Organization: MaRS Discovery District

Aging and innovation: the future is older

Growing old is not for sissies, and neither is the policy debate that goes with it. You are going to get older, whether you like it or not. And whether you like it, says futurist Zayna Khayat, will depend on how we define health care innovation.

Canada growing more $1-billion “unicorn” companies, global startup ecosystem report shows

More Canadian companies are remaining in Canada to grow “unicorns” (firms with a $1-billion or more valuation) rather than selling early to foreign entities, according to data in Startup Genome’s 2022 Global Startup Ecosystem Report. Meanwhile, in Atlantic Canada the number of startups slowed for the second year in a row, according to a separate report by Nova Scotia-based Entrevestor.

The Short Report – June 22, 2022: A big investment in CCRM’s OmniaBio, feds seek to advance digital charter, forging a new oil sands alliance, launching a climate impact accelerator, and more.

South Korea’s Medipost acquires OmniaBio for contract development and manufacturing; Ottawa introduces legislation to bolster trust in the digital economy; a new oil sands alliance combines Canada’s three major oil producers, KPMG Canada and MaRS Discovery District launch a climate impact accelerator program, and more.

MaRS innovation hub hits pause on plan to expand to Calgary

The Toronto-based MaRS Discovery District innovation hub has hit the “pause button” on expanding to Calgary after more than a year of discussions with the University of Calgary and other players in Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. However, MaRS says it will continue working with and supporting Alberta companies during the scale-up stage from its Toronto base.

The Short Report – May 5, 2021: Federal government invests in vaccine uptake, Carleton U embarks on aging project, $5 million for new ocean supercluster projects, and more

This week in The Short Report, the Canadian Association of Science Centres receives funding to address vaccine misinformation while U of T targets strategies to reduce fear of needles; the University of Alberta receives industry funding to bolster wheat-breeding capacity, the Rideau Hall Foundation recognizes excellence in innovation, and more.

Calgary wants MaRS to complement its innovation ecosystem, not add competition

Toronto-based MaRS Discovery District has proposed expanding some of its innovation components to Calgary. However, key players involved in exploratory talks say the $60-million “MaRS West” initiative will need to complement, not compete with, Calgary’s existing innovation entities and ecosystem.