McMaster University
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1887
- HeadquartersHamilton, Canada
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
McMaster University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- McMaster University
- Legal name
- McMaster University
- Website
- https://mcmaster.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1887
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
McMaster University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Research Universities with Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) (EDAHAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where McMaster University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamilton
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
McMaster University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and Educational Services: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate education programs, continuing education, and professional development courses across multiple faculties including Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences.
- Federal and Provincial Research Grants: Major research funding from Government of Canada and Ontario including Canada Foundation for Innovation ($35.6M), decarbonization projects ($9M), medical isotope ecosystem ($35M), palliative care initiatives ($2.4M), IPON commercialization support ($300K), and climate adaptation funding ($721,740).
- Industry Partnerships and Licensing: Revenue from research partnerships with industry (Aegis Critical Energy, Zentek/Triera), technology licensing (enterololin to Stoked Bio), and innovation hub collaborations with automotive sector.
- Donations and Philanthropy: Charitable contributions from alumni and donors supporting scholarships, bursaries, research initiatives, and capital projects including Suzanne Labarge's $20M gift for aging research.
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
McMaster University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
McMaster University is a public research-intensive university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education across six faculties (Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences), supported by research institutes and advanced testing facilities such as the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) and the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy. In parallel, the university conducts funded research, licenses intellectual property to industry partners (e.g., Triera Biosciences, Stoked Bio), and provides clinical training placements through healthcare partnerships.
Product overview
McMaster University is a comprehensive research-intensive university offering undergraduate and graduate education across six faculties (Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science, Social Sciences) plus Graduate Studies and Continuing Education. The university's product portfolio centers on educational programs and research platforms, supported by technology infrastructure including the Mosaic student information system and Digital Learning Strategic Framework. McMaster also operates research institutes including NexusHealth (health innovation accelerator) and MIRA (Institute for Research on Aging), and maintains the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre as a major research facility. The university develops and commercializes technology through spin-off companies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- McMaster Children's Hospital: Pediatric hospital part of Hamilton Health Sciences providing care for children with complex needs
- DeGroote School of Business
- McMaster Innovation Park
- Southern Ontario Innovation Hub (SOIH)
Products and services
- Undergraduate Degree Programs Undergraduate degree programs across six faculties (Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science, Social Sciences) for prospective and current students.
- Graduate Degree Programs Master's and doctoral research programs offered through the School of Graduate Studies across all faculties for graduate students.
- Continuing Education Professional development and lifelong learning programs for working adults across multiple disciplines.
- DeGroote School of Business Programs Undergraduate and graduate business education programs, including the Commerce program and MBA offerings, delivered through McMaster's business school.
- Faculty of Engineering Programs Undergraduate and graduate engineering programs across various engineering disciplines, including automotive and electrified powertrain testing capabilities.
- Faculty of Health Sciences Programs Medical, nursing, physician assistant, and other health professional programs with clinical training partnerships at healthcare facilities.
- McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) Testing Services A 90,000-square-foot facility within McMaster Innovation Park providing Canada's most advanced automotive and electrified powertrain testing infrastructure, serving as the anchor for the Southern Ontario Innovation Hub partnership with the National Research Council of Canada.
Quantifiable outcome
- Enterololin antibiotic achieved remarkable efficacy with only 3-4 E. coli bacteria per 10 billion surviving exposure
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use McMaster University
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
McMaster University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability6 records
Feature8 records
McMaster University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Aegis Critical Energy Defence Corp / HyprC Systems Inc.coreFour-year research collaboration with HyprC Systems (subsidiary of Aegis Critical Energy) to develop next-generation high-C-rate battery platform for mission-critical applications in ports, AI data centres, and hybrid nuclear energy systems. Aegis contributing approximately C$1 million in cash expected to be matched by funding agencies. Led by Professor Saeid Habibi.
- Consortium for Global Health (including Universidad del Rosario)coreGlobal health partnership established in 2010 bringing together universities across five continents. McMaster participates in Global Health Educational Program Advisory Board meetings focused on enhancing educational opportunities, expanding student mobility, and strengthening integration of research into teaching.
- University of OulumajorDeepened institutional partnership following autumn 2025 delegation visit, with collaboration spanning health technologies, materials science, and environmental engineering. Birth cohort research project on cardio-metabolic risk supported by McMaster's International Initiatives Micro-Fund. Universities developing Memorandum of Understanding with three joint projects awarded through Oulu Seed Funding.
- Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)majorHost of NEA International School on Simulation of Nuclear Reactor Systems (SINUS-4) and WPRS Benchmark Workshops 2026, bringing 32 international participants to McMaster campus for training in advanced reactor physics modeling, simulation, and uncertainty quantification.
- National Research Council of Canada (NRC)coreMcMaster University and NRC established the Southern Ontario Innovation Hub (SOIH) in Hamilton, serving as a national focal point for automotive innovation. The hub is anchored at McMaster's Automotive Resource Centre within McMaster Innovation Park, co-locating industry, academia, and government expertise in a 90,000-square-foot facility with Canada's most advanced automotive and electrified powertrain testing infrastructure.
- Canada's National Research CouncilcorePartnership with NRC on uPAR-directed CAR T cell therapy for glioblastoma. Therapy reprograms immune system to target urokinase receptor (uPAR) protein on cancer cells and supporting cells that fuel tumor growth. Researchers exploring clinical trial pathways after patenting the therapy.
- Stoked Bio Inc.coreBiotechnology spin-out from McMaster University (founded 2024) licensed global rights to develop enterololin, a novel antibiotic compound identified in McMaster's laboratory. Company secured $2.5M seed funding plus $2M grant from Weston Family Foundation for drug development targeting infectious diseases and Crohn's disease.
- University of TwentemajorCollaborative research published in Nature Photonics showing breakthrough in photonic chip technology using tellurium oxide coatings to create 'mini-earthquake' surface acoustic waves 200x stronger than previous attempts for applications in 5G/6G networks, radar, and satellite navigation.
- Triera Biosciences (Zentek Ltd.)coreTriera Biosciences holds exclusive 20-year license from McMaster University for aptamer applications developed over 20 years, including targeting influenza A, SARS-CoV-2, and other pathogens. Services launched targeting high-priority infectious disease and oncology detection markets across Canada, United States, and Europe.
- NASA / NIST / USGS / University of Maryland Baltimore CountyminorCollaboration on NASA's Airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance (air-LUSI) instrument project measuring moonlight from near-space to calibrate space-based sensors. McMaster contributed to this three-week mission on high-altitude ER-2 aircraft.
- PurolatorcoreEstablished the Purolator Chair in Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management at McMaster's DeGroote School of Business. Five-year research partnership focused on AI, data science, automation, decarbonization, and workforce safety. Professor Elkafi Hassini appointed as chairholder leading student research projects with results shared through annual Innovation Showcases.
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital / Stanford UniversitymajorMulti-institutional collaboration on cellular immunotherapies for pediatric brain cancers (medulloblastoma and ependymoma) receiving Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Collaboration Award. McMaster researchers contribute CAR T-cell therapy expertise for solid tumor treatment.
- Halton HealthcarecoreRenewed educational partnership providing over 375 clinical placements annually across Halton region hospitals in Georgetown, Milton, and Oakville for McMaster learners from medical, physician assistant, nursing, and health professional programs. Partnership originally established in 2011 through McMaster Community and Rural Education program.
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)majorCollaborative research using generative AI models to identify and characterize antibiotic mechanisms. AI approach using DiffDock model mapped enterololin's mechanism of action in about six months, compared to 18 months to two years traditionally.
- s2eminorOntario company proposing data centre development at former Hamilton Spectator building within McMaster Innovation Park, subject to Hamilton city council moratorium review.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
McMaster University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- University of Toronto: Canada's largest research university with comparable comprehensive faculties, AMCs, biotech commercialization, and federal-grant competition. Directly competes for federal CFI and Tri-Council funding, top faculty, and international students across health sciences, engineering, and AI research.
- University of British Columbia: Another major Canadian public research university with academic medical centers, extensive federal research funding, and significant spin-out activity. Competes with McMaster for global rankings, federal grants, biotech commercialization, and international talent.
- McGill University: Leading Canadian research-intensive university with strong health sciences and engineering programs. Comparable in research intensity, federal grant capture, biotech spin-outs, and global ranking positioning to McMaster.
- University of Waterloo: Canadian research university with deep industry partnerships and commercialization infrastructure (Velocity, Communitech). Comparable in technology transfer, STEM research, and corporate-partnered innovation, especially in automotive and software.
- Western University: Ontario-based research university with comparable health sciences and engineering programs. Direct competitor for provincial funding, clinical training partnerships, and federal research grants in Ontario.
- Queen's University: Another major Canadian research-intensive university with strong health sciences, business, and engineering programs. Competes for federal grants, top students, and research talent in the Ontario market.
- University of Alberta: Major Canadian research university with comparable research-intensive profile, medical isotope and health sciences capabilities, and significant federal-grant capture. Direct competitor in health and energy research domains.
- University of Ottawa: Major Canadian bilingual research university with comparable health sciences and biomedical research scope. Competes for federal research funding, top faculty, and student enrollment in Ontario and nationally.
- University of Calgary: Western Canadian research university with growing research-intensive profile in health sciences and energy. Comparable in research commercialization, federal grant capture, and biomedical/clinical research scale.
- Dalhousie University: Atlantic Canada's leading research university with academic medical center, comparable federal grant capture, and health sciences/biotech research. Operates at similar institutional scale to McMaster.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
McMaster University social profiles
Digital presenceMcMaster University compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
McMaster University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
McMaster University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
McMaster University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
McMaster University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds12 records
Investors7 records
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McMaster University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments6 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about McMaster University
What does McMaster University do?
McMaster University is a public research-intensive university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education across six faculties (Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences), supported by research institutes and advanced testing facilities such as the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) and the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy. In parallel, the university conducts funded research, licenses intellectual property to industry partners (e.g., Triera Biosciences, Stoked Bio), and provides clinical training placements through healthcare partnerships.
Is McMaster University a public or private company?
McMaster University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was McMaster University founded?
McMaster University was founded in 1887. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is McMaster University based?
McMaster University is headquartered in Hamilton, Canada, in the North America region.
How does McMaster University make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Educational Services are the primary driver. The others are federal and Provincial Research Grants, industry Partnerships and Licensing and donations and Philanthropy.
Who are McMaster University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Waterloo, Western University, Queen's University, University of Alberta, University of Ottawa, University of Calgary and Dalhousie University.
Does McMaster University have an API?
No public API is recorded for McMaster University.
What industry is McMaster University in?
McMaster University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAC, Public Research Universities with Academic Medical Centers (AMCs), with a secondary code of EDAHAGAI, Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.