Stelumar and CRIBE Host First North American Hackathon Advancing Forestry-Based Housing Innovation
Two-day, invitation-only event brought together innovators and industry to accelerate sustainable, factory-built housing solutions
TORONTO, Feb. 17, 2026 /CNW/ - Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Inc. has successfully completed the first-of-its-kind North American BioBoosters Hackathon. The Hackathon addressed two urgent and interconnected challenges facing Canada: the need to accelerate housing supply through innovation in construction and the opportunity to unlock new value for Ontario's forestry sector through advanced building products.
In partnership with the Centre for Research & Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) and the Interreg Norway Sweden project Circular Bioeconomy Arena, Stelumar brought together seven teams from Canada, Norway, Sweden and Finland, industry experts and innovation leaders to explore scalable, sustainable building solutions that could be implemented directly in Stelumar's manufacturing operations.
"Innovation will be critical to the future of housing in Canada, particularly as we look for new ways to increase supply while improving sustainability and performance," said Peter Hass, General Manager of Stelumar. "Through the unique approach and opportunity of the Hackathon, we were able to see first-hand the depth of talent and creativity focused on solving real-world challenges in housing and sustainable construction. We were excited by the quality of ideas presented and look forward to working with the winning team as we evaluate opportunities to bring these solutions into our manufacturing environment."
Throughout the two-day event (held February 11-12 at the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre in downtown Toronto), participating teams presented concepts ranging from advanced wood-based chemicals, materials and solutions supporting circular material approaches, and low-carbon manufacturing processes, with an emphasis on scalability, performance and alignment with Ontario's forestry resources.
The winning team, Svenska Termoträ, from Järbo, Sweden, was selected for its sustainable wood-based insulation, which stood out for its acoustic, thermal and fire performance properties. Additionally, they brought experience in offsite construction and the potential to use local Ontario feedstocks. The jury recognized their proposal as a compelling example of how innovation, sustainability and manufacturability can come together to accelerate low‑carbon building solutions in Canada.
As an early-stage product with promising technical properties, Vancouver based Plantee Bioplastics was selected as an honourable mention. The wood fibre-based insulation was recognized for its potential for applications outside the scope of the presented challenge.
"CRIBE is very pleased to be a part of this groundbreaking project. This initiative has demonstrated how collaboration can advance the needs of multiple sectors while simultaneously addressing one of our most pressing societal needs – housing," said Scott Jackson, CEO of CRIBE. "This event showcased how applied innovation can support both economic development and sustainability goals."
"With the Stelumar Hackathon we have targeted both the need of a transition toward a more biobased future and possible business opportunities for European companies," said Gry Lenschow Andersen, project manager of the Circular Bioeconomy Arena.
As part of the next phase, Stelumar will explore further collaboration with Svenska Termoträ and Plantee Bioplastics, conducting feasibility studies and supporting research and development efforts. CRIBE will also be providing ongoing support to the winning teams to help advance the projects.
This event marked the first BioBoosters hackathon of its kind in North America, focused specifically on forestry-based insulation solutions for factory-built housing, positioning Ontario at the forefront of innovation in sustainable construction materials.
The Hackathon was attended by representatives from industry and the innovation ecosystem, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in addressing Canada's housing and economic priorities.
For more information about the event, visit: https://cribe.ca/stelumar-hackathon/
About Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Inc.
Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Inc. is a technology-driven company dedicated to revolutionizing homebuilding in Canada through advanced modular building solutions. Founded by Canadian entrepreneur Peter Gilgan, founder of Mattamy Homes, Stelumar combines automation, robotics and AI to modernize construction and help address the housing shortage. With state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in the Greater Toronto Area, Stelumar is focused on accelerating construction timelines, improving consistency and making housing more attainable. Stelumar produces precision-built walls, floors and roofing systems, factory-built modular units and interior cabinetry and millwork at industrial scale.
About CRIBE
CRIBE is Ontario's leading forest-based innovation accelerator. We are an independent, non-profit corporation supporting the development of a sustainable, profitable provincial forest bio-economy. We bring together researchers, the forest sector and end users to create and commercialize innovative forest-based, low-carbon solutions across all industries.
About Circular Bioeconomy Arena
Circular Bioeconomy Arena is an Interreg Norway Sweden, EU funded project that focuses on cross-border collaboration to develop more circular solutions from the forest-based bioeconomy in Sweden and Norway. Project partners is Paper Province, Norwegian Wood Cluster, Innovatum Science Park and Dalarna Science Park.
SOURCE Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Inc.
For more information: Brent Carey, VP, Communications, [email protected]
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