What Composites Knowledge Network does

Composites Knowledge Network (CKN) is a Canadian non-profit knowledge-sharing network founded in 2019 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. It exists to translate world-class composite materials and structures knowledge to Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises, academic institutions, and government stakeholders through a community-led model. The organization was co-founded by the University of British Columbia and Composites Innovation, with Dr. Anoush Poursartip as Co-Director.

CKN's core product is the Knowledge in Practice Centre (KPC), a wiki-based online platform that contains over 240 articles organized around the MSTE (Material, Shape, Tooling & Consumables, Equipment) framework. The KPC provides open access to foundational knowledge, systems knowledge, case studies, and practice workflows covering materials science, processing science, thermal management, quality management, and factory systems. The organization supplements the KPC with AIM (Application + Impact Mobilization) webinars and events — 11 delivered in 2024-25 reaching more than 800 participants — biennial national industry surveys (46-63 companies per cycle), and a 12-part composite materials engineering webinar series. Adjacent offerings include Diversity & Inclusion Coffee Breaks and applied research spotlights such as the 2026 CARA carbon-fiber radiotherapy device project with CRN, UBC, and BC Cancer.

Commercially, CKN operates as a grant-funded non-profit. KPC membership is free, with users requesting free accounts to access content. Revenue is sourced from government grants — notably $1 million from the Government of Canada's Strategic Science Fund in 2023-12 and $1,750,000 from Pacific Economic Development Canada in 2023-10 — supplemented by nearly $485,000 in partner contributions in 2024-25. The organization operates with 1-10 employees, leverages partnerships with SAMPE Canada, CACSMA, CREPEC, NRC-IRAP, CDCQ, and PRIMA Québec, and has recently deployed a regional node model to deepen national collaboration and scaling of program delivery.

Name

Composites Knowledge Network

Legal name

Composites Knowledge Network

Website

https://compositeskn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Composites Knowledge Network (CKN) is a Vancouver-based non-profit operating the free Knowledge in Practice Centre wiki (240+ articles) and AIM webinars to deliver world-class composites manufacturing knowledge to Canadian SMEs, academia, and research institutions, funded primarily by Canadian government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Composites Manufacturing Knowledge Services

NAICS

Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (519290), Information (51)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms (BPAMAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Membership Communities with Learning (Community-Led Education) (MPACALAF), Q&A and Knowledge Discovery Platforms (BPAMAAAF)

Keywords

• Composite manufacturing knowledge
• Industry knowledge transfer
• Composites manufacturing training
• Technical education webinars
• Industry research surveys

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CKN is primarily funded through government grants, notably the Strategic Science Fund (SSF) providing $1 million in funding. Additional funding comes through partner contributions of nearly $485K. The organization operates as a non-profit knowledge-sharing network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Composites Knowledge Network runs the Knowledge in Practice Centre (KPC), a free wiki-based online platform hosting 240+ articles organized around the MSTE (Material, Shape, Tooling, Equipment) framework to provide composites manufacturing knowledge and best practices. It also delivers AIM (Application + Impact Mobilization) webinars and events covering applied composites topics, conducts biennial national industry surveys, and offers educational content such as the 12-part Composite Materials Engineering Webinar Series.

Product overview

Composites Knowledge Network (CKN) offers a knowledge mobilization platform centered on the Knowledge in Practice Centre (KPC), a wiki-based resource for composite manufacturing knowledge and best practices. The platform also delivers AIM Events (Application + Impact Mobilization) — webinars and events featuring industry leaders on applied composites topics. CKN conducts biennial industry surveys to understand Canadian composites sector trends and needs. The KPC organizes content using the MSTE (Material, Shape, Tooling, Equipment) framework, providing foundational knowledge, systems knowledge, case studies, practice workflows (development, troubleshooting, optimization), and the composite materials engineering webinar series. The offerings work together to transfer world-class composite knowledge to Canadian small and medium enterprises.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Knowledge in Practice Centre (KPC): A free wiki-based online resource providing scientific knowledge and best practices for composites manufacturing, developed and maintained by CKN.
• Application + Impact Mobilization (AIM) Events

Products and services

• Knowledge in Practice Centre (KPC) A free wiki-based online knowledge resource providing scientific and practical information on composite materials manufacturing for Canadian composites SMEs, academia, and research institutions. Content is organized around the MSTE (Material, Shape, Tooling, Equipment) framework and includes foundational knowledge, systems knowledge, case studies, and practice documents, with over 240 articles available.
• AIM Events (Application + Impact Mobilization) Educational webinars and events featuring industry leaders covering applied topics in composites manufacturing. Delivered both in-person and online, with recordings archived in the KPC, covering composite repair, QA/QC, automation, and various composite engineering topics for SMEs, academia, and research institutions in the Canadian composites sector.
• CKN Industry Survey Biennial national bilingual survey of the Canadian composites industry gathering insights on industry health, revenue trends, workforce issues, supply chain challenges, and training priorities. Results are published as visual summaries and reports to guide industry priorities and inform CKN programming.
• Composite Materials Engineering Webinar Series A 12-part webinar series covering fundamentals of composite materials engineering including constituent materials (fiber and resin), thermal management, manufacturing processes, mechanics, failure analysis, defects, and testing, aimed at composites professionals, students, and researchers.
• Diversity & Inclusion Coffee Breaks Virtual coffee break sessions discussing diversity and inclusion topics in the composites industry, featuring industry professionals sharing experiences on mentorship, bias, and inclusive workplace practices, co-organized with CREPEC, SAMPE Canada, and CACSMA.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 800 participants engaged through AIM events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Composites Research Network (CRN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration with the Composites Research Network (CRN) enabled the development of CARA, a lightweight carbon-fiber device for breast radiotherapy. CRN engineers contributed advanced composite materials expertise.
• UBC and BC CancercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Dr. Cheryl Duzenli of UBC and BC Cancer for the CARA project combining frontline clinical insight with advanced composite materials expertise.
• Academic and Industry Partners Across CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Through a new regional node model, CKN deepened collaboration with academic and industry partners across Canada, ensuring knowledge is developed and shared nationwide. Partners include universities, research institutions, and composites industry stakeholders.
• 4POINT0 OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Jointly organized the first Advanced Materials Innovation Workshop focused on creating an innovative environment in Canada for developing new composite products and processes.
• CREPEC (Centre de recherche sur les systèmes polymères et composites à haute performance)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Co-organized Diversity & Inclusion Coffee Breaks series with CKN, CREPEC, SAMPE Canada, and CACSMA.
• Canadian Association for Composite Structures and Materials (CACSMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Co-organized Diversity & Inclusion Coffee Breaks series with CKN, CREPEC, SAMPE Canada, and CACSMA.
• SAMPE Canada, CDCQ, PRIMA Québec, NRC-IRAPmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborating organizations that helped circulate the 2021 CKN industry survey, including SAMPE Canada, CDCQ (Centre de développement des composites du Québec), PRIMA Québec, and NRC-IRAP (National Research Council Canada - Industrial Research Assistance Program).
• SAMPE CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020SAMPE Canada co-organized the 12-part composite materials engineering webinar series with CKN. Ongoing collaboration for AIM events and industry engagement.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Composites Research Network (CRN): Sister organization at UBC originating from the same UBC Composites Group. CRN conducts applied composites R&D while CKN focuses on knowledge mobilization; they co-develop projects like the CARA carbon-fiber radiotherapy device. Closest peer by mission overlap and origin.
• SAMPE Canada: Canadian chapter of the global Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering. Co-organizes AIM events and the composite materials engineering webinar series with CKN; both serve composites industry knowledge transfer in Canada.
• Canadian Association for Composite Structures and Materials (CACSMA): Canadian composites professional association that co-organizes EDI programs with CKN. Both organizations address industry development, training, and community-building for the Canadian composites sector.
• CREPEC (Centre de recherche sur les systèmes polymères et composites à haute performance): Quebec-based academic research center on high-performance polymer and composite systems. Co-organized Diversity & Inclusion programs with CKN and serves overlapping Canadian composites R&D and training audiences.

Regional players

• Centre de développement des composites du Québec (CDCQ): Quebec composites development center that circulated CKN's industry surveys and supports Canadian composites SMEs. Operates regionally in Quebec while addressing overlapping SME-training and knowledge-transfer needs.
• PRIMA Québec: Quebec advanced materials research and innovation hub that helped circulate CKN's industry surveys. Operates as a regional cluster organization in advanced materials with overlapping SME-support and knowledge-mobilization objectives.

Broad incumbents

• Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) Global: Global parent organization of SAMPE Canada. Provides broader industry conferences, technical content, and journal publications in composites and advanced materials — overlapping content dissemination mission with CKN at larger scale and scope.
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME): Major U.S. manufacturing professional society that awards the J.H. 'Jud' Hall Composites Manufacturing Award to Dr. Poursartip. Publishes Composites Manufacturing magazine and broad manufacturing technical resources overlapping CKN's knowledge-sharing function.
• NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): U.S. federal program supporting small and mid-sized manufacturers through a national center network. Analogous in serving SME manufacturing knowledge and workforce needs via publicly funded infrastructure — comparable mission structure.
• Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC): University of Sheffield research center focused on advanced manufacturing including composites. Comparable in bridging academic research with manufacturing industry applications, though at much larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CompositesKN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/composites-knowledge-network/?viewAsMember=true

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Composites Knowledge Network