Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) wants to see Sarnia-Lambton diversify further.
Executive Director Sandy Marshall says it would be very positive for the community.
"We're a very strong petrochemical cluster here," says Marshall. "The expansion and development of the bio-economy here, together with the petrochemical industry, is a real positive. There are more areas where this community can be successful, beyond those traditional areas we have and I look forward to seeing some of those come to fruition in 2018."
The Sarnia-based not-for-profit holds and oversees investments in companies involved in the commercialization of new technologies.
BIC worked with 122 companies and committed close to $2-million in investments in bioenergy to biomaterials, agricultural sustainability, engineering consulting firms and solar energy producers in 2017.
"Other communities are trying to emulate what we've done here and even our community is trying to emulate what we've done with the hybrid-chemistry cluster and other areas, such as IT," says Marshall. "There are other opportunities in our community to take advantage of our ecosystem here to do other things."
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce recognized the organization earlier this year on January 19 as one of Canada's Resource Champions for its efforts to promote natural resources development and trade in Canada.