NRC Cluster Model: The New Brunswick experience

1
NRC Cluster Model The New Brunswick experience

• Christian Couturier
• November 2003

2
Content

• Background
• New Brunswick and the Circles of Impact model
• New Brunswick Knowledge Industry Leadership
  Network (KILN)

3
NRCs Role

• As a neutral body, act as facilitator catalyst
• Develop programs that focus on building new
  clusters that have commercial potential
• New policy initiatives such as our
  entrepreneurship program that give staff time to
  commercialize research results
• Create new spin-off companies
• Assist in incubating technology start-ups
• Support regional and national technology
  infrastructure with new state-of-the-art
  facilities

4
The NRC Approach

• Convene community meetings / workshops /
  roundtables to build networks, define technology
  base, identify champions
• Develop vision and strategies with local /
  regional partners
• Formulate, communicate and implement multi-year
  action plans
• Focus RD, technical strengths and knowledge
  infrastructure on needs and local firms
• Build local and global partnerships to nurture
  knowledge-based firms
• Communicate success this is key to success

5
Technology Clusters involving NRC
Aluminium (Chicoutimi)
Ocean Engineering (Newfoundland)
E-Business (New Brunswick)
Ag-Biotech (Saskatoon)
Fuel Cells (Vancouver))
Medical Technologies (Winnipeg)
IT / Life Sciences (Ottawa)
Astronomy (Victoria)
Nanotechnology (Edmonton)
Life Sciences (Nova Scotia)
Biopharmaceuticals (Montreal)
6
NRC-IIT e-Business

• NRCs
• investment
• in RD
• People
• Infrastructure
• Research
• Cluster

7
The New Brunswick Plan

• Fredericton
• 40 people
• 25.5M over 5 years
• Building capacity 80
• Space for 40 guest workers/collaborators
• Space for facilities (test/usability lab)
• Space for an Industrial Partnership Facility

8

• 9M and 12 FTEs
• Moncton
• Currently located on UdeM campus in the Parc
  Scientifique
• Saint John
• Currently located in the E-Commerce Center
  (UNBSJ)
• Broadband network CaNet4 Fredericton, Moncton,
  Saint John, Miramichi

9
Staffing
70
Guest workers
Current staff
Offers made
Students
32
1
5
8
Fredericton
1
Moncton
9
1
1
1
5
1
Saint John
0
Target
1-3 per month
As of May 2003 ( first 20 months in operation)
10
NRC-IIT e-Business Research Highlights
e-Learning e-Health e-Government
Human Web Internet Logic Security, Trust and
Privacy
11
Forging strong links Academe

• Adjunct profs
• 8 3 planned
• Teaching (5 taught)
• Joint research projects (more details to come)
• Advisory boards
• 3 of UNBs and 2 of NRCs
• Shared infrastructure
• CaNet 4

• Students and guest workers
• 10 Guest Workers/Grad Students
• 4 Co-op
• 4 Co supervision
• 7 planned NSERC/SSHRCs
• Sabbaticals to come
• Colloquium series
• 5 approx.

University of New Brunswick example only
12
Current Portfolio of projects
tbc
Confirmed

• Total value of projects 22M 32M
• NRC-IIT-e - Business investment 900K 1.2M
• Value of funding received by partners 6M
  n/a
• Number of projects 7 7
• Number of Academic institutions 24
• Number of Industry partners 30

1 from NRC 6 for partners
projects underway in years 02-03 and 03-04
external funding sources only, excluding 5
NSERC grants
13
NB -Technology Cluster Model
14
Finance - Risk Capital
15
Skills - Human Resources
16
Research Development
17
Continued Staffing
NB E-Learning Alliance
Scientific Park Phase 2
CeLEA
Guest Workers
Diversified Group
APTICA
Softworld e-Learning
Online Learning 2001/2002
Interns Students
New learning models
Scientific Park
Newsletters
Colloquia
Time to market accelerators
Conferences
U de M Co-location
University Lecturing
ACE (lab)
Community building
Research Infrastructure
Research Themes
e-Learning "Napkin" agenda
Standards/ Interoperability
DRM
State of e-L
Partners

• e-Learning
• activities
• October 2001 to now

LOM
Industry meetings
IPF
Mosaic
CRDAs
OLT CANARIE AIF
PEGGASUS
RD
CREATIC
IP
18

• One major initiative
• Timeline Sept. 2002 to Mar. 2004

Building an internationally recognized national
architecture/infrastructure for exchanging
learning resources

• 1 lead partner (netera alliance)
• 6 primary partners
• 30 secondary partners
• CANARIE cost-shared funding
• 10 M project
• e-Learning group is co-leading the Atlantic
  consortium with TeleEducation NB

19
ST Knowledge Tech Transfer
20
Engaging in RD with NRC Typical scenario

• Pres, VP or CTO calls BDO (or has initial talk
  with a RO)
• If project fits agenda and we (IIT) can add value
  with our existing or planned expertise
• Then we proceed to an NDA to protect the ideas
• If successful in determining the value added by
  each participant and the potential market impact
  of the IP
• Then CRDA
• If industry partner needs access to
  infrastructure
• Then move into IPF
• Else use own premises
• If project successful
• Then creation of wealth for Canada
• Else we shake hands and part until next potential
  project
• Else we shake hands and part until next potential
  project

21

• Local presence, international scope
• Engaging local community
• Colloquia (local audience / international
  experts)
• Partnering across the nation
• Linking local expertise with national partners
• International linkages
• Australia, France and other EC, United States
• Extensive outreach
• Keynotes (some with over 500 attendees)
• Daily eLearning newsletter (1500 readers with
  steady growth)
• High visibility / High demand
• Press coverage
• Many requests for partnerships / collaborations /
  advice / expertise
• Many invited speaking / writing engagements

22
Policy Instruments - Regulations
23
Incubation - Mentoring
24
Consultations / Roundtables / Workshops
KILN formation (major events)

• New Brunswick
• Pre site-selection announcement many visits and
  presentations in four cities
• Moncton, January 01
• Initial formal roundtable
• 150 Attendees
• Saint John, January 02
• Co-sponsored by ACOA
• To stimulate creation of a multi-city, NB version
  of OCRI

25
Consultations / Roundtables / Workshops

• Fredericton, September 02
• E-health program
• 110 participants
• Emphasis on wellness
• Fredericton, October 02
• E-government program
• 60 participants
• Program direction citizen engagement and
  transformation of government processes

26
Clusters and Social Capital

• Knowledge is becoming a main contributor to
  productivity growth.
• Social capital refers to the accumulated stock of
  social values, cultural assets, institutions and
  informal relations that blend together to make
  for vibrant and dynamic communities facilitating
  the exchange of explicit and tacit knowledge.
• Social capital is a determinant of a successful
  cluster.

27
Clusters and Social Capital

• A network facilitates
• the creation of a dynamic environment for
  innovation and entrepreneurship
• development of a mindset that  gives
  permission 
• the collaboration of organizations in order to
  compete

28
Growing the New Brunswick IT Industry A Private
Sector Academia Government Collaboration
Premiers Roundtable
Roundtable Forums
ACOA
Infrastruc Forum
Innovation Forum
eGovt Forum
eLearning Forum
eHealth Forum
PNB -eNB
NRC
KI Leadership Network (Approx 16)
Shared Vision
GMKIN
IT_at_SJ
KITF
Major Events
TExpo / Envoy
IT Works
LearnTec
Provincial Icon Events
Cybersocial NB
Multimedia Awards
KIRA
KITFGolf.com CyberSocial ITWeek
Golf CyberSocial ITWeek
Golf CyberSocial ITWeek
Golf CyberSocial ITWeek
Local Networking Events
29
Conclusion

• New Brunswickers can be proud of the results that
  are coming out of this cluster initiative
• Together we have achieved unity of outlook in a
  diverse community, despite competing interests,
• thus enhancing social and economic impact through
  RD and innovation