A message from Edmonton Global:
Norcada, a leader in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), photonics, and nanotechnology, has built a reputation for creating some of the most advanced technological devices in the world. Traditional MEMS devices are the hidden technology behind common applications like rotating your phone's screen or locking a car's doors when it starts moving. However, Norcada's work extends far beyond these everyday uses, making it a critical player in global industries like energy, aerospace, and quantum computing.
Founded in 2002, Norcada started as a small company but has grown significantly. Today, it has more than 30 employees and plans to continue growing, shipping 99% of its products outside Canada. "We do everything in (the) Edmonton (region) then ship to 40 countries," Norcada CEO Hooman Hosseinkhannazer said. "Most of our products leave the country on a FedEx jet on the day they are ordered or packaged."
Norcada's customers include research labs, universities, and industrial companies. Norcada is the only Canadian company producing MEMS technology focused on nanoscopy, microanalysis, nanoimaging and nano-bio sensing, with many devices being used to conduct high-precision experiments at the atomic level.
"People want to see what happens inside a battery, inside a semiconductor device, or what happens to an alloy that may be heated to ultra high temperatures inside a jet engine, at an atomic scale," Hosseinkhannazer explained. "We basically make a very, very miniaturized version of a lab in our chips that people can use to visualize what happens at the atomic scale."
Learn more about applications of Norcada's technology that detect hydrogen leaks and keep astronauts safe, and find out why the Edmonton region offers what the company needs.
The "Trade Heroes" series highlights companies in the Edmonton region that have 'exportitude' — the mindset and commitment to think globally when it comes to their business.