An Innovation and Commercialization Framework for Atlantic Canada

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An Innovation and Commercialization Framework for
Atlantic Canada

• Douglas Robertson
• Director of Innovation Policy and Research
  Projects
• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
• ACCC Applied Research Symposium
• Ottawa, February 12, 2004

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ACOAs Innovation and Commercialization Framework

• Research commissioned by ACOA provides a
  comprehensive innovation architecture and
  framework that can be applied to different
  jurisdictions.
• Approach identifies industry as the key driver
  for innovation.
• The framework includes methods to track the
  impact (outcomes) of investments in innovation
  through all stages of the innovation spectrum
  from idea conception to the market.
• ACOA has adopted guidelines that represent best
  practice profiles for investments in an
  innovative economy.
• This model can help optimize the level of
  investments at each stage of the innovation
  process, and eliminate gaps in the innovation
  spectrum.

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ACOAs Innovation and Commercialization Framework
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ACOAs Innovation and Commercialization Framework

• Innovation relates to the generation of a
  continuous stream of commercially relevant ideas.
• Commercialization relates to the creation of
  local wealth with them the domain of industry.
• Success is influenced by the quality of linkages
  between the two.

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RD Performing by Selected Country,by Sector,
2001
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Provincial Distribution of RD Performing by
Sector, 2001
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RD Performing by Sector, Atlantic Canada and
Canada, 2001
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Private Sector
RD Performed by the Business Sector, millions,
by Province, 1991 - 2001
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Developing An Innovation Agenda for Atlantic
Canada

• Notwithstanding the positive impact the AIF is
  having, the magnitude of these challenges
  requires a sustained, strategic investment.
• Investing more in RD in the region will have
  limited wealth creation unless the issues of
  linkages and industry capacities are also
  addressed.
• The region faces a number of challenges to be
  effective, policy and program solutions must
  address all of them.
• Success can be achieved if Atlantic Canada
  innovation stakeholders coordinate their efforts
  and scarce resources.

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Developing An Innovation Agenda for Atlantic
Canada

• We need to foster an environment that stimulates
  the innovative capacity of firms.
• Enhanced local private sector growth and wealth
  creation is the key to developing the KBE in
  Atlantic Canada.
• RD performed by public institutions must be
  linked to industry requirements and economic
  opportunities.
• Emphasis is on research for innovation
  investments in research that optimize potential
  for income and employment creation.
• Cultural awareness and common understanding of
  innovation and innovation systems in the region
  promote best practices.

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Developing An Innovation Agenda for Atlantic
Canada

• Re-orient the balance of investments fill in
  the critical gaps in the innovation and
  commercialization process.
• Focus on deal flow, making the regions
  innovation environment a functional innovation
  system.
• Address innovation at two levels RD (better
  science and ideas) adoption of technologies by
  firms.
• Public sector and innovation system stakeholders
  need to ensure an environment conducive to
  support SMEs in technology adaption / adoption.
• Prudent investments in research capacity work
  with what we have and engage the research
  community and industry.
• Benchmarking progress need appropriate set of
  innovation indicators to track outcomes / impacts
  across the spectrum.

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Developing An Innovation Agenda for Atlantic
Canada - Indicators
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Developing An Innovation Agenda for Atlantic
Canada - Indicators
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Developing An Innovation Agenda for Atlantic
Canada

• Stronger linkages between the regions community
  colleges and industry / local SMEs will be a
  critical element.
• Culture of closer industry-university cooperation
  in applied RD
• Improve tech transfer / commercialization
  processes. Policies that foster more private
  sector direction of RD conducted by public
  sector institutions.
• Innovation partnerships facilitation brokering
  role between / among universities and colleges,
  industry, communities.
• Strengthen the integration of university and
  industry interests utilize university / public
  labs while industry RD / receptor capacities are
  developed
• Entrepreneurial universities

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Developing An Innovation Agenda for Atlantic
Canada

• Complementarity with national strategy current
  / forward elements support five themes
• Patience, focus, coordination and leverage the
  transition to a more innovative economy profile
  in Atlantic Canada will take time.