Transcript Document
IRAP & Its Partners Presented to the Association of Canadian Community Colleges. February 20, 2003 By: Peter Cashmore What is IRAP? NRC’s Industrial Research Assistance Program: • 262 Industrial Technology Advisors (ITAs) located in 90 communities across Canada • Links to National Research Council laboratories, universities, colleges and other research organizations • Track record of 50 years of success in helping Canada’s SMEs become more innovative • Leader in networking innovation partners through the Canadian Technology Network • SME technology missions to access new technologies world wide SMEs are Canada’s Engine of Economic Growth Canada’s 1.9 million Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): • Account for 99% of all Canadian businesses • Employ six out of ten working Canadians • Created 575,000 new jobs between 1996 and 2000 • Comprise many of our most successful technology-based firms Innovation is crucial to the growth and success of Canadian SMEs • The survival rate for new small business averages about 72% after one year, 44% after three years and 32% after five years • SMEs have to continually invest more in new and improved products, skills and technologies to remain competitive • Investing in innovation and new technology is key for small enterprises to grow into medium-sized enterprises Innovation – the Challenges for SMEs • SMEs face challenges such as globalization, stronger competition, a high pace of scientific and technological change, and limited resources for innovation • To be competitive, SMEs need access to increasingly sophisticated innovation tools and tactics -- like new technologies, competitive intelligence, partnerships, expertise, sustainable development practices, access to financial resources, and international strategies • Most SMEs cannot meet these complex innovation needs on their own • For help with innovation, thousands of SMEs across Canada turn to the National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) NRC – A National Resource IRAP Office NRC Institute / Innovation Centre A National Infrastructure for Innovation IRAP’s ITAs work with a Network of Organizations across Canada Network M ember by Type of Organization Other 6% 22% Associations 20% Research Institutes Provincial Research 4% 2% Municipal Agencies 46% Universities and Colleges IRAP’s Companies 51 to 200 employees Greater than 200 Employees 15% 3% 50 Employees or Less 82% Client Success - Ontario Winning the Gold : Reif Estate Winery wins two international awards (Niagara region) • • • In 1999 Reif Estate Winery won two prestigious international awards for its Icewine. IRAP provided the technical expertise and support needed to develop the technology for the Icewine. Such international awards and recognition help put Canada on the world stage for wine making. "The success of our wine is a wonderful tribute to the Canadian Wine Industry," states President Klaus W. Reif. “Our Icewine was created with the help of the IRAP Program.” IRAP offers: • Field advisory services • Access to technical/patent information • Linkages • Contribution $$ College Interactions… ITAs co-located at colleges: • • • • • • Sheridan (2 ITAs, Brampton and Oakville) Mohawk (2 ITAs, Brantford and Ancaster) Centennial (2 ITAs, Scarborough) St. Clair (Windsor) Conestoga (Kitchener) Sault (Sault Ste Marie) Niagara College…….VISTA • Started through a CA for value-added services for food and agriculture technical information (AgTIS) • Now includes manufacturing • Other Areas where appropriate • Addition of ITA Some activities of ITAs in Colleges • Advisory groups – both academic and “industrial” • Special initiatives • New centres • Contacts/networking • Youth Employment Program • Use of College expertise Sault College: • ITA encouraged the retention of water resources laboratory by bringing two industrial clients to the table thus demonstrating the need. Now part of a program being developed to meet post-Walkerton training requirements and to support business growth plans of local PUC. • ITA currently working to establish a Security Cluster/network as a satellite to the one in Ottawa (CPRC). This network is centred around the Law Enforcement Training Centre Northeastern Ontario. A forensic training centre is also being considered. Sheridan College – Proposed Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technologies Centre • In total six ITAs (including specialists in CAE and manufacturing) have had input to planning process • Provided industrial (qualified) from client base • Involved McMaster, Siemens and leaders of the mould industry • Connection to CME Client Satisfaction Companies credit IRAP with helping them: • Acquire new technical knowledge and increase technical competence • Help young entrepreneurs succeed • Find linkages with experts in government labs, universities and other centres • Develop new products and services • Support access to international markets • Respond quickly to opportunities • Increase sales and jobs IRAP – world’s most successful SME assistance program in government • Over the last seven years across Canada, IRAP has: • Served 10,000 to 12,000 SMEs each year • Assisted in the development, risk-taking and cost sharing of over 30,000 technology projects • Facilitated 3,800 linkages per year between SMEs, universities, colleges and other organizations • Invested over $570M in innovation efforts by Canadian SMEs • Been emulated as an SME assistance program by countries around the world IRAP Works! • 73% of clients report permanent job creation • IRAP linked to over 9,000 jobs created per year • IRAP financial assistance leveraged investments of over $500M in R&D by SMEs QUESTIONS?