Building Innovation Networks: The Role of Universities

Building Innovation Networks:Building Innovation Networks:The Role of UniversitiesThe Role of Universities

Mike SzarkaMike SzarkaManager of Technology Transfer & Manager of Technology Transfer &

CommercializationCommercializationUOITUOIT

The Role of Universities in The Role of Universities in Innovation NetworksInnovation Networks

What is happening at What is happening at YOUR university?YOUR university?

Why partner with Why partner with universities on universities on research?research?

What are the things that What are the things that universities CAN’T do universities CAN’T do well?well?

A path forward?A path forward?

Announced with seed Announced with seed money on May 9, 2001 in money on May 9, 2001 in the Provincial Budgetthe Provincial Budget

Bill 109, an Act to Bill 109, an Act to Establish the University of Establish the University of Ontario Institute of Ontario Institute of Technology, was passed by Technology, was passed by the Ontario Legislature on the Ontario Legislature on June 27, 2002June 27, 2002

First four-year degree First four-year degree classes graduated in May classes graduated in May 20072007

UOIT: A brief historyUOIT: A brief history

The Mission of the UniversityTo 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 Canada…with particular focus on Durham Region and Northumberland County

Offer programs with a view to creating opportunities for college graduates to complete a university degree

Academic UnitsAcademic Units Faculty of Business and Faculty of Business and

Information TechnologyInformation Technology Faculty of Criminology, Faculty of Criminology,

Justice and Policy Justice and Policy StudiesStudies

Faculty of EducationFaculty of Education Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Engineering

and Applied Science and Applied Science School of Energy School of Energy

Systems and Nuclear Systems and Nuclear ScienceScience

Faculty of Health Faculty of Health SciencesSciences

Faculty of ScienceFaculty of Science

Big ScienceBig Science Automotive Centre of Automotive Centre of

Excellence (ACE) Partnership Excellence (ACE) Partnership with GM Canada as part of with GM Canada as part of their $2.5 billion Beacon their $2.5 billion Beacon ProjectProject

New $58 million facility at New $58 million facility at UOIT for advanced design and UOIT for advanced design and engineeringengineering

New $24 million temperature New $24 million temperature controlled wind tunnel (largest controlled wind tunnel (largest of its kind in Canada)of its kind in Canada)

Cameco Research ChairCameco Research Chair

• $1.5 million project, expanded proposal recently submitted

• Corrosion and fluorine production

• Automation/Robotics

• Waste management

Research of Interest to Research of Interest to ManufacturersManufacturers

IT securityIT security Wireless and Wireless and

telecommunicationstelecommunications High-performance computing High-performance computing

and modellingand modelling Energy (including nuclear)Energy (including nuclear) CorrosionCorrosion Robotics, automation and Robotics, automation and

controlscontrols Automotive systems, vibration Automotive systems, vibration

and noiseand noise Engineering designEngineering design Manufacturing and materialsManufacturing and materials Fluid mechanicsFluid mechanics

Industrial Research CollaborationsIndustrial Research Collaborations GMGM Web in MotionWeb in Motion Three Wise MenThree Wise Men Canada RubberCanada Rubber Oshawa PUCOshawa PUC Messier-DowtyMessier-Dowty Bell CanadaBell Canada MDF MechanicalMDF Mechanical GE PlasticsGE Plastics Marnoch Thermal PowerMarnoch Thermal Power BRIC Engineered SystemsBRIC Engineered Systems VeridianVeridian E.I. WilliamsE.I. Williams AECLAECL OPGOPG CamecoCameco ZircatecZircatec NWMONWMO

• Technology Transfer office Technology Transfer office established September established September 20052005

• Mike Szarka hired to Mike Szarka hired to establish office after three establish office after three years at OCE and six at UofTyears at OCE and six at UofT

• Szanne McNutt joined June Szanne McNutt joined June 20072007

• Significant commitment to Significant commitment to innovation at a young innovation at a young institution!institution!

UOIT Technology TransferUOIT Technology Transfer

• OPIC established in partnership with OPIC established in partnership with Ryerson, Trent, Brock, Laurentian, Ryerson, Trent, Brock, Laurentian, Nipissing, LakeheadNipissing, Lakehead

• Funding from NSERC IPM and ORCP to Funding from NSERC IPM and ORCP to create larger virtual TT officecreate larger virtual TT office

• Broad range of expertiseBroad range of expertise• Demonstration project fundDemonstration project fund• Coordinated educational eventsCoordinated educational events

First eighteen months:First eighteen months:• Thirteen invention Thirteen invention

disclosuresdisclosures• Four demonstration projects Four demonstration projects

fundedfunded• One OCE market readiness One OCE market readiness

project fundedproject funded• One start-up company One start-up company

created, another two under created, another two under discussiondiscussion

• One issued patent and three One issued patent and three patent applications under patent applications under managementmanagement


• Plastic woodPlastic wood• Hotlink optimizerHotlink optimizer• SPSS assistantSPSS assistant• KoolplateKoolplate• Micro heat engineMicro heat engine• Rotational moldingRotational molding• Stability analysisStability analysis• Engine designEngine design• Handicapped door entry systemHandicapped door entry system


Why Partner with a University?Why Partner with a University?

FacilitiesFacilities PeoplePeople Fresh perspectivesFresh perspectives Low costLow cost Huge leverageHuge leverage Consider a modest investment of Consider a modest investment of

$27,000 by a company to a $27,000 by a company to a university projectuniversity project

Leverage Opportunities in Leverage Opportunities in University PartnershipsUniversity Partnerships

Sample budget:Sample budget:

ItemItem Industry CashIndustry Cash

Graduate StudentGraduate Student $20,000$20,000

University University OverheadOverhead

$7,000$7,000

TotalTotal $27,000$27,000


Add leverage from OCE:Add leverage from OCE:

ItemItem Industry Industry CashCash

Industry Industry In-kindIn-kind

OCE cashOCE cash TotalTotal

Grad StudentGrad Student $20,000$20,000 $20,000$20,000

Post-DocPost-Doc $40,000$40,000 $40,000$40,000

Industry time, Industry time, materialsmaterials

$27,000$27,000 $27,000$27,000

University O/HUniversity O/H $7,000$7,000 $14,000$14,000 $21,000$21,000

TotalTotal $27,000$27,000 $27,000$27,000 $54,000$54,000 $108,000$108,000


Add leverage from NSERC:Add leverage from NSERC:

ItemItem Industry Industry CashCash

Industry Industry In-kindIn-kind

OCE OCE CashCash

NSERC NSERC CashCash

TotalTotal

Three Grad Three Grad StudentsStudents

$20,000$20,000 $40,000$40,000 $60,000$60,000

Post-DocPost-Doc $40,000$40,000 $40,000$40,000

Ind. time, Ind. time, materialsmaterials

$27,000$27,000 $27,000$27,000

University University O/HO/H

$7,000$7,000 $14,000$14,000 $21,000$21,000

TotalTotal $27,000$27,000 $27,000$27,000 $54,000$54,000 $40,000$40,000 $148,000$148,000


But wait, there’s more…But wait, there’s more…

The industry contributions are The industry contributions are stillstill eligible for the eligible for the SR&ED tax credit, so about $20k or more will come SR&ED tax credit, so about $20k or more will come back. So for only a few thousand dollars out-of-back. So for only a few thousand dollars out-of-pocket you get:pocket you get:

1.1. Three B.Sc. engineers/scientists Three B.Sc. engineers/scientists 2.2. One Ph.D. researcherOne Ph.D. researcher3.3. One professor (who isn’t even in the One professor (who isn’t even in the

budget) budget) 4.4. Access to the university’s equipment and Access to the university’s equipment and

facilitiesfacilities

BEAT THAT!BEAT THAT!

Other BenefitsOther Benefits Interacting with Interacting with

new graduates new graduates and students and students (recruitment)(recruitment)

Internships and Internships and student projectsstudent projects

Windows into the Windows into the wider communitywider community

Other ResourcesOther Resources

Ontario Centres Ontario Centres of Excellence of Excellence (OCE)(OCE)

NRC-IRAPNRC-IRAP SR&EDSR&ED

When NOT to work with a When NOT to work with a UniversityUniversity

Very short projects Very short projects that need to be done that need to be done very quicklyvery quickly

When absolute When absolute secrecy must be secrecy must be maintained (i.e. no maintained (i.e. no patenting)patenting)

The university may The university may still be able to help still be able to help through consulting through consulting agreementsagreements

A Path Forward?A Path Forward? ““This country is This country is

doing dismally doing dismally in the critically in the critically important area important area of innovationof innovation” – ” – Anne Golden, Anne Golden, President, President, Conference Conference Board of Canada Board of Canada in in Globe & MailGlobe & Mail June 13 June 13

1 Switzerland A2 Sweden B3 Finland B4 United States B5 Germany B6 Netherlands C7 Britain C8 Belgium C9 Denmark C10 Ireland C11 Japan C12 Austria D13 France D14 CANADA D15 Norway D16 Australia D17 Italy D

A Path Forward?A Path Forward? Ontario is one of the Ontario is one of the

best places in the best places in the world to do R&Dworld to do R&D

Collaborations start Collaborations start with peoplewith people• RelationshipsRelationships• NetworkingNetworking• SynergiesSynergies

Networks are Networks are “broadband”“broadband”

Universities can serve Universities can serve as a hub for an as a hub for an innovation networkinnovation network

Dr. Mike SzarkaManager, Technology Transfer &CommercializationPhone (905) 721-8668 x2523E-mail: [email protected]

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Building Innovation Networks: The Role of Universities