NRCs Industrial Research Assistance Program

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NRCs Industrial Research Assistance Program

• Presentation to ACCC
• 3rd College and Institute Research Symposium
• Margot Montgomery, Director General, IRAP
• National Research Council of Canada
• Ottawa, February 2001

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What is IRAP .

• The National Research Council is the federal
  governments premier innovation and technology
  assistance program to support small-and-medium-siz
  ed enterprises (SMEs).
• Innovation is defined as any change of a
  technological nature (inputs, methods or
  outputs), which improves the technological
  competitiveness of a firm.

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National Research Council of Canada Vision to 2006

• Recognized globally for research and innovation,
  NRC will be a leader in the development of an
  innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada
  through science and technology.
• Outstanding people
• Leadership in research and development
• Fostering technology clusters
• Creating value
• Securing access to global research networks and
  science facilities.

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Guiding IRAP...

• IRAPs Mandate is to stimulate wealth creation
  for Canada through technological innovation
• IRAPs Mission is to stimulate innovation in
  Canadian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
  (SMEs)
• IRAPs Strategic Objectives
• to enhance the innovation capabilities of SMEs
• to become the national enabler of technological
  innovation for Canadian SMEs.

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IRAP - A National Innovation Network
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IRAP at a glance

• 262 Industrial Technology Advisors (ITAs),
  scientists and engineers, located in 90
  communities across Canada.
• Served more than 12,000 SMEs
• Assisted 4,300 projects
• Provided early-risk capital (90M) to 3,300
  Canadian SMEs
• Facilitated linkages (more than 3,800 project
  links)
• 100 co-delivery Network Members partners from
  public and private research and technology-based
  organizations

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IRAPs Services to SMEs

• Innovation, research and development assistance
• Professional advice
• Networking and referrals to service providers
• Technology visits (including international)
• Innovation financial assistance
• Seminars, workshops, technology forums
• Youth employment (HRDC)
• Community innovation capacity-building

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IRAPs impact on firms

• Clients credit IRAP with
• Increased technical capabilities and innovation
• New products and processes
• New relationships / alliances
• Increased number of jobs and sales
• Continued investment in RD

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IRAP Network Member Profile in 2000-01
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The Canadian Technology Network (CTN)

• A network of organizations and people committed
  to working inter-dependently to attain collective
  and self-interest goals of enhancing innovation
  capacity in their communities for the benefit of
  Canadian SMEs.

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Why is IRAP a Success?

• Adaptable, decentralized organization
• Regional presence and involvement (150 locations)
• Responsive to local business needs
• Awareness of industry trends
• Linked to innovation resources throughout Canada
  and around the world

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Core Values for IRAP

• Value-added front-line service to the client
• People
• Partnerships
• Technical credibility
• Accountability

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A growing role for IRAP.

• To strengthen IRAPs working relationship with
  Canadian learning institutions and government
  laboratories, and
• To enable information and technology exchange
  with Canadian SMEs.

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Building connections...

• between sources of knowledge, technology,
  know-how and receptors
• among researchers, learning institutions and
  entrepreneurs
• nationally and internationally

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IRAP and ACCC

• Early agreement with ACCC served to
• make IRAP aware of potential opportunities in
  colleges
• results 2 major links
• The Aurora College link in NWT, and
• The Nunavut College link in NU

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Some current linkages with IRAP in Ontario

• 9 colleges have an ITA presence (representing
  approx. 20 of the Ontario IRAP network)
• Sault - Mohawk
• Sheridan - Centennial
• Humber - St Clair
• Sir Sanford Fleming - Durham
• Conestoga.

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IRAP- College Collaborations in Ontario

• Sheridan's Skills Training Centre at Oakville
• Sheridan's School of Science and Technology (New
  Media connection)
• The School of Engineering Technology at
  Centennial,
• The Canadian Plastics Training Centre at Humber

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Some current linkages with IRAP in Alberta,
N.W.T. Nunavut

• 6 colleges have an ITA presence (20 of IRAP
  Alberta network)
• Lethbridge, SAIT(Clgy), Red Deer, NAIT(Edm),
  Aurora and Nunavut Research Institutes (part of
  Aurora and Nunavut Colleges), and
• 3 colleges have 4 part-time CTN Advisors (30 of
  CTN Alberta network of Advisors)
• Lethbridge, Red Deer, Grand Prairie and
• Nunavut.

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IRAP- College Collaborations in Alberta, N.W.T.
Nunavut

• SAITs office of Technology Commercialization
• Lethbridge's school of business (which
  complements the ITA technology focus)
• Specific local activities in support of
  innovation in Red Deer and Grand Prairie
• Colleges have been involved in the Alberta-based
  Competitive Intelligence (CI) initiative as a
  source of training for SMEs in CI techniques.

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IRAP- College Collaborations in Saskatchewan

• The Saskatchewan Institute for Applied Science
  and Technology (SIAST), SK
• SIAST was a key element of the Sask. Innovation
  blueprint
• SIAST has a number of courses, programs related
  to innovation needs and gaps
• NRCs PBI expanded its partnership with SIAST in
  hosting Biotech Technicians

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Some current linkages in Manitoba

• Red River, Winnipeg
• A dynamic relationship with IBD (the MRI
  Technicians Training Program)
• IRAP recognized the importance of the college in
  the innovation system (Many IRAP clients have
  technicians staff from this college)

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IRAP- College Collaborations in Manitoba

• Red River, Winnipeg
• The college is developing its own research
  program a construction technology facility and a
  Science Management program
• IRAP will be heavily involved in those 2 programs
  through linkages with innovative firms
• Recently, IRAP decided to locate an ITA at this
  college to better serve the Winnipeg construction
  firms.

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Partnership and collaboration with Colleges

• Colleges can provide technical know-how to many
  regionally-based NRC clusters
• College RD activities bring IRAP new sources of
  knowledge and know-how
• Most colleges have renewed mandates to support
  innovation in the SME client base.

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Benefits to Colleges and Institutes

• IRAP can help nurture relationships between
  government and learning institutions and the
  private sector and technology innovation
  organizations
• IRAP can help colleges build new programs through
  linkages with innovative firms

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Benefits to IRAP and Canadian SMEs

• Colleges can provide IRAP with a strong
  geographic presence throughout the province
• ITAs located in colleges can better serve the
  community
• College training provides skilled workers for
  SMEs
• Networking and awareness seminars for SMEs and
  technology forums for ITAs

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Benefits to Canada

• Canadas colleges, universities and Government
  laboratories are a rich source of technologies
  and business-related knowledge that could be
  better utilized for the benefit of Canadians.

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IRAP can play a key role... in building linkages

• Together we can build new connections, new
  partnerships, new ideas and new opportunities...

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What can Colleges do?

• Contact your IRAP Regional Director to discuss
  collaboration opportunities
• Promote college services to IRAP ITAs
• Present college know-how and services at ITAs
  regional meetings

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Margot J. MontgomeryDirector GeneralIndustrial
Research Assistance ProgramNational Research
Council CanadaMontreal Road, Building
M-55Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0R6Internet
margot.montgomery_at_nrc.caIRAPWeb
http//pub.irap.nrc.ca/irap/web/irapcomm.nsfTel
[phone] Docufax [phone]