution. Examples may include:
  • • Jointly funded research & development projects and technology transfer activities.
    • Partnerships to enhance the business environment dedicated to applied research and technological discovery for the benefit of faculty, staff and students
    • Facilitating the transfer and application of scientific research to the global economy
    • Engaging students in experiential learning opportunities.
    • Demonstrate a commitment to taking advantage of being part of a cluster of similar businesses.
• Make a potential contribution to the economic development of the Park, a post-secondary educational institution and the community.
• Include sustainable site design and green building principles, green transportation principles, and low impact design. A tenant’s operations at Cleantech Commons must be environmentally friendly.
• A tenant’s operations at Cleantech Commons should not be primarily in mass production, although small-scale pilot production or high value-added production in support of product and market development and innovation may be permitted.
• Consideration will also be given to institutions and organizations which create or expand economic development opportunities and create employment in the private sector. This may include:
  • • Organizations that can clearly demonstrate a defined purpose to advance academic institutions and tenants of Cleantech Commons.
    • Offices and related facilities of not-for-profit research or educational institutes, as well as professional, training, research, scientific or engineering associations that advance the interests of post-secondary educational institutions and other Cleantech Commons tenants.

 

Locating your business at Cleantech Commons

Interested in joining the dynamic Cleantech Commons community of passionate and driven cleantech innovators, entrepreneurs and professionals?

Please contact us to learn more. Our Executive Director will be delighted to discuss the benefits and opportunities associated with locating your venture at Cleantech Commons.

(If you don’t see your industry on our list, or don’t feel that you are a fit for Cleantech Commons, but are interested in doing business in Peterborough & the Kawarthas region, please contact our friends at Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development to assist you in identifying alternative opportunities in the region. Click here to connect with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development!)