Person: Stefan Leslie

The Short Report, July 17, 2019: Frailty, electric vehicles, cloud computing

A new report by the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s World Trade Centre Toronto (WTC-T) argues that the Toronto region needs a better scaleup ecosystem to grow its small and medium enterprises. Titled ”Defying Gravity: Building a Scaleup Ecosystem,” the report claims that the region provides ample support to tech startups through its numerous accelerators…

MEOPAR to increase focus on partner needs as part of $28.5 million renewal

The MEOPAR Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE) has been renewed for another five years, including additional funding to implement a research plan that directly responds to the needs of partners and end-users. The Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR) received $28.5 million from the ‘classic’ NCE program that will leverage an equal amount in cash and in-kind from an array of academic, non-profit, industry and government partners who also have a stake in better understanding and mitigate marine risks and hazards.

Dr John Hepburn

Dr John Hepburn has been appointed VP research at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), replacing interim VP Dr Denis Therien and Dr Pecca Sinervo who left the position last October. Hepburn begins his new duties in June once he steps down as VP research and international at the Univ of British Columbia, a…

Dr Kim Matheson

Dr Kim Matheson has been selected to head up the new Canadian Health Adaptations, Innovations & Mobilization (CHAIM) Centre at Carleton Univ. As director, Matheson will guide the multidisciplinary centre’s research into the health of Canadians in a political, cultural, social, and environmental context, along with the health legislation, policies, regulations, and health funding structures.…

Ben Bergen

Ben Bergen has been appointed executive director of the Council of Canadian Innovators, a new advocacy group dedicated to representing the interests of mid-sized tech firms and their ability to successfully scale up. Bergen was previously executive assistant to Chrystia Freeland, minister of International Trade. Prior to that, he an advisor to then Transportation minister…

Frederic Ors

Frederic Ors has been appointed CEO of Immunovaccine Inc, a Halifax-based developer of cancer immunotherapies and infectious diseases vaccines. Bergen was Immunovaccine’s chief business officer and was acting CEO for the past month. He heads the firm as it transitions from an R&D-centric firm to one focused on commercialization. Prior to joining the firm, Ors…