cri 5th anniversay background

The Centre for Research & Innovation (CRI)

This successful model was developed after careful consideration by PREDA and the College in consultation with regional business leaders, innovators, technical experts, economic development agencies and service providers.

The CRI is a partnership of Grande Prairie Regional College’s Integrated Research Unit and Peace Region Economic Development Alliance’s The Innovation Network.

Centre 2000

GPRC

The Centre for a Network of regional researchers and innovators; and

The Model for Regional(Rural) Innovation.

CRI Vision

Annual Revenue, ExpensePeriod April 1 to March 31

2007 - 08 2008 - 09 2009 - 10 2010 - 11 2011 - 12$0

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

Total Revenue

Total Expenses

Base Line

Annual Revenue TrendsPeriod April 1 to March 31

2007 - 08 2008 - 09 2009 - 10 2010 - 11 2011 - 12$0

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000RADF RevenueOther Revenue

1. Centre for Research & Innovation

VisionThe Center for a Network of regional

researchers and innovators; and The Model for Rural Innovation

Mixed staffing model• Employees • Contracted consultants• Volunteers (ambassadors)

Funding (2010-2011 $2.4 m Revenue vs. $2.1 m Expenses)

• Operating Funds: AET/AI-TF & RADF & clients • Research Funds: Industry / NSERC – CCI / CFI

application • Project funds (IRAP, PREDA, others)

The Centre of a Network of Regional Researchers and Innovators

2. Culture of Innovation

Regional Entrepreneurs & Innovators• ~40% patent requests from 5% population

(2005)• More patents per capita than half of

Canadian Provinces • Grande Prairie #1 in Canada for

entrepreneurship (2010) [was #2 – 2009]Innovation AwardsAwareness Programs• Advertizing campaign• Destination Imagination (schools)

‘. . . The Model for rural innovation

Innovation Ambassador Program

Developed by:

Rural Service Model – service first

GPRC: Fairview College Campus

GPRC:Grande Prairie Campus

Centre 2000 Chamber of Commerce

Peace RiverCommunity Futures Peace Country

So . . . What is working?

Working together is success “One-stop-shop for SMEs”

Sirolli Model (2003)• Production

– ‘Making the product’

• Marketing– ‘Selling the product’

• Business Management– ‘Keeping the books’

ManagerPromoter

Entrepreneur

Innovator

Timmins Model (2009)

Business Skills

Cre

ati

vity

Models:

Innovator & entrepreneur services

http://www.innovationexpert.net/

Principles:

• Do not tell clients what to do EXCEPT IP

• Do not market clients’ products for them

• Ensure we maintain climate of non-disclosure and confidentiality

• Avoid conflicts of interest (self and among clients)

• Use a variety of models and approaches

Innovator & entrepreneur services

3. Innovation ServicesInventor management services

1. Intellectual Property Assessment and Management

2. Prototype Development 3. Idea Assessment and Management4. Investor Readiness5. Mentoring/Coaching6. Workshops (eight topics)7. Market Analysis GPRC: Fairview College

Campus

GPRC:Grande Prairie Campus

Centre 2000 Chamber of Commerce

Peace RiverCommunity Futures Peace Country

Regional Service Points

Our Model

‘one-stop-shop’ for SMEs

3. Innovation Services

GPRC: Fairview College Campus

GPRC:Grande Prairie Campus

Centre 2000 Chamber of Commerce

Peace RiverCommunity Futures Peace Country

February 2012 Innovation Services Report

Centre for Research & Innovation Client Summary as at February 29, 2012 Clients Inquiry IP Workshops Celebrations TotalApr 2007 - June 2008 41 0 7 19 0 67July 2008 - June 2009 65 0 66 50 43 224July 2009 - June 2010 73 8 72 458 111 722July 2010 - June 2011 27 69 54 118 72 340July 2011 - Feb 2012 28 15 37 110 0 190

234 92 236 755 226 1543

Programs:

1. Idea Assessment and Management

• work with clients to help them define problems, filter ideas and create solutions. CRI staff works with clients to assess new product development & innovation-based business strategies, clarify ideas and develop work plans designed to move their ventures forward.

• CRI’s strength is its knowledgeable path-finding services and contacts into local and regional networks offering marketing, engineering, investment readiness and management expertise.

Innovator & entrepreneur services

Patents applied/100,000 population

Productivity (2009)• Productivity AB tools

The Webtool (2003)

• Idea• Will it Work?

• Is it Feasible?– prototype

• Is it Viable?– financial

• Implementation

1. Idea Assessment and Management

Assessment Tools

Programs:

Innovator & entrepreneur services

2. Intellectual Property Assessment and Management

• help clients assess and manage their intellectual property inquiries.

• The CRI uses both internal and external expertise (IP Lawyer) to work with clients.

Thompson Woodruff

Programs:

3. Investor Readiness • advises innovators,

entrepreneurs and SMEs on accessing money for the development of their new product development ideas and innovation-based company growth plans.

• The CRI works with clients to assist them on how to “prepare the pitch” and offers them access to an Investment Readiness group for investment feedback and potential introductions to investors.

Innovator & entrepreneur services

4. Prototype Development Services

• assists inventors/innovators, entrepreneurs and SMEs with their prototype development and testing across a wide range of industry sectors and technical areas.

• The CRI uses both internal and external expertise for designing & developing prototype systems, processes and products, and analyzing & testing new technologies.

Programs:

“The CRI are an understanding group that understand the needs and requirements of a start-up

company and channel activities in appropriate

ways.”-Paul Dagesse, Founder and CEORhinokore Composites Ltd.

Innovator & entrepreneur services

5. Mentoring/Coaching • provides clients with

assistance and advice on various aspects of their innovation-based business endeavors.

• CRI uses internal expertise and brings together experienced industry leaders to provide valuable input to clients as needed.

Programs:

"I only wish that I'd run into CRI earlier. They're

a tremendous ally!"

-David Forseth, President Cataflow Technologies Inc.

Innovator & entrepreneur services

6. Market Analysis • works with clients by

providing advice on marketing, sales and distribution of new innovation products and services.

• CRI uses internal and external expertise to access intelligence and contacts through a network of Market Intermediaries in the region and beyond.

Programs:

Innovator & entrepreneur services

← Janet Plante – Blue Collar Consulting:Market mentoring for 2nd Base Originals →

Programs:

7. Learning Opportunities • engaged in a host of learning opportunities via

applied research, business training and demonstration projects on innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.

• CRI topics include for example: Idea to Implementation: The Innovation Workshop; Researching Products and Markets; Critical Marketing Techniques; Investment Capital; Intellectual Property 101; Inventors Workshop; Market Intermediaries, Foresight Scenario Planning.

• Hosted topics include: SR&ED, AMFI, AB Government program information sessions

Innovator & entrepreneur services

Innovation Workshops (new and refurbished)

Idea to Implementation – The Innovation Workshop (I2I)“In this workshop, participants will be guided through the steps of the new

product development process.”Researching Products & Markets (RPM) “Where the marketing process begins – an introduction to the importance of product and market research”Critical Marketing Techniques (CMT)

“This workshop will help you apply key marketing techniques to your own product idea. You will leave knowing what your next steps should be.” Marketing Competitive Intelligence (MCI) Series

- series of external workshops: Duct Tape Marketing, Eureka Ranch ; tba]

Innovation Workshops (new and refurbished)

Equity Capital Workshop (ECW)“This workshop provides information on the types of investment capital; the

application of that capital at every stage of the development process, and tips on how to access it!”Intellectual Property Management (IP 101)

“If you do not routinely protect all of your business assets with patents, copyrights and trademarks - what’s to stop someone from using them? This workshop addresses why you should make intellectual property protection a standard operating procedure!”

Innovation Ambassador Training (IAT)“Obtaining the training you require in order to be a confident Innovation Ambassador and or be a more informed (about innovation) Advisory Team member”

CRI Clients

“Everyone talks about innovation but what I don’t think people understand is the process involved in innovation.  To me you have to think about 3 other words that are linked  and cannot be separated from the word INNOVATION  and they are CHANGE, FEAR AND TRUST. 

You cannot have innovation without the recognition that change is needed.  But for most people it is fear that will break the link in the chain that is needed to move forward. 

Until a few years ago I never considered myself an innovator so the fear that myself, and other innovators I’m sure must feel is at times a major hurdle to overcome.  This fear is a fear of criticism, financial failure, embarrassment in the community, failing your family, colleagues and fear of failure itself.  

So without gaining the feeling of  trust and acceptance from  somewhere you cannot overcome the fear.  Trust takes time to build and I believe that the CRI is a place I can trust to discuss freely the ideas and concepts in order to innovate.“

Randy Galbreath – Stratus Pipelines Ltd. Grande Prairie

CRI Innovation Award Recipient – System Change

Client Quotes

• “Your team (at the CRI) has provided our business with more support than we could have ever imagined! Thank you so much!"

- Julie Boucher NordicPac Ltd.• The innovation voucher program helped us to establish

our new brand (The WoodPad Inc.), create a marketing plan, develop a number of our glulam timberframe product designs and drawings complete with engineering sign-off.

Julie Boucher, President The WoodPad Inc.

Client Quotes

• The CRI has been instrumental in helping me network with the right people in the industry to challenge some of my thought processes, develop my ideas from paper to prototype to patent “pending” and of course fund and assist funding.Richard VanderZee – OnTrack Supplies & Equipment –

Grande Prairie AB.

Client Quotes• "Through the CRI with the Innovation Voucher

Program, Endeavour Equipment was able to take our conceptual design to a prototype stage. The CRI had the services, network & expertise to ensure this challenging transition was handled efficiently & professionally while meeting our requirements with a personalized approach. I recommend the CRI's professional innovation services to business of any size & any field of work..."

Adam Corfe, VP, Endeavour Equipment Inc.

2nd Base Originals is a web based business

offering creative & fashionable accessories for

breast cancer survivors.

“Wow what can we say... we met you (CRI) when we had hit a brick wall. We had a great idea and followed it through as far as we could and then stalled because we had no idea how to proceed. Left to our own, we may have given up… You provided us with sound professional advice on marketing and production and patenting. You encouraged us to harness our enthusiasm and believed in us which still carries us through this new adventure. - Katherine Fleming Co CEO 2nd Base Originals

About the Centre for Research & Innovation…

Intel Energy Systems Ltd.

Intel Energy SystemsIntel Energy Systems provides renewable energy generation systems for homes, commercial, industrial and public sector. Their hybrid solar wind generation system can provide greater than 100 per cent of the electricity required to run a house or a commercial building.

CRI Service provided: innovation voucherSam Perera

CRI Client Randy Hanson

The most reliable, economical, ‘start it & forget it’ Heat Trace System on the market!

"I only wish that I'd run into CRI earlier. They're a tremendous ally!"

- David Forseth, President Cataflow

Technologies Inc.

The Cataflow system is a flameless, self-powered hydronic heating system, designed to operate away from the power grid.

Perfect for flow lines, pipelines, well heads and BOP’s.

Recent CRI Client – Kim Kinderwater with his prototypes

A number of different sources and surveys tell us that innovation in the Peace is rates near the highest per capita in all of Canada. That is a “warm and fuzzy” statistic to know, but since I have lived here most my life, it seems quite normal to me. I have always known someone who is tinkering with something to come up with a better way. Why wouldn’t we look for a better way? It may make life easier and besides, exploration is fun!

Applied Research Update

Pollutants to Products (P2P)Concept – Reframes waste from a problem to a useful resource and turns pollutants into industrial products

There are currently 20 major industry and 5 government partners

Total funding of $3,500,000

Major researchersDr. Weixing Tan – Principal InvestigatorDr. Melissa Day – Research CoordinatorDr. Bruce Rutley – Director of CRIMr. Langji Lin – Research EngineerGPRC Faculty members – Dr. Phil Johnson, Dr. Les Rawluk, Dr. George Ding, Dr. Ali Al-Asadi, Dr. Georgia Goth, Mr. Rick Scott, Ms. Audrey WellsGPRC Students - various

Turning Air Pollutants into Microalgae• Microalgae are aquatic plants that need CO2 to

live• Flue gas from a boiler is pumped to the algae• Algae then remove most of the CO2 from the

gas

Chlorella vulgaris:Pilot Plant algal species

Pilot Plant - algae tubes; artificial light

ConocoPhillips, NSERC, EnEco Systems Inc,

Woodmere Nursery, Rheaume Engineering,

Pond Biolfuels, Converted Carbon Technologies

Project partners

Wastewater to Industrial Fiber (poplar)• Wastewater contains nutrients trees can use (particularly

nitrogen and phosphorus)• Wastewater is used to fertilise hybrid poplar trees• Reduces need for storing/extreme treatment of wastewater

and (hopefully) increase tree growthHybrid Poplar

County of Grande Prairie Aquatera

Ainsworth Eng LLPNSERC

Canadian Forest Services

Clairmont siteProject partners

Hardening of White Spruce• Arrival of spring is not consistent year to year• A late spring frost can cost forestry industry

millions in mortality• Seedlings are ‘hardened’ prior to planting as a

method to prevent/reduce frost losses White spruce

Evidence of frost

Manning Diversified Forest Products, Tolko Industries, Vanderwell Construction, Weyerhaeuser, CANFOR, PRT Nursery, NSERC

Project partners

Winter Planting – Wetland Reclamation • Resource companies must reforest• Wetlands in northern Alberta cannot be reforested in

spring (too soft for heavy machinery)• Winter planted black spruce (<95% survival rate)

Black spruce (8 months old)Winter planting: high hoe making mounds for seedling

OSLI; Nexen, Global Restoration Alberta, Alberta Environment, Sustainable Research Development, Next Generation; Centre for Resource Excellence

Project partners

Development Projects

Unmanned Vehicle Systems CCUVS-NW

47

Vision:A state-of-the-art National Bee Diagnostic Services Centre offering comprehensive diagnostic services to the Canadian beekeeping industry (honey and pollination) and surveillance services to industry and government/regulatory bodies.

National Bee Diagnostic Centre

National Bee Diagnostic Centre

Centre of Excellence ~ honey bee production and

management ~

National Honey Bee Research Program

Beekeeper Technician CertificateFairview College Campus

Peace Country Honey Production

Peace Country Big Press Centre(working title)

This report was prepared by the Centre for Research & Innovation (CRI),a Grande Prairie Regional College – Peace Region Economic Development Alliance

partnership..

Contact:

Bruce Rutley, PhD PAg, DirectorCentre for Research & InnovationGrande Prairie Regional College

780 539 2220 brutley@gprc.ab.ca

Peace Country 2050 Scenario Vignettes www.thecri.ca

Scenario Planning: the decisions we make now (or don’t make now) –

will determine our future!