Area Development
In 2006, 6N Silicon Inc. was a small business operating from a basement. Today, it is one of Ontario's leading companies for the solar power industry's silicon purification.

After successfully completing a pilot project in Mississauga, 6N moved into a $50 million production plant in Vaughan, partly funded by the province's Next Generation of Jobs Fund. Last May, Ontario's Innovation Demonstration Fund granted 6N $1.5 million to launch another pilot program demonstrating its new method of silicon purification to clients.

"We chose Ontario because of the highly skilled work force and the tremendous ongoing support we have received in commercializing our technology," said 6N CEO Paolo Maccario.

Demand for renewable energy resulted in a spike in the price of silicon, a critical material in producing solar panels. Conventional silicon production methods are inefficient and costly, but 6N has revamped the process to consume less energy and better utilize funds.