London, amidst a complex configuration

The London hub The University of Western Ontario The Robarts Institute The London Health Research Institute

The C4 Western and its affiliates McMaster and its affiliates Waterloo Guelph Windsor Wilfrid Laurier

Convergence of networks

The C4 Consortium

Founding Members The University of Western OntarioMcMaster UniversityThe University of Guelph The University of Waterloo

Co-Applicants Windsor UniversityLaurier UniversityBrock University

Affiliated The Lawson Health Research InstituteThe Robarts Research InstituteThe Hamilton Health Science CorporationSt Joseph HospitalRidgetown CollegeKemptville CollegeCollege d’Alfred

Feb 6 2005 12:01PM   

Concept

Coordination, Cooperation, Collaboration and Commercialization between member institutions

Sharing of core resources with added efficiency and capacity building

Sharing of best practices and training Balanced approach between articulated points of services at

member institutions Critical mass

Ca $ 720 M R&D expenditures More than 35 % of Ontario thrust 12 % of Canadian effort Over 250 invention disclosures yearly

Genesis and Justification

Facts All institutions are within one hour travel distance from each other There was a high level of natural connectivity at the research-consortia level

Objective Better service to researchers Enhanced results for all institutions Image and brand recognition Attract VC, business activities, connectivity with industry

Expected Results Deal flow improvement Critical mass allowing complementarity for technical and market intelligence Rationalization of resources most difficult and sensitive Attracted funding support from Federal IPM Ca. $ 2.1 M in October 2005 and

Provincial MRI-ORCP Ca. $ 3.9 M in June 2006, doubling our overall tech transfer Budget over 3 years

C4 metrics today

Institution Annual R&D Exp. (Ca millions)

ROI U.S. Patent Filings

Number of Licenses

Number of Spin-offs

Gross Income

(thousands)

McMaster 288 46 27 192 2 1,527

Western and Affiliates

203 81 40 35 5 4,186

Guelph 124 106 34 40 0 1,313

Waterloo 105 8 5 34 2 778

Total 2005 720 241 106 301 9 7,804

Total 2004 538 190 76 218 10 5,357

(AUTM 2005 Survey)

The C4 reality

Governance structure Research strengths Invention potential Commercial potential Expectations

Regional development Spin-offs vs licenses Impact of commercialization - metrics Stories Image

Pre-requisites for success

Is your administration behind your mission ? How much ?

Is the IP Policy an issue ? Network implications

Is your image well positioned ? Are you pro-active ? Partners alignment

Do you have the appropriate resources ? If not, what can you do ? Resource and salary issues

How to manage egos and greed ? Real objectives

The process of distillation…

Mine your inventions Filter them as early as possible Get your researcher excited about it Be transparent as to the next steps Help build the value Keep your focus and that of the researchers Monitoring and reviewing the course is key Can a network be more efficient ?

What one man can invent, another can discover ("Sherlock Holmes")

Industry interactions ?

Your technology is valuable, handle it with care! Help researchers report IP as it gets created Ensure Confidentiality (CDA, NDA…) Insist on Formal Agreements Legal implications may be costly, especially with

student co-inventors TTOs, UILOs or BDOs are facilitators Industry relationship is at stake ! Objectives and

cultures are different; watch out for a balanced approach

IP

Role of a network in enhancing industry interface ?

Networking, not an option

Among professionals: ACCT, AUTM, LES, CAURA…. Best practices News in the trade

Provincially: OnSett, BLEUs, SpringBoard, WestLink Regionally: Business associations, Incubators, Research

Parks, Chambers of Commerce Research networks: interface with researchers and trends Government networks : funding opportunities Angels and Venture Capitalists’ networks Industry networks: CMA, CATA, BioTech….

TechTransfer

ORCP-IPM

IncubationRIN &

ResearchPark

TechAllianceVentureServices

RIN-City

TechAllianceAngel Network

TechAlliance& Ivey

Entrepreneurship101

VCsGrowthWorks

BDC…

C4M@RS

PO

Innovation Environment in Ontario

Take home message

Commercialization is not an option as it is value creation for the technology, the researchers co-inventors, the University and industry

Professionalism is becoming the norm Inter-institutional relationships are more prevalent Industry relationships are manageable Fourth pillars become a reality to reckon with To establish a network make sure of the unequivocal

commitment of stakeholders

Questions

Budget

Expectations

Resources

Changes

The Juggling Act

Discussion

http://www.uwo.ca/industry/