Albertas Action Plan:

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Albertas Action Plan Bringing Technology to
Market
Innovation Vouchers Program
Ken Langhorn, Branch Head Technology
Commercialization Division Advanced Education and
Technology
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Alberta, Canada
Population 3.5 million (2008) Major Cities
Edmonton, Calgary Traditional Industries Oil
and gas, Agriculture, Forest products,
Manufacturing Emerging Industries
Nanotechnology, Bio-Pharma, Advanced Materials,
Geomatics, E-Health, CleanTech
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Action Plan Bringing Technology to Market

• Premier of Alberta announced comprehensive
  package of initiatives (180 M) in June 2008
• Alberta Enterprise Fund
• SRED Tax Credit
• AVAC (IVAC) Company Development
• Business Development Centres
• Product Commercialization Centres
• Innovation Support Services
• Innovation Vouchers
• Technology Development Advisors
• Product Demonstration Fund
• Encouraging Entrepreneurship

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Innovation Voucher Program Objectives

• Help companies move from concept to product, gain
  market position
• Link service agencies to SMEs
• Accelerate knowledge transfer, access to new
  technology
• Sharpen focus of service agencies on needs of
  SMEs
• Enhance Alberta as high technology region

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Eligibility Requirements

• A high technology / knowledge intensive business
• Gross annual revenue of 5 M or less
• Fewer than 50 employees
• Registered as a business in Alberta or Canada
• Carries out 50 of business in Alberta
• Never received a voucher before

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Other Requirements

• SME could receive one of each voucher (10 k
  50 k) over life of program
• Vouchers can not be used for to pay for services
  already funded through any other municipal,
  provincial or federal program
• Vouchers are non-transferable, but can be pooled
• Must be a written agreement that specifies the
  work undertaken by service agency and the cost
• Work must be undertaken in the province of
  Alberta
• Voucher can pay only 75 of project to the
  maximum value (10k or 50k) company must
  contribute at least 25 of total cost in cash

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Eligible Expenses

• Use of technology to move form concept to
  commercialization
• Relevant business services (IP management,
  business plan, marketing study, etc.)
• Specialized services to obtain pre-commercial,
  seed or VC funding
• Access to unique human resource expertise
• Product testing, certification and demonstration

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Ineligible Expenses

• Training courses
• Software
• Equipment purchase
• Export subsidies
• In-house labour
• Goods services tax
• Administrative fees/surcharges
• Creation of advertising material

• Sales and promotion activities
• Program application costs
• Internships or student supports
• Routine testing maintenance
• Basic professional/office management services
• Financing fees

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Program Evaluation

• Process
• Review of written material, website, legal
  documents, forms, and internal procedures,
  including application flow
• Interview program managers, senior management and
  central administrative staff, as well as a cross
  section of applicants and service agencies
• Outcomes
• Profile applicants by sector, region, problem
  focus, service acquired, satisfaction
• Profile service providers by region, type,
  participation level, services provided,
  satisfaction

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Critical Success Factors

• Engaging various internal support groups in
  designing new voucher concept (legal, finance,
  IT, communications, executive management, )
• Consulting with potential service agencies to
  refine and sell new program, constantly
  re-iterating pilot or trial status
• Positioning vouchers as just one tool in a
  broader Action Plan to help industry not a
  silver bullet to address all needs