Canada has launched its first patent collective to help data-driven clean tech companies understand, generate and strategically use intellectual property in scaling up. The Innovation Asset Collective, backed by $30 million in federal funding, includes a defensive “war chest” to help Canadian SMEs defend their patents in an often predatory global IP marketplace.
Organization: Innovation
The Short Report – Dec 16, 2020: Canada signs historic space treaty, robotic warehouse tech gets a boost, and more
Ingrid Waldron and HealthCareCAN receive top Research Canada advocacy awards, AbCellera’s IPO nearly triples in value on first day of trading, Diversity Institute’s report on the Canadian labour market during the pandemic is out, and an international AI hub specializing in pharmaceutical R&D opens in Montreal.
Federal government must improve “catastrophic” innovation performance, say innovation experts and business groups
Innovation experts and business groups are stepping up calls for the federal government to fix a “weak and out of balance” innovation ecosystem. Canada continues to lag other countries in innovation performance and productivity, according to international indexes.
Ottawa defends innovation performance and initiatives to strengthen ecosystem
Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada, in a detailed response to growing criticisms, defends the federal government’s innovation performance, policies and programs.
Government science must take a comprehensive approach to integrating AI, say experts
Integrating artificial intelligence into research and government is necessary, but requires more attention to ethical, security and data literacy issues, experts told the Canadian Science Policy Centre’s annual conference.
Long-overdue federal laboratories investment heralds new era of collaboration
With the federal government’s new $2.8-billion investment in collaboration centres, Canada’s lacklustre record on stimulating collaboration in the innovation ecosystem is about to change. With a laser-sharp focus on marshalling resources and expertise regardless of their source, the country stands to derive much greater benefits from its investments in science, technology and innovation.
VIDO-InterVac wants $50 million for an additional level 4 biosafety lab to improve pandemic responsiveness
Speeding Canada’s response to future pandemics requires the highest level biosafety lab, facilities for exotic animals and more scientists. VIDO-InterVac is looking to the federal and Saskatchewan governments for funding.
Researchers propose new performance indicators to better measure superclusters’ progress
Canada needs a new set of indicators to more precisely measure the performance of its five superclusters, which would also enable policy-makers and government regulators to improve innovation practices and policies, says a new study by the Montreal-based Institute for Research on Public Policy.
Parliamentary Budget Officer’s pessimistic report on innovation superclusters used outdated data
According to a “preliminary assessment” report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the five federally funded innovation superclusters are unlikely to attain goals for job creation and GDP growth. But the superclusters’ CEOs told Research Money the report is based on outdated data and that it’s too early to assess the superclusters’ long-term outcomes.
Looking back on three years of federal action on IP and tech transfer in Canada
The federal government has created several initiatives since 2018 to bolster new knowledge generation, facilitate commercialization and support technology transfer at post-secondary institutions. Ottawa also has introduced five separate initiatives under Canada’s first-ever National IP Strategy, launched in 2018.