A Short Story of Technology Transfer From the Research Bench to the Marketplace

1
A Short Story of Technology Transfer From the
Research Bench to the Marketplace

• Joe Meating
• President
• BioForest Technologies Inc.

2
BioForest Corporate Philosophy
Stand out in the crowd!
But keep moving!
3
BioForest Technologies

• Forest Health Consultants
• Detection assessment surveys
• Pest management strategies and operations
• 500 projects completed
• 8 full time staff
• Offices SSM, PQ PA

4
Where

• ON, NB, NS, PQ, MN, SK, AB, BC
• USA MI, PN, WI, MN
• Mississauga, Toronto, Hamilton, Oakville,
  Burlington, Brantford
• Crown land private land
• Commercial recreational forest
• Urban rural forest
• Boreal, GLSt.L, Carolinian

5
Background Chronology

• 1980 1996 CFS /FIDS
• 1994 Unsettling rumours
• Feb. 1995 The NEW org chart!
• Feb. 1995 - The business plan (Perceptions)
• May, 1996 BioForest Technologies Inc. opens its
  doors
• 1997 Reality Wow this is a lot of work!
• 1998 Brainstorm Analyze revise the Business
  Plan.

6
Something New TreeAzin Systemic Insecticide
EcoJect System for Tree Injections

• A Canadian Solution! BioForest enters the realm
  of the giants.

7
A Brief History

• 1990s - Dr. Blair Helson (CFS) developed
  neem-based systemic insecticides
• 2001 BFT a pest management problem
• 2001 - A workshop in Ottawa professional
  networks
• 2002 - Informal collaboration for RD
• 2002 - BFT efficacy trials (GM, SBW FTC,)
• 2004 EJT design and prototypes
• 2004 Licence Agreement BFT/NRCan to register
  commercialize TreeAzin.

8
History contd.

• TreeAzin 2002 2009
• Efficacy trials
• Toxicological studies
• Stability studies
• Chemical characterization
• Environmental fate studies
• Residue analysis studies
• Production facility
• Demonstration trials
• Registrations
• Canada PMRA, provincial
• USA EPA, state

First five litres!
9
History contd.

• EcoJect 2002 2009
• Prototype design and testing
• Production technologies (QA/QC)
• Suppliers
• Assembly
• Cost control
• NAFTA compliance
• Demonstration trials, marketing

10
EcoJect System for Tree Injections
US Patent March 2007
11
From Humble Beginnings Systemic Tree Injection
Tube (Helsons STIT)
12
EcoJect System
13
Emerald Ash Borer Disaster Opportunity
14
TreeAzin Untreated and Treated Ash
Maidstone Nursery
15
History contd.

• Feb. 2008 Emergency registration for EAB in ON
  and PQ
• 2008 TreeAzin production sales!
• Oct. 2008 USEPA registration!
• 2009 complete submission for full registration
  in Canada
• 2009 Marketing in USA!
• 2020 Retire!!

16
Protection Beware the vipers in the grass!

• Legal counsel
• License agreement BFT/NRCan
• EcoJect System
• TreeAzin Systemic Insecticide
• Confidentiality agreements
• Industry Canada, CIPO/WIPO
• Workshops

17
From Bench to Market Challenges for a Small
Company

• Credibility
• Resources people, financial
• Time/Quality ratio
• Staff training retention
• Accounting reporting CRA, SRED, IRAP etc.
• Patience Myth of the overnight success.
• Perseverance.

18
Words of Wisdom
Success is the ability to go from failure to
failure without losing your enthusiasm. Winston
Churchill
or your mind! J. Meating
19
Acknowledgements

• Partners
• NRCan - Canadian Forest Service
• NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program
• NDM
• NOHFC
• SKMOE, OMNR, NBDNR, MDNR
• Wisconsin Minnesota DNR
• SERG-I
• Our families!

20
Would we do it again?

• Weve already started!

21
A final word of advice
Celebrate the small successes! Helen Gillespie