Explore how industry-academic partnerships can help businesses overcome limited technical expertise, resource constraints and AI uncertainty.
Artificial intelligence presents significant opportunities for businesses to improve productivity, optimize operations, develop innovative products, and gain a competitive advantage. However, many organizations face challenges in translating AI opportunities into practical solutions due to limited technical expertise, resource constraints, uncertainty about implementation, and the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
This presentation explores how industry–academic partnerships can help businesses overcome these barriers and accelerate AI adoption. Drawing on real-world projects from Sheridan’s Centre for Applied AI (CAAI), the session will demonstrate how applied research collaborations enable companies, particularly startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to address complex business challenges through AI-driven innovation.
Successful AI adoption is not simply about implementing technology but about identifying the right problems, building effective partnerships, and translating research into tangible business outcomes. Through practical examples spanning manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and business process automation, participants will gain insights into how organizations can identify high-impact AI opportunities, assess technical feasibility, develop and validate AI solutions, and progress from initial concepts to functional prototypes and commercialization opportunities.
The session will also highlight the role of applied research funding programs, including NSERC, Mitacs, and Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), in reducing the financial and technical barriers to innovation. Attendees will learn how to engage with academic research centres, leverage specialized expertise and infrastructure, and structure collaborative projects that deliver measurable business value.
Virtual Event
November 25 10:00 am – 11:30 am EST
