Today's News

Burnaby, BC, January 26, 2023--(T-Net)--Simon Fraser University has unveiled a new space in Surrey's innovation corridor that will advance the emerging fields of quantum computing and agricultural technology (agritech) and further research, innovation and entrepreneurship in B.C.

The SFU Innovation Plaza, a newly-renovated space that is part of SFU's Surrey campus, is home to the Quantum Algorithms Institute and the B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation which are now open and operating.

The space will facilitate collaborations between academia, government and industry, accelerate innovation and benefit students preparing for sought-after careers in these burgeoning fields.

The space is also home to Coast Capital Venture Connection, part of SFU's Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship, SFU's longest-running entrepreneurship program, and hosts an office of the National Research Council (NRC) Industrial Research Assistance program.

Government and industry dignitaries join SFU in the official opening of the new SFU Innovation Plaza in Surrey.

The plaza is a state-of-the-art physical hub that consists of a mix of offices and open seating, meeting rooms and classroom space that overlook the downtown core and the adjacent main campus.

Renovations of the space, officially opened today, were made possible by more than $2 million from the federal government's Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), $1.5 million from SFU and $500,000 from the B.C. Government's Quantum Algorithms Institute funding.

Joy Johnson, President and Vice Chancellor, Simon Fraser University

"We are excited to open this space in the heart of Surrey's thriving downtown innovation corridor, thanks to the support of government, industry and our academic partners," says SFU President Joy Johnson. "At the SFU Innovation Plaza, academia, government, and industry will come together to generate new technology solutions that position B.C. as a global leader in innovation. I can't wait to see what we will build together."

"The SFU Innovation Plaza is a testament to the university's leadership and expertise in research, innovation and entrepreneurship. The collaborations that have helped make this space possible are the types of partnerships that we need as we build our knowledge economy, support economic recovery and address climate change." said Dugan O'Neil, Vice-President, Research and International, SFU.