Halifax – Canada’s first living lab for transportation, supply chain and logistics is now open for business. “The PIER” at the Seaport officially opened its doors on November 25, welcoming Founding Partners, Resident and Ecosystem Members, dignitaries, and other stakeholders.
The PIER, short for Port Innovation, Engagement, and Research, is located at 1209 Marginal Road in the historic Halifax Seaport District. This is a monumental event for Halifax and for Canada’s transportation sector as The PIER brings together different stakeholders to develop innovative solutions for supply chain and logistics challenges that no one company can tackle on its own.
The list of Founding Partners and members for this living lab continues to grow with the recent addition of Bell Canada as its newest Founding Partner and Accenture as an Innovation Partner. Bell will deploy its 5G-ready managed wireless private network (WPN) throughout The PIER so that companies working in the collaborative workspace can benefit from robust connectivity and coverage in a secure environment. Through Accenture, The PIER can tap into a global network of thought leaders in freight, transportation, ports, and sustainability.
Other Founding Partners include CN, OMC International, PSA Halifax (a member of PSA International), and Saab Technologies Ltd. Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA) will be joining The PIER as an Industry Partner.
Resident Members that have been welcomed to The PIER include SEASI, a data and analytics company, Datifex, an Ontario-based company providing real-time interactive 3D web applications, and B-Line, a contact tracing and facilities management start-up based in Halifax. Additional Ecosystem Members include Halifax Regional Municipality, Ignite Labs, AKUA, Ashurst LLP, Canscan, DLT Labs, eeSea, Enginuity, Glas Ocean, IBI Group, MacKillop Pictou Law Group, Nicom IT, Nuvoola AI, and ROCarbon.
These members will benefit from working alongside global partners and other resident members of The PIER to help build a community of innovators within the logistics, transportation, and supply chain industry.
Dalhousie University recently joined The PIER as a Research Partner, bringing in its leading global research in big data, maritime policy, sustainability, and ocean science. Dalhousie’s DeepSense will reside in The PIER. Earlier in 2021, BlueNode announced a partnership with Saab to enhance shipping data for the Port of Halifax. BlueNode is now a Resident Member of The PIER. The PIER currently has six Founding Partners, one Industry Partner, five Resident Members and 16 Ecosystem Members, with additional partners and members expected to join as this innovative workspace develops.
