Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Inc. and Centre for Research & Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) have completed the first North American BioBoosters Hackathon, an invitation-only event focused on forestry-based solutions for factory-built housing.
Held in Toronto over two days, the hackathon brought together seven innovation teams from Canada, Norway, Sweden and Finland, alongside industry specialists and researchers. The goal was clear: accelerate housing delivery while creating new value for Ontario’s forest resources through advanced building products.
The initiative was delivered in partnership with the Interreg Norway–Sweden Circular Bioeconomy Arena. Participants were asked to develop concepts that could be integrated directly into Stelumar’s manufacturing operations, with close attention to scalability, material performance and industrial feasibility.
Teams presented solutions spanning wood-based insulation materials, bio-derived chemicals and low-carbon manufacturing processes. Each proposal was assessed on its ability to support offsite construction and align with locally available fibre.
The jury selected Sweden’s Svenska Termoträ as the winning team. Its wood-based insulation stood out for strong thermal, acoustic and fire-performance properties, as well as its compatibility with factory-built construction. The team also demonstrated how the solution could be adapted to Ontario-sourced feedstocks.
Vancouver-based Plantee Bioplastics received an honourable mention for its early-stage wood fibre insulation. While still under development, the material showed potential for applications beyond the initial scope of the challenge.
Following the event, Stelumar will explore feasibility studies and research collaborations with the selected teams. CRIBE will continue to support the projects as they move toward validation and potential commercialization.
This first BioBoosters Hackathon in North America highlighted how applied innovation can link housing needs with the forest bioeconomy. It also reinforced Ontario’s growing role in the development of low-carbon, factory-built construction materials.
About Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Inc.
Stelumar is a technology-driven company transforming homebuilding through modular manufacturing. Founded by Canadian entrepreneur Peter Gilgan, Stelumar integrates automation, robotics and AI to deliver scalable housing solutions that improve consistency, speed and affordability.
About Centre for Research & Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE)
CRIBE is Ontario’s leading forest-based innovation accelerator. The organization connects researchers, companies and investors to advance the province’s sustainable bioeconomy.
Source: Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing
