FedDev Ontario is providing $1.2 million to McMaster University’s The Forge, a collaborative makerspace and incubator that gives entrepreneurs access to advanced equipment. The funding will allow The Forge to expand into a 10,000-sq.-ft. space alongside partner Innovation Factory and to acquire additional 3D printers, as well as to increase mentorship support for startups. FedDev’s contribution augments The Forge’s participation in the advanced manufacturing ecosystem centred in the McMaster Innovation Park, which includes the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) and the Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (BEAM). As a result of the funding, The Forge will increase the number of companies it supports from 24 to 40 annually, and create up to 75 new jobs.