New Innovation at Ryerson University

Ryerson University, one of MAKO Design + Invent’s academic partners, has always been well recognized for its innovative practices as a post-secondary institution. From the DMZ to the SLC to the DFZ, Ryerson is fostering innovation and helping students use their academics outside the classroom. Maclean’s Magazine has recognized Ryerson’s groundbreaking innovative accomplishments, ranking it 8th place in national reputation.

Innovation Changing the Energy Industry

Recently, Ryerson University has demonstrated its advancements in innovation leadership with the Schneider Electric Smart Grid Lab at the Ryerson Centre for Urban Energy. The Schneider Electric Smart Grid is Canada’s first university-based smart grid laboratory. The grid is a collaboration between the University and Schneider Electric. Schneider Electric is a Multinational Corporation that specializes in energy management and automation.

Together, Ryerson and Schneider created the smart grid to solve modern-day energy problems. The smart grid duplicates the process of a substation and feeders of an electrical utility distribution system. It allows students and industry professionals to test new products or strategies in regard to energy. This grid will be especially useful in the future, with renewable energy becoming more and more relevant. This innovation will help foster growth in that field.

Ryerson has pioneered in providing their students with advanced tools and various opportunities to help them achieve successful careers. The university has gone beyond the conventional methods of institutionalized learning by developing unique programs for students to utilize their academics in real-life situations.

The Smart Grid is an incredible way to set students up for future success. It is a learning experience that you cannot get in a classroom, which further solidifies Ryerson as a top academic institution. Their unique approach to learning is clearly shown to be effective in their students, as we were very impressed by the submissions from the MAKO @ Ryerson Invention Awards.

MAKO is constantly amazed at the work Ryerson is doing and is thrilled to be working with an institution that values innovation. We look forward to our future collaborations with Ryerson!

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!