ORION R

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ORION RE SUMMITOntarios Regional Innovation
Networks

• Bill Mantel
• Director, Commercialization Branch
• Ministry of Research and Innovation
• (bill.mantel_at_mri.gov.on.ca)

Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
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THE CHALLENGES

• TECHNOLOGY PUSH
• ENTREPENURIAL CULTURE
• KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE CAPACITY
• IP CENTRIC VS. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
• WEAK NETWORKS INTERACTIVITY WITH PRIVATE SECTOR
• TECHNOLOGY CONVERGENCE CHALLENGE

DEVELOPMENT Private Sector Driven Start-ups /
SMEs / MNEs
APPLICATION PRODUCTS / EXPORTS
DISCOVERY CAPACITY

• MARKET PULL CHALLENGES
• ENOUGH EXPERIENCED BUSINESS MANAGERS
• BUILDING INDUSTRY RECEPTOR CAPACITY
• ACCESS TO RISK CAPITAL INCLUDING ANGEL
  INVESTORS
• ECONOMIC STRATEGY AT REGIONAL LEVEL ALIGNMENT
• PROVINCIAL - FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS NOT WELL
  CONNTECTED

Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
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CHALLENGE OF HOW TO ADDRESS

• INDUSTRY DRIVEN FOCUS
• PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS ACROSS THE GEOGRAPHY
• VARIATION SIMILARITY AT CITY-REGION LEVEL
• LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRUCTURES
• UNDERSTANDING OF RESEARCH INTENSIVE INDUSTRY
  THEIR COMPETITIVE REALITY, ROLE IN CURRENT
  ECONOMY
• COMPLEX FEDERAL PROVINCIAL SUITE OF PROGRAMS
• RANGE OF TECHNOLOGIES AND SECTORS
• RESEARCH INVESTMENTS ALSO ADDRESS ECONOMIC
  DEVELOPMENT GOALS
• GETTING GREATER VALUE FROM EXISTING INVESTMENTS
  AND STRENGTHS

Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
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A PROVINCIAL NETWORK

• INVEST IN KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
• IN PUBLIC SECTOR
• IN THE 4TH PILLAR, DRIVEN BY PRIVATE SECTOR
• REGIONAL FOCUS
• PROVINCIAL CONNECTIONS
• SINGLE CONVERGENCE POINT FOR ONTARIO A NEXUS

Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
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RINs LOCAL / REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM FOR COMPANIES

• Engage and integrate efforts of
• key economic development players,
• universities, research institutes
• industry (SMEs and MNEs) to address regional
  strategies.
• i.e MAKE IT MAKE SENSE FOR COMPANIES
• Help define and manage industry access to the
  necessary resources (at all levels e.g.,
  regional, provincial, national) to move products
  to market.
• Help to strengthen interface between research
  institutions and industry to enable
• improved industry access to publicly funded RD
  infrastructure and resources
• Accelerate university/ industry collaborations
• GET THE LOCAL Commercialization Ecosystem RIGHT

Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
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Today 3 Living Examples

• Communitech Waterloo
• London Transforming its approach
• Peterborough DNA Cluster sharp focus

Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation