Curiosity Lab Bridges International Companies to the North American Market

Brian Johnson, Peachtree Corners City Manager (second from right) and Brandon Braham, Assistant City Manager and CTO of Peachtree Corners (second from left) are pictured with the City of Toronto’s Chief Technology Officer Lawrence Eta and Director of Digital City Alice Xu

Smart technologies are being innovated daily across the globe, but the implementation of smart solutions in smart cities is a challenge facing most cities globally.  With more than 10,000 cities worldwide and a vast majority without the infrastructure to implement smart technology, we’re finding that startups and businesses in cities across the globe are hitting roadblocks when it comes to testing and deploying their technologies in open environments.

Brian Johnson, Peachtree Corners City Manager (second from right) and Brandon Braham, Assistant City Manager and CTO of Peachtree Corners (second from left) are pictured with the City of Toronto’s Chief Technology Officer Lawrence Eta and Director of Digital City Alice Xu

Brian Johnson, Peachtree Corners City Manager (second from right) and Brandon Braham, Assistant City Manager and CTO of Peachtree Corners  (second from left) are pictured with the City of Toronto’s Chief Technology Officer Lawrence Eta and Director of Digital City Alice Xu

Canadian Startups Look Abroad for Open Market Test Facilities 

According to the Canadian government, there is a high level of interest in smart city projects and the deployment of smart technologies within those cities. However, as of today, Canadians currently only have access to closed course facilities, like Area X.O – a global innovation playground located in Ontario, Canada that accelerates breakthrough innovation in new and next-generation technologies.

While effective, these closed course facilities have limitations that the City of Peachtree Corners smart city infrastructure solves. The Curiosity Lab allows companies to bring their solutions from ideation to deployment and test their solutions in real-world traffic and pedestrian situations. The 5G-enabled autonomous vehicle and smart city living laboratory features a three-mile test and demo lane which provides a real-world environment to explore emerging technologies.  Additionally, the Lab is loaded with data gathering points so testing companies can prove the effectiveness of their technologies in real-time.

These capabilities have been, and continue to be, an asset found here in the Southeast.

Curiosity Lab Bridges International Companies to the North American Market

This summer, members of our economic development team flew to Canada to further strengthen ongoing relationships with Canadian counterparts, as well as build new international relationships between the Southeast smart city community and Canadian businesses and startups.

While there, our team was able to meet with several governmental and private leaders in the Canadian smart city sector including the following:

  • Transport Canada
  • LeddarTech – Quebec-based company that provides environmental sensing solutions for autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems, and a handful of other innovative Canadian companies.
  • Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) –  Ontario’s flagship initiative for the automotive and mobility sector
  • Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) – Canada’s national association representing OEM producers of parts, equipment, tools, supplies, advanced technology, and services for the worldwide automotive industry.

Vehicle with smart city technology attached.

Held great conversations with Leddar Tech about the incredible work they are doing in computer vision. Here is one of their test vehicles.

The 25-year-old relationship between the state of Georgia and Canada has built an incredible foundation for companies to utilize the Curiosity Lab’s offerings and its living laboratory. With many initiatives on the horizon, it’s no doubt that the intersection between Metro Atlanta and Canada will be beneficial for years to come.

Prove Out Your Technology at the Curiosity Lab 

More than 15 international companies have joined the Curiosity Lab as part of its International Launchpad program – a hotspot for international companies launching into the North American market and looking for a place they can become part of a community of innovators who are all continuously working to support one another in their business and technology developments.

For information on how you can partner with the Curiosity Lab to connect to the North American market, visit curiositylabptc.com.