Backgrounder

May 18, 2010

PREMIER’S CATALYST AWARDS

The Premier’s Catalyst Awards recognize excellence and leadership in innovation. Awards are presented to companies for developing commercially successful innovations, new products and services based on breakthrough technologies. The innovations must have the potential to positively impact Ontario's economy, society or sustainable development.

This year’s Premier’s Catalyst Awards, each worth $200,000, were presented in the following categories:

• Best Young Innovator
• Start-up Company with the Best Innovation
• Company with the Best Innovation

2010 CATALYST AWARD RECIPIENTS

Best Young Innovator

Spartan Bioscience
Dr. Paul Lem
Ottawa

Dr. Paul Lem, the founder of Spartan Bioscience, is one of Canada’s most successful emerging biotechnology entrepreneurs. At age 30, Dr. Lem founded Spartan Bioscience and launched his most notable invention, the Spartan DX-12. This medical device is a quick, affordable and easy-to-use desktop DNA analyzer for infectious diseases, human genetic testing, food safety and water testing. Thanks to his drive and creativity, Dr. Lem has put the Spartan DX-12, his company and Ontario at the forefront of the rapidly growing worldwide market for on-demand DNA testing.

Start-up Company with the Best Innovation

Profound Medical Inc.
Toronto
Founded in September 2008 as a spin-off from the world-class Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto, Profound Medical is developing a prostate cancer treatment that may one day replace complicated invasive surgery with a short out-patient procedure. By using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to create a virtual real-time 3D rendering of the prostate, Profound Medical has developed an ultrasound thermal procedure to treat the prostate quickly and precisely, potentially minimizing the damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

A promising clinical project at this stage, Profound Medical’s research holds the potential to improve the lives of more than 250,000 new prostate cancer sufferers each year in North America through this fast, non-surgical therapy.

Company with the Best Innovation

COM DEV International

Cambridge

Since its launch in 1974, COM DEV has been recognized as a leading space hardware designer and manufacturer. Its customers include some of the world’s prime satellite builders – the Canadian and European space agencies, NASA and NATO.

COM DEV has pioneered a new satellite technology for maritime communications that provides high-accuracy ship location and tracking information from any ship anywhere in the world. This made-in-Ontario innovation has enormous benefits for emergency response, environmental intelligence, coast guard operations, surveillance and security.

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See also:

• News Release: Ontario Celebrates Innovation Excellence With New Award
• Backgrounder: Premier’s Catalyst Awards
• Backgrounder: Premier’s Discovery Awards
• Backgrounder: Premier’s Summit Awards
• Multimedia: Premier’s Innovation Awards 2010