ontario commercialization networks

1. Ontario Commercialization Network A New Approach toTech-Based Economic DevelopmentNovember 24, 2006 Ministry of Research and Innovation

MRI Commercialization Programs (Finance, Skills and Technology Gaps)

Goal of Ontario Commercialization Network (OCN)

OCN Model

OCN Hub (MaRS and OCE)

Sector Innovation Networks

Knowledge and Technology Transfer Networks

Regional Innovation Networks

Lessons Learned

The goal of the OCN is to build an efficient and effective commercialization network / ecosystem that will:

Have both aregionalandsectoralfocus

Actively engage theprivate sectorto support theflow of capital (financial and intellectual)

Use amarket drivenandclient focusedapproach

Develop ahighly networkedandcollaborative communityof commercialization stakeholders (the ecosystem)

Improvetransfer of knowledgeandtechnologyto the private sector to capture the benefits of investments in R&D

Provide moreefficientandeffective service delivery systemto support technology-based entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs

Build anentrepreneurial culture

MaRS connects the communities of science, business and capital to create a more efficient commercialization marketplace.

The MaRS community is built through co-location, catalytic programs and services, and structured networks.

The MaRS community is physically anchored in the MaRS Centre and extends virtually through the MaRS Portal and MaRS Networks.

MaRS delivers commercialization programs and services focused on building a pipeline of globally significant companies.

OCE Inc.

Support research: OCE invests in industrially relevant research in Ontarios universities, colleges and research hospitals.

Support commercialization: OCE initiatives are designed to move technologies to the marketplace through technology and market assessment, intellectual property protection, prototype development, and pre-seed funding to establish start-up companies.

Support development of talented people: OCE activities focus on training and developing the next generation of Ontario innovators and entrepreneurs.

SINs are not-for-profit organizations that have a strong sector focus with provincial scope and capacity to deliver commercialization and other expertise

Build the knowledge base on the sector -- researchers, R&D infrastructure, companies, etc.

Identify global strengths and where these strengths lie within the provincial landscape

Develop sector-based innovation and commercialization strategies

Implement commercialization programs and services aligned with the the hub of the OCN

Facilitate linkages and build networks --science, industry and capital with a sector focus

Knowledge and Technology Transfer Networks as primarily regionally based and link multiple institutions (universities, research hospitals and colleges) under a single network

The primary purpose of the networks are to share resources and align policies and procedures

The networks will incorporate private sector input into the tech transfer process

The networks will make it easier for the private sector to access resources and technologies (IP)

Knowledge transfer activities primarily involve linking students and faculty to industry driven commercialization projects (technical and/or business related)

A provincial network is being developed where industry experts will provide support to all of the tech transfer networks across the province

RINs are a regionally based, multi-stakeholder, not-for-profit organizations driven by the private sector

RINs serve as the foundation of the commercialization ecosystem (the OCN) to:

Identify a regions comparative advantages

Establish a vision and mission for the future

Identify and align commercialization and other economic development resources available at the regional level (commercialization roadmap)

Develop and implement programs and services to address gaps as part of an annual implementation planning process

Create a focal and entry point for clients to access commercialization and other resources at the regional, provincial and federal levels

Linkages to regional resources & programs

Client Diagnostic & Coaching

Start ups

Entrepreneurs

Researchers

Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI)

Eastern Lake Ontario Regional Innovation Network

Greater Peterborough Region DNA Cluster

BioDiscovery Toronto

Western Toronto Greater Area Convergence Centre

York Biotech

Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network

Guelph Partnership for Innovation

Waterloo Research and Technology Park Accelerator and Communitech

London Regional Innovation Network

Southwestern Ontario Bioproducts Innovation Network

Northern Ontario Commercialization Initiative

Tech-based economic development requires a detailed study / plan and community development process involving local stakeholders to identify strengths and weakness within the region.

Research institutions can help breakdown municipal boundaries and create regional innovation systems (networks). Typically these systems are not aligned with municipal boundaries.

Research institutions can help drive the planning process, but it is critical to transition the process to be more industry driven when the process moves from planning to implementation.

Cluster theory useful as an analysis tool, but has limited applicability to the Ontario landscape as an implementation tool or model.

Regional innovation system (network) model seems to have a number of advantages over the cluster model. These advantages include:

Better alignment with current technology trends re: technology convergence

Regional innovation systems (networks) can work in smaller regions and can result in beneficial collaborations between urban and rural communities

Private sector investment aligned with technologies not industry sectors. Hot technologies such as sensors cross many sectors such as environmental technologies, energy technologies, advanced materials, etc.

Business issues, for the most part, do not vary by industry sector, thus business support infrastructure at the regional level can be generic

RINs need a clear vision and mission, but need to take incremental steps to achieve the desired outcome.Trying to leap frog to a new paradigm has a higher chance of failure.

It is important to anchor regional innovation systems (networks). For Ontario, MaRS and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) are anchoring the RINs and SINs and providing a focal point to support collaborations across the OCN and implement provincial programs.

Inter-RIN collaborations are important but need to be led by an independent organization such as a sector innovation network (SIN).For example, the Health Technology Exchange (HTX) works closely with a number of RINs focusing on medical devices as an area of strength.

The OCN can be viewed as an ecosystem. An ecosystem can be defined from a business perspective as a complex set of relationships andwhose members benefit from each other's participation via symbiotic relationships. Its critical to have an honest broker to manage the relationships in the early stages.

It critical to learn and adapt as required to keep the ecosystem in balance.

ontario commercialization networks

Business

mars networks

sectorbased innovation

support research

support commercialization

innovation sarnia

research hospitals

tech transfer networks

province ministry of