BACKGROUNDER
July 21, 2006
ONTARIO RESEARCH COMMERCIALIZATION PROGRAM (ORCP)
Launched in June 2005, the Ontario Research Commercialization Program (ORCP) is the first step in the McGuinty government's comprehensive strategy to help business innovators take their products to market.
Commercialization describes the process of moving innovative ideas and technologies from idea to sale as a product or service. ORCP helps Ontario's world-class researchers and entrepreneurs combine their skills, expertise and resources to help commercialize their innovations, creating high-value jobs and a better quality of life for Ontarians.
Over three years, $31.4 million will go to public research institutions and not-for-profit organizations to help them identify promising research and shape the ideas into innovative products or services. These include medical discoveries and devices, and environmental and energy-related technologies.
ORCP has four strategies:
1. Linking research institutions to companies
ORCP facilitates "technology transfer" — the movement of technology or scientific discovery from public universities and research institutions to the private sector, where business knowledge and skills can help develop the technology into a product or service.
ORCP supports 55 Ontario public research and not-for-profit organizations in their collaboration with numerous technology-based companies to identify promising technologies, develop them and move them more rapidly to market. This initiative is the first of its kind in Canada, with the goal of making Ontario a global leader in technology transfer.
For example, the Regional Innovation Development Program will forge alliances and allow the sharing of knowledge and technology transfer expertise across Ontario's regional technology centres (Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo, etc.). Led by the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, this initiative will build collaborations between the information and communications technology industry, life sciences industry and research institutions.
2. Linking companies to researchers
ORCP supports working partnerships between companies and Ontario researchers to help speed the development process and give each partner a competitive advantage. These collaborations allow small and medium-sized companies quicker access to intellectual property, and to Ontario's top researchers, the latest sophisticated equipment and research tools within institutions.
For example, the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement (OCETA) will organize "Discovery Workshops" to bring together industry, academia and government researchers in the field of environmental technologies. The parties will develop strategies to bring products and services that address Canadian environmental priorities to market. OCETA will also help Ontario companies access markets, and will expand its business support services for companies with environmental technologies.
In addition, a provincial network of 10 Ontario colleges called The College Network for Industry Innovation will be established. This partnership will help small and medium-sized businesses solve technical problems, adapt new technologies for the marketplace, and develop new or improved products and processes.
3. Building regional and province-wide networks
ORCP is linking researchers, investors and entrepreneurs locally, regionally and provincially. Small and medium-sized companies have the chance to work with research institutions in their region to identify the commercial value of great ideas and help get promising technologies to market. These regional networks will be linked together to form an Ontario-wide network of information and expertise — accessible from any part of the province.
For example, BioEnterprise Corporation ― a not-for-profit organization in Guelph founded to help promote the creation, growth and expansion of businesses in the agri-food, agri-life sciences and bio-products (made from biological or renewable materials) industries ― will expand its operations to provide expertise to different regions across the province. The project will link Ontario's research institutions to rural and northern companies that are developing new uses for agricultural products and waste. BioEnterprise will also work with entrepreneurs to assist with business planning and financial strategies.
4. Giving the next generation of thinkers a head start
ORCP includes an internship program that will give the next generation of Ontario thinkers the practical business skills they need to help shape future discoveries into products and services.
For example, the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) ― a key non-profit organization helping to bring innovative science and technology to market ― will develop the Ontario Internship Program. The OCE will coordinate the strategic placement of highly-skilled science and technology graduates into Ontario technology companies. The initiative will identify business partners with the need to expand and grow, find the right individuals for placement and initiate these partnerships. Students will have the opportunity to develop the skills, ideas and knowledge to help get innovative products and services to the marketplace while working in a business setting.
Ontario Research Commericalization Program Projects
PROJECT NAME |
PROJECT DESCRIPTION |
PROJECT LEAD/LOCATION & PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS |
ORCP FUNDING |
|---|---|---|---|
BioDiscovery Toronto & Toronto Technology Transfer |
BioDiscovery Toronto and Technology Transfer Toronto will build the Toronto network for technology transfer for life sciences, physical sciences and information technology. They will provide a focal point for industry to access one of North America's leading biomedical research centres, including a single window into the eight academic health science centres in Toronto. |
Lead: University of Toronto [Toronto] Partners: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Mount Sinai Hospital, Ryerson University, St. Michael's Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network. |
$5,600,000 |
Ottawa Technology Transfer Network |
An Eastern Ontario technology transfer network will be established with collaboration from PARTEQ Innovations of Kingston. This investment will help integrate six institutions and three industry-focused organizations into one network that will transition technologies to the private sector, and leverage research expertise in the Ottawa/Kingston regions to help get new technologies to market. |
Lead: University of Ottawa Partners: University of Ottawa, Ottawa Health Research Institute (OHRI), Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Algonquin College, National Capital Institute of Telecommunications (NCIT), Ottawa Life Science Council (OLSC) and Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI). |
$2,908,508 |
Expanding Commercialization capacity in the Kingston Region |
The PARTEQ Innovations technology transfer model will be expanded to all research institutions and two private sector research facilities in the Kingston area. The main focus will be on better connecting the research base at Queen's University and other institutions to industries in Eastern Ontario. |
Lead: PARTEQ Innovations at Queen's University [Kingston] Partners: Kingston General Hospital, Royal Military College of Canada, St. Lawrence College, DuPont Canada, Novelis Global Technology Centre |
$2,200,000 |
C4 Technology Transfer Offices |
A Southwestern Ontario network for technology transfer will be expanded. It will leverage the expertise of associated regional innovation networks and other organizations to build strong linkages with the private sector. The network will also include a process to link business and engineering students to companies to help bring products and services to market. |
Lead: McMaster University [Hamilton] Partners: University of Guelph, University of Waterloo, University of Western Ontario, University of Windsor, Wilfrid Laurier University, The Lawson Health Research Institute, The Robarts Research Institute |
$3,899,531 |
Ontario Partnership for Innovation and Commercialization (OPIC) |
A provincial network for technology transfer ― comprised of seven universities ― will be developed and linked to technology transfer expertise in Toronto (through Technology Transfer Toronto). These universities will leverage their local regional innovation network to help transition technologies to the private sector. |
Lead: Ryerson University[Toronto] Partners : Brock University, Lakehead University, Laurentian University, Nipissing University, Trent University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology |
$1,600,000 |
College Network for Industry Innovation |
A provincial network will be established with 10 Ontario colleges to help small companies solve technical problems, adapt new technologies, and develop or improve new products and processes. |
Lead: Seneca College [Toronto] Partners: Algonquin College, Centennial College, Conestoga College, Fanshawe College, George Brown College, Humber Institute of Technical and Advanced Learning, Niagara College, St. Clair College, Seneca College, Sheridan Institute of Technical and Advanced Learning |
$3,500,275 |
Ontario Society for Excellence in Technology Transfer (OnSETT) |
A provincial training and internship program will be established and delivered across 31 member institutions. In addition, these members will have access to industry expertise to help them transition technologies to the private sector. The program will facilitate sharing of expertise and resources across the province. |
Lead: Parteq Innovations at Queen's University [Kingston] Partners: McMaster University, Mount Sinai Hospital, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Queen's University, The Hospital for Sick Children, The University of Western Ontario, University Health Network, University of Guelph, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo |
$2,205,000 |
Talent First Network |
This network will provide talented students and companies with the training, tools and methods required to help move technologies to private sector companies who can get them to the marketplace. |
Carleton University [Ottawa] |
$1,116,500 |
Strengthening Ontario's Industry Capacity in Photonics |
The Ontario Photonics Innovation Network (OPIN) will: engage and promote the photonics industry sector, act as a gateway for industry to Ontario's research institutions, and act as an advisor for innovative companies that wish to bring innovative ideas before investors. The photonics industry includes areas such as fiber optics, laser technology and imaging, etc. |
Ontario Photonics Innovation Network (OPIN) [Midland] |
$300,000 |
Regional Innovation Development Program (RIDP) |
The Regional Innovation Development Program (RIDP) will build business development capacity in Ontario's key technology clusters (Waterloo, Ottawa, and Toronto, etc.). Led by the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI), this initiative will work to integrate technology transfer and commercialization, and also build collaborations between the information and communications technology sector and research institutions. |
Led by the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI) [Ottawa] with help from Communitech [Waterloo] and the Innovation Synergy Centre [ Markham] |
$3,400,000 |
Promoting Economic Development in the Medical and Assistive Technologies (MAT) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Sectors |
Health Technologies Exchange (HTX) will implement developmental research projects that can further the commercial application of new discoveries in the Medical and Assistive Technologies, and Information and Communication Technologies sectors. This will involve engaging teams of Ontario researchers to work with small and medium-sized businesses to solve product development issues. |
Health Technologies Exchange (HTX) [Markham] |
$600,000 |
Building Commercial-ization and Investment Capacity in Ontario's Agri-Food, Life Sciences, and Bio-Products Sectors |
BioEnterprise will undertake commercialization activities that focus on the Agri-Food, Life Sciences, and Bio-products sectors. Key features of the program will include: working with entrepreneurs to assist with business planning and financial strategies, and building stronger sector linkages between small and medium-sized businesses and research institutions. |
BioEnterprise Corporation [Guelph] |
$900,000 |
Ontario Internship Program |
The Ontario Centres of Excellence, in partnership with Vitesse Re-Skilling, will develop the Ontario Internship Program. This program will place students and new graduates in Ontario technology companies over the next three years. Students will have the opportunity to develop commercialization skills, ideas and knowledge in an industry setting. |
Ontario Centres of Excellence with Vitesse Re-Skilling [Ottawa] |
$1,200,000 |
Southwestern Ontario Industry Engagement |
TechAlliance will develop programs that will connect entrepreneurs to researchers to: help start new ventures, conduct market research to determine the potential saleable value of technologies and assist small and medium-sized companies with business plan development. |
TechAlliance [London] |
$700,000 |
C3 Network |
This program will establish a student mentorship program and engage industry in the new media sector (e.g. electronic gaming, etc.) A key goal of the program is to help retain Ontario's young, talented innovators by creating an entrepreneurial culture within the new media sector. |
New Media Business Alliance [Toronto] |
$300,000 |
Industry Receptor Capacity |
The Ontario Centre for Environmental Technologies Advancement (OCETA) will bring together research institutions and industry to collaborate on research and development to help address technical issues in the development of a technology. The parties will develop strategies to commercialize products that address Canadian environmental priorities. OCETA will also help Ontario companies access markets, and will expand its business support services for companies with environmental technologies. |
Ontario Centre for Environmental Technologies Advancement (OCETA) [Mississauga] |
$1,000,000 |
More information is available at: www.ontario.ca/innovation
