SONAMI

Overview of the SONAMI program:

The SONAMI program is a collaborative initiative led by Niagara College in partnership with other post-secondary institutions across Southern Ontario. It is designed to assist Ontario-based SMEs by connecting them with academic researchers, labs, and specialized facilities to support innovation in advanced manufacturing. The program supports projects that focus on product development, prototype creation, process improvement, and technology integration. Participating SMEs work directly with researchers and students from SONAMI member institutions, who provide the technical expertise and R&D infrastructure needed to accelerate innovation and reduce time to market. SONAMI focuses on sectors such as automotive, aerospace, robotics, clean tech, agri-food, and medical devices. Projects must be collaborative in nature and lead to tangible improvements in manufacturing products or processes.

Benefits of the SONAMI program:

• Covers up to 100% of eligible project costs, depending on scope and alignment
• Typical projects are valued between $10,000 and $100,000 CAD
• Contributions are non-repayable, as this is an in-kind research and development support model
• SMEs contribute through time, input, and collaboration, not necessarily cash

Eligibility criteria of the SONAMI program:

• Eligible Applicants
• Must be a small- or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
• Defined as having fewer than 500 employees and under $50M annual revenue
• Must be incorporated in Canada
• Must be based in Southern Ontario
• Must operate in or contribute to the advanced manufacturing sector
• Must be willing to collaborate with academic researchers on project design and execution
• Eligible Projects
• Product development
• Rapid prototyping
• Materials testing
• Process optimization
• Additive manufacturing
• Automation or digital integration
• Engineering design or analysis
• Integration of advanced technologies into manufacturing systems