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CMC’s Innovation 360

The emerging global landscape of advanced manufacturing is underpinned by increasingly sophisticated systems architectures, standards and advanced analytics, placing pressure on the post-secondary system to produce the skills the sector relies upon to remain competitive.

Colleges and their graduates are estimated to have contributed more than $190 billion in added income to the Canadian economy in FY14-15 or 12.7% of GDP and are seeking additional support for their research and innovation activities to boost contributions even further.

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) has assembled a team and an advisory committee to help fintech start-ups secure early-stage financing and accelerate time-to-market. The OSC LaunchPad initiative — a first in Canada — debuted this week with a two-year program with the Univ of Toronto’s Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), NEXT Canada and San Francisco-based AngelList to link start-up fintech firms with eligible venture and angel investors.

Staff rejuvenation a priority

Recently installed National Research Council president Iain Stewart has hit the ground running, working to complete an initial stocktaking of the century-old organization by mid-November and deliver a full assessment by mid-2017.

By Debbie Lawes

The first shoe has dropped in the federal government’s plan to implement “bold and innovative ideas” to boost Canada’s lacklustre productivity and competitiveness, with some innovation players cautiously optimistic that the country may finally be on the right path.

Boeing Canada’s R&D outlays may not be large but the firm has an outsized impact on the Canadian economy, talent and technology development and is a good example of lean manufacturing, concludes a forthcoming study.

An interview with Israel’s chief scientist

Canada is negotiating to renew its long-standing industry R&D collaboration with Israel, which has expanded across the country and into sectors such as oil and gas.

A high-profile group of business and academic executives is backing two pilot programs to boost work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities and foster more effective collaboration between academia and companies.

The use of Bitcoin-pioneered technology for the development of future science, technology and innovation (STI) indicators was proposed in a keynote address at the third Blue Sky Forum in Ghent, Belgium last month.

Montreal’s Concordia Univ has launched an aviation think tank to assist industry and policy makers in developing priorities for improving the sector’s sustainability and profitability. Touted as a world first, the think tank will build on the research of Dr Isabelle Dostaler, a management professor with the university’s school of business and guided by an international advisory board to determine strategic direction and research objectives.