Title: Federal Partners in Technology Transfer Annual Meeting - Halifax
1Federal Partners in Technology Transfer Annual
Meeting - Halifax
- How can Canada capitalize on its investments in
research?
Dr. Michael Raymont Acting President National
Research Council June 18, 2004
2What does the Government mean by the
commercialization of research?
"Canada is developing an environment in which
ideas flowing from scientific discovery are being
generated at an unprecedented rate. Now we must
focus on bringing these ideas to market to
realizing their commercial potential. That is
what will drive our economy forward, increasing
investment and employment. Ralph Goodale,
Minister of Finance2004 Budget Speech
3Why is research commercialization important to
Canadians ?
- Commercialization necessary to realize economic
and social benefits of research. - The Government has invested massively in research
- 13 B since 1997. - Expects return.
Creating knowledge consumes wealth.
Commercializing knowledge creates wealth.
4The commercialization imperative
- Market pull vs. technology push the wrong
debate? - Innovation complex, dynamic and interactive
system - Shared agenda but government needs to be there
- Identifying opportunities and gaps/areas for
improvement - Focus resources
- Bring together technology, human skills,
capital and other - supportive infrastructure (clusters)
- Building international markets
- Targeting innovative SMEs, gazelles of
Canadian industry
5Why are SMEs important to commercialization?
- Canadas economy has many strengths -- balanced
- budget, steady growth, strong workforce, and
- relatively high Per Capita GDP
- But it is very dependent upon the resource sector
and - branch plants
- It looks to SMEs for new jobs, products,
services, - productivity, and innovation
- Canadian SMEs must be export focused
- Canadian economy dominated by SMEs
6But Canadian SMEs have always had significant
innovation and RD challenges
- SMEs have limited resources to invest in new
- and improved products, skills and technologies
- Canadian SMEs struggle to grow into medium-
- sized enterprises
- Survival rate for new small business averages
- 72 after one year, 44 after three years, 32
- after five years
7Spin-off or strategic licensing - Too many
start-ups? ?G-8, APEC, EU
- Criteria for a successful start-up
- Critical mass of platform technology
Intellectual Property - (likely more than one source)
- Highly capable management team
- Sufficient financing runway
- Sustainable, differentiated advantage
- Global market opportunity and perspective
8Start-ups
- Focus on fewer, top quality start-ups
- Benefits
- Higher survival rate
- Faster growth
- More impact
- More economic value for Canada
- Better returns (feeds the investment cycle)
- Best for -- Disruptive/breakthrough technologies
- -- No existing receptor capacity
9Licensing/sale to strong existing receptors
- Existing receptors have distribution channels and
customers - Know the market and can define application,
product, pricing, - go-to-market strategies, etc.
- More immediate economic returns from knowledge
creation - Builds strength of existing SMEs
- Opportunity to create gazelles (RIM, Ballard,
Newbridge) - Canada needs more gazelles
10The Innovation Landscape
Outcome Incremental (Capitalize on what we know) Evolutionary (Build the Future) Disruptive (Create New Opportunities)
Time Horizon 0-3 years 2-10 years 5 years
Driving Force Customer - market pull Mission - pull and push Curiosity, Serendipity - push
Business Focus Production Sales Product Technology Development Blue sky research Discovery - Ideas
Activities Problem Solving, adaptation, testing, manufacturing, consulting Applied research, demonstrations, prototypes, standards development Basic research, applied research, proof of concept
Success Factors Efficiency, quality, cost Experts, IP, management Research excellence
Key Knowledge Markets, production processes, standards, management Competitive intelligence, science engineering methods Basic science, research processes
Level of Risk Low Medium High
Share of Investment 60-70 20-30 5-10
Source of Funds Contracts Customers (Industry) ContractsEquityGrants (Government Industry) Grants (Public)
Business Return Gross Margin Social and Economic ROI Knowledge, HQP
Impact Wealth, jobs Wealth, jobs, quality of life Knowledge, quality of life
(Adapted from ARC/I-CAN)
11What needs to happen next
- Identify research needs, and capitalize on
research with - commercial potential using the right vehicle
- Curiosity/basic research ? disruptive/breakthrough
technologies ? start-up - Industry needs ? industry driven, applied/mission
oriented research ? licensed to existing
receptors
12What needs to happen next contd
- Improved interface and collaboration between
public - sector, universities and industry
(cooperative, shared - agenda and responsibility)
- Greater access to seed and other funding
- Skills and mentoring in
- Commercialization, technology transfer, raising
investment capital and new venture formation - Partnerships and alliances international
13NRC an engine for commercialization
- Links people, capital, resources
- and ideas
- Actively engaged in technology
- commercialization
- Strengths of its research institutes
- Partnerships, international
- research networks, linkages
- NRC-IRAP, NRC-CISTI
- Technology clustering
- 750 M budget
- 150 M in revenues
- 5000 people (incl. 300 ITAs)
14NRC reaches across a spectrum of technology
Technologies
Science
Integrated Disciplines
Applications
Products / Services
Engineering Computer science Medicine Architecture
Nanotechnology Genomics Photonics Biomedical Envir
onmental Aquaculture Agriculture Oceanography
Manufacturing Construction Soil
remediation Bio-diagnostics Water
remediation Fuel cells Software
Wind tunnel Maritime testing facility Technology
licensing CPRC
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Physics
NRCs evolving Technology expertise is reaching
toward market from traditional research.
NRC has become more market relevant
15NRC Bridging the innovation gap
Discovery, Basic Research
Pre-competitive, Strategic Research
Development of Prototypes/ Proof of Concept
Industrial Innovation
Products in the Marketplace
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
Value for Canada
NRC RESEARCH
IRAP-TPC
NRC-IRAP
DISCOVERY TO INNOVATION TIMELINE
16Centres for research commercialization
One possible approach - a unique collaboration
with Federal Partners and other public and
private sector organizations and part of the
anchor to a technology clusters linked to a
research centre and RD partnerships
- Example - Centre for the Commercialization of
Biomedical Technology at NRC-IBD in Winnipeg
(under construction) - Services to be offered by NRC or Partners
- Technology and business analysis
- Market strategy assessment
- National and international mission
- and partnering support
- Technology law and intellectual
- property protection services
- Skills assessment and development
- Investment networking and advice
- Mentoring services
- Image of the Centre for the Commercialization of
- Biomedical Technology (left) and NRC-IBD
(right).
- Programs to be offered
through the Centre - New Entrepreneurs Program
- Technology Acceleration
- The Tenant Program
- Access to NRC-IRAP
17Together as a science and technology community,
we all win!
- Justifies investment in knowledge creation
- Strengthens SME base with emphasis on
accelerating growth of - small to medium size
- Creates quality employment
- Major economic benefits
- Other social benefits
- Brings us together in common cause
- What it requires
- partnering
- integration
- respect for expertise
- culture / drive to succeed!
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