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reports and analyses of the forces driving science and technology investment in Canada
editor: Mark Henderson How it looks to me.... by Mark Henderson FEATURE REPORTS | RESEARCH BRIEFS | PERSONALITIES How it looks to me.... by Mark Henderson, editor, RE$EARCH MONEY It's heartening to see the R&D investment of Canada's innovative business community reflected in the latest estimates by Statistics Canada (see story). At a time when federal support for R&D is in decline, the business sector is significantly boosting its collective R&D commitment, helping to raise Canada's GERD/ GDP ratio a notch. Therefore, it's disconcerting to see that the increased outlays of the private sector are not translating into more support for university research. Yet another StatsCan report (link to item) reveals that business support for the higher education sector is stagnant and actually falling -- a potent indication that repeated calls for enhanced industry-university interaction are not working. The situation poses a challenge to policy makers -- and leaders in the research and business communities -- to finds ways to drive home the importance of collaboration between the so-called Two Solitudes. Next month's Third Annual Symposium on University-Industry Synergy R&D Collaboration in Richmond BC is the perfect place to debate such issues, and develop solutions for overcoming existing barriers. Only by fostering effective, mutually beneficial relationships can industry be assured of the technology and skills it requires to move ahead. The solutions exist and need only to be applied.
FEATURE REPORTS...
INDUSTRY CANADA SET TO BROADEN R&D
BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY PLACES CHROMOS ON FAST TRACK WITH $11-MILLION PRIVATE PLACEMENT AND PENDING PARTNERSHIPS US R&D SET TO MAKE UP FOR LOST GROUND AS HOUSE AND SENATE PROPOSAL SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL FUNDING INCREASES
APOPTOGEN GUNNING FOR ALLIANCE WITH PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED VENTURE CAPITAL FUND MAKES FIRST INVESTMENTS IN THREE INNOVATIVE FIRMS
STATISTICS CANADA ESTIMATES CANADA's
INCREASES IN HIGHER EDUCATION R&D EXPENDITURES
RESEARCH BRIEFS
Canada Foundation for Innovation releases Green Paper The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has released its so-called "green paper" outlining the federal endowment's mandate, grants program, eligibility criteria and the institutional reserve set aside for smaller universities. The paper is designed to provide potential applicants with the details of the program, established earlier this year with $800 million in government funding (R$, March 12/97 & R$, July 30/97). Copies of the document can be obtained at the CFI website: www.innovation.ca....
Newbridge scores major BT deal, boosts R&D expenditures Newbridge Networks Corp's alliance last year with Siemens AG scored its first major achievement with its selection as a supplier of a broadband multiservice platform to BT PLC (British Telecom). The deal will make BT the first large service provider to implement asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology in its core network. The announcement was made just prior to Newbridge's recent AGM, where it reported revenue of $1,377 million -- another milestone for the Kanata ON-based designer and manufacturer of communications equipment. The company also reported R&D spending of $155.3 million, net of investment tax credits and amortization, which would boost company-funded R&D to $185.8 million.
BioSignal enters alliance with Packard BioScience Packard BioScience Co, Meriden CT, has taken an equity interest in Montreal- based BioSignal Inc and entered into a three-year R&D, US$2.5 million, supply and distribution agreement. The buy-in gives Packard a 19.8% stake in BioSignal with options for an additional investment to increase equity to 35%. Under the alliance, the two firms will combine technologies to development commercialize technology platforms for high-throughput screening of drug candidates and for functional analysis of novel genes discovered under the Human Genome Project....
ARC to leverage NRC expertise in material processing expertise The Alberta Research Council (ARC) is collaborating with the NRC's Industrial Materials Institute (IMI) to deliver the latter's materials processing expertise to the Western Canada plastics industry. Under the agreement, ARC will tap into IMI's process design and optimization software for industrial injection molding, blow molding and thermoforming, which can diagnose defects and simulate shrinkage, warpage and a variety of performance analyses. IMI's computer technology knowledge will bolstered by ARC's strengths in product development and certification. Together, the research organizations anticipate considerable savings for the Western Canada plastics industry, which contributed $414 million in manufacturing shipments in 1995. By using the new software, firms can avoid costly trial and error techniques during the product development phase....
BCRI spin-off receives $1.75 million in equity financing The BC Working Opportunity Fund and the Business Development Bank of Canada's venture capital division have provided $1.75 million in equity financing to Vancouver's Silvagen Inc, a two-year-old firm created and spun off by the BC Research Institute to commercialize its somatic embryogenesis process for selective reforestation. The technologies facilitate the use of superior tree stocks for reforestation, providing faster overall growth rates and productivity, increased disease resistance and improved environmental stress resistance. The financing will be used by Silvagen to accelerate production and marketing of its technologies in local and international markets....
Narrowband and CSA team for trucking communications system Burnaby BC's Narrowband Telecommunications Research Inc will match funds from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for a $860,000 project to develop a mobile satellite communications system for transport trucks. The on-board data communications system will allow a trucking firm's central dispatch to track its fleet and cargo by satellite throughout North America. Rigs would be outfitted with a satellite terminal and antenna. The CSA is providing the matching funds under its international mobile satellite communications program....
Nortel to explore environmentally sustainable design technologies Northern Telecom Ltd and Environment Canada have agreed to spend $1.2 million on a research project to explore environmentally friendly design technologies leading to sustainable design and production practices through the entire product life cycle. Nortel will pick up $950,000 of the tab for the research, which it hopes to use to develop telephones with environmental features. Environment Canada intends to use to the project to promote the concepts of eco-efficiency and sustainable products to Canadian industry....
Aerospace Research Technologies receives $5 million from Sofinov Sofinov has invested $5 million in Aerospace Research Technologies Inc (ART), a developer and marketer specializing in electro-optical infrared and computer engineering. With the financing, Sofinov takes a 8% interest in ART, joining other shareholders SPEQ (41%), the management group (33%) and other private investors (18%). ART has already developed an infrared screening inspection system for the electronic circuitry production sector and has an other application for the medial equipment field in advanced development. ART has its headquarters and production facilities in St Laurent PQ's Technoparc and offices in Dayton OH....
H-P Canada 's measurements operation in Edmonton to close Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Ltd is closing the Edmonton facility of its communications measurements division while expanding operations at its the division's Vancouver and Montreal sites. The division is part of the parent's test and measurement organization. The Canadian operation is responsible for the design, development, manufacturing and marketing of test systems for worldwide communications networks. The 128 affected employees are eligible for transfers within H-P....
IRAP pumps $550,000 into PROCREA Biosciences The NRC's Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) has awarded $350,000 to Montreal-based PROCREA Biosciences Inc, a private infertility research and treatment centre specializing in the genetic and infertility aspects of reproductive medicine. The grant will support research into endometriosis, a condition in which the tissue from the interior wall of the uterus forms outside the uterine cavity....
Neptec to provide equipment for International Space Station Neptec Design Ltd, Kanata ON, has won a $3.9 million contract to provide flight and ground support units and related equipment for the Canadian Space Vision System (CSVS). A real-time photogrammetric tool, CSVS was developed by the National Research Council in collaboration with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency. It uses video cameras as sensors to assist astronauts in guiding objects in space and is part of the Canadian contribution to the International Space Station....
PERSONALITIES
Dr John McDougall has been appointed managing director and CEO of the Alberta Research Council (ARC), assuming the reins from interim managing director Dr George Miller and filling the void created by the departure of Dr Brian Barge (R$, February 7/96). McDougall brings considerable industry and technology expertise to Canada's largest provincial research organization. Most recently, he was president and managing partner of DALCOR Companies and COO of McDougall Secord. He has also held the Ernest E and Gertrude Poole chair in management for engineers at the Univ of Alberta since 1991, providing leadership in the development and teaching of communications, management and business skills in the faculties of business and engineering. McDougall's past experience with ARC includes a six-year stint on its board of directors and a term as chair of the board's executive committee. He obtained a BSc in civil engineering and pursued graduate studies in environmental engineering at the Univ of Alberta....Dr David Cox has been appointed president and COO of Synsorb Biotech Inc. He moves to the Calgary-based firm from Apotex Fermentation Inc, where he held the positions of president and CEO. At Apotex, Cox was responsible for R&D and manufacturing of bulk active pharmaceutical products. Former Synsorb president Dr Brad Thompson retains his position as CEO and assumes the position of board chairman, replacing Peter Campbell who remains as a company director.... Robert White has been appointed chief technology office of vision.com, a consortium of Canadian cable companies mandated to research and develop new products and services in the areas of digital television, telecommunications and Internet access. He will managing technical issues, R&D and standards development. White moves from Telequity, a telecommunications corporate development services firm where he served as president....
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