Ontario Network of Excellence

The Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE) is Ontario’s revitalized, client-focused, province-wide innovation network.

The purpose of ONE is to align all of the programs and resources Ontario has to support innovators who are working to turn great ideas into globally competitive products and services.

ONE is centred on the needs of its clients (technology-based entrepreneurs, companies or researchers who are commercializing new approaches and new technologies) and supports the full range of businesses — start-ups, emerging growth companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large domestic and multi-national enterprises — that wish to pursue innovation to create a global competitive advantage and new wealth in Ontario.

The goal of ONE is to improve the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation’s overall service and performance for entrepreneurs, , businesses and researchers across the province. It ensures that no matter where our clients are located in Ontario, they have access to the programs and services they need to seize global opportunities and succeed in the global marketplace.

That means that when an innovator walks into the nearest ONE member’s office, they have access to best practices from around the world, programs linking them to researchers and successful entrepreneurs, and assistance in accessing the funding and advice they need to take their ideas to market.

As much as possible, Ontario’s new innovation network makes geography irrelevant. Innovators have access to expertise just around the block — and right across the province. It won’t matter where you are or what stage your idea or business is at. All that matters is the quality of your idea, the depth of your commitment and your drive to succeed.

ONE is the next step in delivering Ontario’s Innovation Agenda (OIA), and the next step in unlocking the tremendous potential and remarkable talent across our province.

Ontario Network of Excellence Guiding Principles

The ONE operates in accordance with the following guiding principles:

• Client focused — ONE is oriented to support the needs of its clients to help them meet marketplace demands. ONE and its supporting programs and services are delivered at the speed the market demands, responsive to global opportunities and easy to navigate.
• Clear organizational mandates — ONE is structured in a way that makes it easy to determine, and to access, the resources that can best help clients as they move through the process of taking an innovation to market.
• Accessible quality support across the province — ONE has multiple entry points across the province. This design: i) ensures easy client access to programs and services ii) allows the network to bring the best resources and expertise in the province to support the defined needs of any client — regardless of the location of either iii) creates a regional focal point for innovation and commercialization, and iv) allows programs and services to be tailored to the regional innovation landscape.
• Collaborative — ONE resources are fully integrated to create a highly collaborative environment that ensures clients receive the right resource, at the right time and with the appropriate level of support.

Ontario Network of Excellence Programs and Services

The programs and services of the ONE include:

• Business acceleration programs and services: A collection of programs and services to help strengthen entrepreneurial talent, create globally competitive businesses and support innovators as they deal with all the challenges and opportunities that come with building an innovative enterprise.
• Industry-academic collaboration programs and services: The goal of these programs and services is three-fold: i) accelerate the movement of world-class research discoveries from Ontario’s labs to the global marketplace ii) support industry-academic collaboration on technical research challenges with existing research institutions (e.g. colleges, universities, hospitals), and iii) develop talent by cultivating entrepreneurial skills and business skills, and providing real world experience for Ontario’s next generation of innovators.
• Sector-based expertise: This includes specialized services, offered primarily through the Sector Innovation Centres (SICs), such as: knowledge of the sector, academic resources (e.g. researchers, equipment, etc.), regulatory environment knowledge and guidance, market development and other knowledge to help clients bring products or services to market faster and more effectively.

Clients are able to access Ontario Network of Excellence programs and services through ONE members.

Ontario Network of Excellence Members

The Ontario Network of Excellence will consist of members that are located across the province.  Broadly, there are four types of members:

Provincial coordinators	MaRS is the provincial coordinator for business acceleration programs and services. The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) is the provincial coordinator for industry-academic collaboration programs and services.
Regional Innovation Centres (RICs)	These are regionally based not-for-profit corporations that deliver Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE) programs and services.
Sector Innovation Centres (SICs)	These are sector-based not-for-profit corporations that will deliver highly sector specific Ontario Network of Excellence programs and services.
Additional network entry points	Clients will also be able to access the network’s programs and services through additional entry points.  These entry points will ensure that no matter where a client is located, they will have access to all network resources and expertise.

Contact

For further information on the Ontario Network of Excellence, or to locate your closest entry point into the network, please visit the ONE website at: www.OneInnovation.ca .