Building Innovation Networks: The Role of Universities

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Building Innovation NetworksThe Role of
Universities

• Mike Szarka
• Manager of Technology Transfer
  Commercialization
• UOIT

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The Role of Universities in Innovation Networks

• What is happening at YOUR university?
• Why partner with universities on research?
• What are the things that universities CANT do
  well?
• A path forward?

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UOIT A brief history

• Announced with seed money on May 9, 2001 in the
  Provincial Budget
• Bill 109, an Act to Establish the University of
  Ontario Institute of Technology, was passed by
  the Ontario Legislature on June 27, 2002
• First four-year degree classes graduated in May
  2007

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The Mission of the University
To provide undergraduate and postgraduate
university programs that are innovative and
responsive to the individual needs of students
and to the market-driven needs of employers
Advance the highest quality of research
Contribute to the advancement of Ontario and
Canadawith particular focus on Durham Region and
Northumberland County Offer programs with a view
to creating opportunities for college graduates
to complete a university degree
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Academic Units

• Faculty of Business and Information Technology
• Faculty of Criminology, Justice and Policy
  Studies
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
• School of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Science

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Big Science

• Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) Partnership
  with GM Canada as part of their 2.5 billion
  Beacon Project
• New 58 million facility at UOIT for advanced
  design and engineering
• New 24 million temperature controlled wind
  tunnel (largest of its kind in Canada)

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Cameco Research Chair

• 1.5 million project, expanded proposal recently
  submitted
• Corrosion and fluorine production
• Automation/Robotics
• Waste management

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Research of Interest to Manufacturers

• IT security
• Wireless and telecommunications
• High-performance computing and modelling
• Energy (including nuclear)
• Corrosion
• Robotics, automation and controls
• Automotive systems, vibration and noise
• Engineering design
• Manufacturing and materials
• Fluid mechanics

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Industrial Research Collaborations

• GM
• Web in Motion
• Three Wise Men
• Canada Rubber
• Oshawa PUC
• Messier-Dowty
• Bell Canada
• MDF Mechanical
• GE Plastics
• Marnoch Thermal Power
• BRIC Engineered Systems
• Veridian
• E.I. Williams
• AECL
• OPG
• Cameco
• Zircatec
• NWMO

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UOIT Technology Transfer

• Technology Transfer office established September
  2005
• Mike Szarka hired to establish office after three
  years at OCE and six at UofT
• Szanne McNutt joined June 2007
• Significant commitment to innovation at a young
  institution!

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• OPIC established in partnership with Ryerson,
  Trent, Brock, Laurentian, Nipissing, Lakehead
• Funding from NSERC IPM and ORCP to create larger
  virtual TT office
• Broad range of expertise
• Demonstration project fund
• Coordinated educational events

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UOIT Technology Transfer

• First eighteen months
• Thirteen invention disclosures
• Four demonstration projects funded
• One OCE market readiness project funded
• One start-up company created, another two under
  discussion
• One issued patent and three patent applications
  under management

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UOIT Technology Transfer

• Plastic wood
• Hotlink optimizer
• SPSS assistant
• Koolplate
• Micro heat engine
• Rotational molding
• Stability analysis
• Engine design
• Handicapped door entry system

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Why Partner with a University?

• Facilities
• People
• Fresh perspectives
• Low cost
• Huge leverage
• Consider a modest investment of 27,000 by a
  company to a university project

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Leverage Opportunities in University Partnerships

• Sample budget

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Leverage Opportunities in University Partnerships

• Add leverage from OCE

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Leverage Opportunities in University Partnerships

• Add leverage from NSERC

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Leverage Opportunities in University Partnerships

• But wait, theres more
• The industry contributions are still eligible for
  the SRED tax credit, so about 20k or more will
  come back. So for only a few thousand dollars
  out-of-pocket you get
• Three B.Sc. engineers/scientists
• One Ph.D. researcher
• One professor (who isnt even in the budget)
• Access to the universitys equipment and
  facilities
• BEAT THAT!

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Other Benefits

• Interacting with new graduates and students
  (recruitment)
• Internships and student projects
• Windows into the wider community

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Other Resources

• Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)
• NRC-IRAP
• SRED

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When NOT to work with a University

• Very short projects that need to be done very
  quickly
• When absolute secrecy must be maintained (i.e. no
  patenting)
• The university may still be able to help through
  consulting agreements

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A Path Forward?

• This country is doing dismally in the critically
  important area of innovation Anne Golden,
  President, Conference Board of Canada in Globe
  Mail June 13

• 1 Switzerland A
• 2 Sweden B
• 3 Finland B
• 4 United States B
• 5 Germany B
• 6 Netherlands C
• 7 Britain C
• 8 Belgium C
• 9 Denmark C
• 10 Ireland C
• 11 Japan C
• 12 Austria D
• 13 France D
• 14 CANADA D
• 15 Norway D
• 16 Australia D
• 17 Italy D

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A Path Forward?

• Ontario is one of the best places in the world to
  do RD
• Collaborations start with people
• Relationships
• Networking
• Synergies
• Networks are broadband
• Universities can serve as a hub for an innovation
  network

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Dr. Mike Szarka Manager, Technology Transfer
Commercialization Phone [phone]
x2523 E-mail mike.szarka_at_uoit.ca