Langara College Applied Research Centre

What Langara College Applied Research Centre does

Langara College Applied Research Centre (ARC) is the applied research division of Langara College, a public post-secondary institution in Vancouver, British Columbia operating under the province's College and Institute Act. Established in 2016 and operating with a team of approximately 24, ARC delivers contract research, federally funded partnerships, student-led capstone projects, and limited short engagements to a horizontally diversified client base that includes for-profit corporations, not-for-profits, municipalities, and First Nations communities across British Columbia. The centre's activities are organized around three applied research domains: Natural Products Innovation (analysis of cannabis, hops, algae, and fungi using instrumental methods, stability assays, chemical analyses, genomics, metabolomics, and in vitro biotherapeutic assays); Data Analytics and Bioinformatics (computational and statistical techniques, including AI and machine learning, applied to genomics, metabolomics, personalized medicine, and biological data warehousing); and Social Innovation (ethics-approved surveys, focus groups, and ethnographic studies addressing homelessness, food security, and other community challenges).

ARC's revenue model is a hybrid of four engagement types. Fee-for-service Contract Research develops analytical methods, biological assays, cytotoxicity assessments, and permeability studies on rolling basis with 6-week to 3-month turnaround. Federally Funded Partnerships are 1-3 year long-term collaborations leveraging non-dilutive public funding. Capstone Projects and Limited Engagements are structured at no cost to partners and use student labour under faculty supervision. ARC's intellectual property policy assigns all generated IP to the partner, and the centre has accumulated $12.5 million in cumulative funding since 2016 across federal, provincial, and private sponsors including BCKDF, CFI, DFO, ESDC, Mitacs, NSERC, and SSHRC. The research team comprises credentialed Principal Investigators (Jessica Kalra, Prashant Kumar, Ji Yong Yang, Carolyn Wing) plus faculty in Data Analytics (Albert Wong, co-founder of the Post-Degree Diploma program), Aboriginal Studies (Georgina Martin, Secwepemc), and a dedicated Research Associate in Bioinformatics (Gokce Alp). ARC's productized outputs include the Post-Degree Diploma in Data Analytics, a Post-Degree Certificate in Data Analytics, and a Work Experience Option, indicating integration between research services and educational program offerings.

Name

Langara College Applied Research Centre

Legal name

Langara College

Website

https://langara.ca

Company type

Public

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Langara College Applied Research Centre (ARC) is a Vancouver-based applied research division providing contract research, federally funded partnerships, and student-led projects to corporations, nonprofits, municipalities, and First Nations across natural products, bioinformatics, and social innovation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Applied research services
• Contract research
• Bioinformatics analytics
• Natural products research
• Social innovation research

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Contract Research (Fee-for-Service): Fee-for-service contract research projects for developing analytical methods, biological assays, cytotoxicity assessments, permeability studies. Turnaround time of six weeks to three months. Accepted on rolling basis as resources allow.
2. Federally Funded Partnerships: Long-term applied research partnerships (1-3 years) that leverage federal funding to meet technical, business, or social challenges. Brings expertise, instruments, students, and federal funding to develop solutions.
3. Capstone Projects (No Cost): Upper-level student teams work on projects under faculty supervision as part of required coursework. Begins three times yearly in January, May, and September. Limited to bioinformatics, business, data analytics, and recreation management.
4. Limited Engagements (Free): Quick biological or chemical sample analysis for proof-of-principle or yes-or-no questions. Accepted on rolling basis, may be provided at no cost.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Langara College Applied Research Centre (ARC) delivers applied research services to businesses, not-for-profits, municipalities, and First Nations through three research domains — Natural Products Innovation, Data Analytics and Bioinformatics, and Social Innovation — combined with student-led capstone projects, fee-for-service contract research, and federally funded multi-year partnerships. Partners retain all generated intellectual property, and engagements range from no-cost limited proofs-of-concept to long-term funded programs that leverage non-dilutive government funding.

Product overview

Langara College Applied Research Centre (ARC) offers a portfolio of applied research services for businesses, not-for-profits, municipalities, and First Nations. The core services include Natural Products Innovation (analyzing cannabis, hops, algae, fungi), Data Analytics and Bioinformatics (AI/ML-powered analysis), and Social Innovation research. ARC also provides structured research engagement options: free Capstone Projects with students, fee-for-service Contract Research, Limited Engagements for quick proofs-of-concept, and long-term Federally Funded Partnerships. Supporting these services, Langara offers educational programs including Post-Degree Diplomas and Certificates in Data Analytics that develop future industry talent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Natural Products Innovation Applied research service exploring materials produced by living organisms including cannabis, hops, algae, and fungi. Leverages platform technologies in instrumental methods, stability assays, quantitative and qualitative chemical analyses, genomics, metabolomics, and in vitro biotherapeutic assays for industry, non-profit, and government partners.
• Data Analytics and Bioinformatics Computational and statistical research service applying AI and machine learning to analyze biological data, enabling advancements in genomics, personalized medicine, and complex biological systems. Includes large-scale data transformations, warehousing, and querying capabilities for partner organizations.
• Social Innovation Research Research service exploring human culture, history, literature, philosophy, and arts through ethics-approved surveys, focus groups, and ethnographic studies. Addresses social challenges such as homelessness and food security with sustainability and circular economy principles for municipal, non-profit, and Indigenous community partners.
• Contract Research (Fee-for-Service) Paid applied research service developing analytical methods, biological assays, cytotoxicity assessments, and permeability studies for partners. Six-week to three-month turnaround, accepted on a rolling basis as resources allow.
• Federally Funded Partnerships Long-term applied research partnerships of one to three years that leverage non-dilutive federal funding to address significant technical, business, or social challenges. Brings ARC expertise, instruments, students, and federal funding together; partners retain all generated intellectual property.
• Capstone Projects Student-led applied research service in which upper-level Langara College students work on partner projects under faculty supervision as part of required coursework. Begins three times yearly in January, May, and September and is limited to bioinformatics, business, data analytics, and recreation management. Provided at no cost to partners.
• Limited Engagements Quick proof-of-principle research service for biological or chemical sample analysis, yes-or-no questions, or short-term tasks. Accepted on a rolling basis and may be provided at no cost to the partner.

Quantifiable outcome

• $12.5 million in funding attracted since 2016 from federal, provincial, and private funders

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Saskatchewan Polytechnic Applied Research: Runs natural-products and biotechnology applied research with NSERC and Mitacs funding; comparable to Langara ARC in mission, service design, and reliance on student-staffed project teams.
• Conestoga College Applied Research: Ontario college with applied research office offering industry-contract work and grant-funded projects, comparable in scope and funding mix to Langara ARC.
• Centennial College Applied Research: Ontario's largest college-based applied research office, offering industry-contract research, capstone projects, and grant-funded partnerships across life sciences, AI/data analytics, and social innovation.
• NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) Applied Research: NAIT's applied research office runs natural-products, biotechnology, and industry-partnered projects with NSERC/Mitacs funding — structurally analogous to Langara ARC across funding sources, service tiers, and partner mix.
• SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) Applied Research: SAIT's applied research division offers fee-for-service contract research, student-led projects, and federally funded industry partnerships in Western Canada, mirroring Langara ARC's tiered engagement model.
• Seneca College Centre for Innovation in AI & Emerging Technologies: Seneca's applied research arm delivers AI/ML, data analytics, and life-sciences contract research for industry — directly overlapping with Langara ARC's Data Analytics & Bioinformatics pillar.
• Red River College Polytechnic Applied Research: Manitoba's polytechnic applied research office delivers industry-contract research, capstone projects, and Tri-Council-funded partnerships — a structural twin to Langara ARC for service portfolio and funding mix.
• BCIT Applied Research: Applied research arm of the British Columbia Institute of Technology; operates a comparable model of fee-for-service, capstone, and grant-funded industry partnerships in BC, making it the closest geographic and structural peer to Langara ARC.
• Humber College Office of Research & Innovation: Humber's research office runs industry-partnered applied research with NSERC/SSHRC funding and student capstone teams, structurally identical to Langara ARC's engagement model.

Others

• Mitacs: National research organization that funds industry-academic internships and applied research projects. Functions as both a key funder and an ecosystem participant for Langara ARC and other college applied research offices across Canada.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/langaracollegealumni
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/langara-arc
• Instagraminstagram.com/langaraalumni

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Langara College Applied Research Centre