Saab and Mitacs to grow Canadian innovation links

Air November 10, 2020

Saab and Mitacs signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will drive innovation through research and development.

The partnership establishes the means to drive innovation by providing Saab access to the precise Canadian postsecondary expertise and know-how required to advance their R&D activities in Canada.

Mitacs will match highly qualified research experts from Canadian academic institutes to advance Saab’s next generation technologies, and Saab will provide industry guidance and other in-kind resources, while both will share the financial cost to support these applied research and innovation internships.

At a macro level, participating students and the selected projects will boost innovation by advancing Saab’s development agenda with wider economic benefits in job creation and further industrialisation of the research. At the intern level, the work will facilitate skills development and work-integrated learning as together Saab and Mitacs advance the mutually beneficial goals.

“Saab works closely with universities around the world in fostering the academic research that can ultimately end up at the heart of our long range radars that can see stealth aircraft or helping to deliver the benefits of digitalisation into airports. The MoU with Mitacs gives us the chance to extend that approach to Canada’s universities, and we look forward to exploring new technologies and areas of research across Canada,” said Jonas Hjelm, Senior Vice President and Saab’s Head of business area Aeronautics.

“Mitacs is proud to partner with Saab and connect them with talent to advance business goals through research and development. Canadian student researchers drive innovation and benefit from working with Saab and applying their skills to advance aviation technologies. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for investing in R&D,” said John Hepburn, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs.

This MoU arises from Saab’s Industrial and Technological Benefit commitments that Saab has made as part of its bid for the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) and is subject to Saab’s selection for that program. Saab has submitted an offer of 88 Gripen E fighters for the Canadian FFCP with a comprehensive ITB offer involving the Gripen for Canada Team.