Research and Innovation : Innovation + Job News

The Toronto Port Lands -- the site of heavy industry on the waterfront since the 1800s -- represents one of the largest soil remediation projects in the world. And rather than "digging and dumping," the standard practice for such sites, Waterfront Toronto has opted to attempt a massive soil recycling project on the spot.

It has partnered with international environmental consulting giants DEC and Tetra Tech on the Port Lands Pilot Soil Recycling Facility to test the effectiveness (and environmental soundness) of reusing the soil rather than dumping it. If it is successful, Waterfront Toronto President and CEO John Campbell says it could "change the way impacted soil is managed in Ontario."

Last week, the project was recognized with a technological innovation award at the prestigious Canadian Urban Institute Brownie Awards.

"We are very proud and honoured that the Canadian Urban Institute acknowledged our pilot soil recycling facility with a Brownie," said Campbell in a statement. "Soil recycling is an opportunity to turn contaminated soil into a resource instead of a liability."

The pilot testing, which began in September, should conclude this month. After review and assessment, the decontamination process is expected to take place over the next 10 to 20 years.

Writer: Edward Keenan

Source: Tari Stork, Project Communications Manager, Waterfront Toronto

A contest from the Toronto Atmospheric Fund announced recently puts a $10,000 prize and up to $15 million in financing up for grabs for innovative business proposals to help solve global climate change.

"ClimateSpark is tapping business ingenuity and competitiveness to spark some creative climate change solutions that can also help companies turn a profit," says Julia Langer, executive director of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund.  "If you believe that a thousand minds are better than one, ClimateSpark offers the opportunity to put an idea in front of a diverse community that will work with businesses to refine and develop -- and then judge -- their ideas."

The contest runs in two phases. The first round, open until December 20, will select nine finalists, who will proceed to a second round in January. The winner will be announced at the ClimateSpark Summit in Toronto on February 2, 2011. All nine finalists will have the opportunity to present their project proposals to a panel of investors from firms that have $15 million to invest. Information is available at the contest website at www.climatespark.ca.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Julia Langer, Executive Director, Toronto Atmospheric Fund

A York University project to give Canadian, American and Mexican social science students a continental perspective on migration and immigrant integration has received funding from the federal government. Last month, HRSD Canada announced $152,680 in support of the project, entitled, Migration Studies Initiatives to Promote Curricular Development and a North American Community.

"Under this program and the broader International Academic Mobility initiative, students will be better prepared for the workforce and exposed to different ideas and new techniques within their fields of study," said federal Minister if Finance Jim Flaherty in his announcement of the grant. "This kind of collaboration will deliver important contributions to Canadian training and development and will make Canada more globally competitive."

The money is granted under the government's Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education, founded in 1995, which funds exchanges and cooperation between university students across North America.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Michelle Bakos, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

When an earthquake struck Haiti this year, Mississauga's Getinge Canada sprung into action, donating a sterilizer and other medical infection-control supplies to the relief efforts. Technicians from Getinge Canada even traveled to Haiti to install the equipment and provide training to Hatian personnel. 

According to Getinge President Doug Friesen, this "humanitarian spirit" is why his company has been named one of the GTA's best employers and one of the best small- and medium-sized businesses in Canada to work for by AON Consulting and Queen's University. "Our work inspires our employees, supports our customers and impacts our Health Care System and the Life Science Industry in Canada," Friesen said in a statement accepting the honour.

The Mississauga business is the Canadian office of Swedish Health Sciences giant Getinge, an innovative company that is among the world's leaders in infection control and sterilizers. Friesen explains that the offices in Mississauga offices have been operating for over 30 years, previously as MDT Corporation and before that Castle Sterilizer Company. Getinge acquired the Canadian operation in 1996. In the GTA, Getinge now employs 60 staff.

Friesen attributes the company's continued growth to its employees. "Our core business has grown by multiples due to our outstanding employees," he says in response to a question by email. "We have a total of 60 employees today and plan to add positions as we continue to grow."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Doug Friesen, President, Getinge Canada

Syncapse says its business is "sizzling HOT" and "growing fast and furiously" less than a month after it announced it had secured $2 million in financing through the Business Development Bank of Canada. Earlier in the year, the company had raised $3.3 million in capital through another round of financing, and it says it has invested $10 million this year in product development. As a result of the rapid expansion, the company is hiring 10 new staff in its Toronto office now.

Founded in 2007, Entertainment District-based Syncapse is a social media provider that builds software that allows marketers to set up their own social media environments to establish relationships with customers. In three years, the company claims 700 per cent revenue growth and contacts with 60 million consumers. They have also established offices in New York, London and Portland, and been named on multiple "companies to watch" and "fastest growing" lists as it was named to Facebook's preferred developer program.

Earlier this month, in announcing the BDBC financing, Syncapse President and CEO Michael Scissons said that the funding would accelerate research and development for their suite of products, and sure enough many of the current positions available are in development. BDBC executive Robert Duffy said in a statement that the financing indicates that Syncapse is "setting the agenda for growth" in a rapidly developing sector. "Syncapse's early successes demonstrate the strength of its business plan and the vision of its management team. We look forward to its continued global expansion."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Michael Scissons, President and CEO, Syncapse

The Ontario Science Centre has launched the 2011 Weston Youth Innovation Award -- the third annual prize to recognize people aged 14-18 who have transformative ideas. Organizers say high school-aged students needed a platform beyond science fairs and classrooms to demonstrate fresh thinking on solutions to problems such as climate change and energy conservation.

Last year's winner, Kimberly Gulevich, for example, explored ways to use "methane capture" to reduce the environmental impact of rural houses that use sewage lagoons.

The winning submission will receive a $2,000 prize and have a multi-media presentation of their project displayed at the Ontario Science Centre.

"Canadian youth have the ability to make a positive impact on our world," Science Centre VP of Science Education Catherine Paisley said. In addition to providing an outlet for youth to express their ideas, the Ontario Science Centre will team up with the award winner to showcase the goals of their project to more than a million visitors a year, giving them an opportunity to promote their activities to a wide audience."

Submissions are being accepted until February 14, 2011. More information is available at the award's website.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Anna Relyea, Ontario Science Centre

In January of this year, Yonge Street's Piali Roy wrote about Discovery District-based startup Vive Nano, a nanotechnology firm specializing in clean technology, especially crop protection and water and soil sanitation. At the time, company executives said they expected India to be an important market for them.

Since then, things have been rolling along smoothly for the company. Last month, it was recognized in the Canada's Top 10 Competition as among the best companies to invest in in the country. The recognition might well lead to significant capital, as previous companies on the list have secured over $600 million in financing, according to contest organizers. All winners participate in a series of investment forums in the U.S., where they are connected with American venture capitalists.

About a month earlier, Vive Nano announced that its pilot plant had started producing nanoparticles for sale in large volume.

And Vive Nano advisor Hari Venkatacharya noted recently in the Globe and Mail that the company's India strategy is beginning to pay off, as it has now signed two Indian partners to help develop two of its technologies -- a coating to make solar panels more efficient and a next-generation water treatment technology. Vankatacharya writes that for the company, "tremendous growth is anticipated in the next two to three years."

Founded in 2005 as a U of T spinoff, Vive Nano currently operates two labs in Toronto and employs a staff of 18. Fittingly for a company with global ambitions, two-thirds of the staff are immigrants to Canada.

Writer: Edward Keean
Sources: Hari Venkatacharya (via Globe and Mail); Vanessa Caldwell, MaRS blog; Flavio Campagnaro, Vive Nano 

Since its founding in 2004, Mississauga-based Solutions 2 Go has grown into the largest video-game distributor in North America. Last year brought in more than $750 million in revenue (representing 177% growth in the past three years), supplying retailers across the country with products from almost every major gaming manufacture.

Those staggering numbers earned founder, COO and President Gabrielle Chevalier the title of Canada's Top Woman Entrepreneur from Profit magazine last month.  But Chevalier told the magazine she's not prepared to slow down. "I see us as a billion-dollar company. It's a nice, round number." Chevalier said that she expects modest growth as the video game industry continues to expand, but also plans to expand into distribution of other products.

The company has grown from 15 to 180 employees since 2004 (earning it a place on the Profit 100 fastest growing companies list, too).

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Louise Leger, Profit Magazine

In 1975, Myron and Berna Garron lost their son to paediatric cancer. In the intervening years, the family has donated more than $1.3 million to the Hospital for Sick Children (known as Sick Kids) to support research and treatment of cancers. Now, the family has made what is thought to be the largest private donation in the field to the hospital -- $30 million.

"Our son was treated for cancer at Sick Kids for many years and we will never forget the dedication and level of care he received," the Garrons said in a statement. "We are confident this gift will help create more positive outcomes for cancer patients and their families."

The money will establish the Garron Family Cancer Centre at the hospital and will fund six jobs for researchers through research chairs and scientist/clinician positions. It will also help fund innovative cancer therapy research. "The impact of donations, such as the one from the Garron family, is immeasurable," said Dr. James Whitlock, chief of haematology/oncology at Sick Kids. "This gift helps Sick Kids stay at the forefront of paediatric cancer care and research and will ultimately help children with cancer to live longer, more fulfilling lives."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Meredith Sjogren, Communications Associate, SickKids Foundation

In June, we wrote about how Toronto-based tech start-up Skymeter is poised to revolutionize the traffic industry with its innovative, GPS-based system that allows for efficient parking and congestion charging. The company, based at MaRS in the Discovery District, has a device that can track and bill drivers based on actual use of their cars.

Now Skymeter has announced that they have joined the ng Connect Program to help develop services for next-generation, high-bandwidth technologies, including 4G networks and what is called Long Term Evolution technology.

Steve West, a founding member of the ng Connect Program, said that Skymeter has much to contribute to the multi-industry initiative.
"For example, we are very interested in collaborating on services that will improve the driving experience with easy and more accurate tolls and parking payments or improve air quality through better congestion management leveraging next generation 4G/LTE networks," he said.

JD Hassan, chief commercial officer with Skymeter, said in the announcement that his company will help the company lead innovation in the transportation sector. "We look forward to helping lead this change through the ng Connect Program, where we can join forces with other industry innovators to create services that will change the way we use our vehicles," he said. "We're excited to work with other ng Connect members to support that transformation with the creation of new business models and services, delivering benefits to consumers and enterprises while addressing key business and governmental issues such as parking, congestion and infrastructure funding."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: JD Hassan, Chief Commercial Officer, Skymeter Corporation

Sheridan College in Oakville set up the Elder Research Centre (SERC) in 2003 to conduct research into helping older Candians as they age. Earlier this week, the federal government announced a $2.3 million grant to the centre as part of the College and Community Innovation Program.

The money will support the centre's groundbreaking "Aging in Place" project, which the school's release says, "will see SERC collaborate with small and medium-sized companies in the research and design of technology applications that promote cognitive health and social inclusion. Ten founding partners will work together with Sheridan researchers, faculty members and students; the partners include Acclaim Heath and Community Care Services, Cerebral Vortex, pigeon*branding + design, PointerWare Innovations, Posit Science Corporation, Recreational Respite, the Region of Halton, Retire-at-Home, Schlegel Seniors Villages and Symetric Productions."

In announcing the grant and 10 others in the program, federal Minister of Industry Tony Clement said "These new partnerships will provide skills training for the communities in which they are based, position Canadian colleges as a destination for top research talent and give local businesses in communities across the country access to the knowledge and resources they need to innovate and commercialize new products and services."

"This is an important announcement for SERC, Sheridan and the broader communities we serve," Jeff Zabudsky, Sheridan's president and CEO, said. "By collaborating with regional companies, we can help to foster innovation and economic development at a local level."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: Susan Atkinson, Sheridan College; Lynn Meahan, office of Minister Tony Clement

According to organizers of the first MaRS Innovation Summit to be held Oct. 28, Toronto is an innovation hub and thus a fitting venue for a gathering of entrepreneurs form around the world. "We anticipate a prosperous day of networking and sharing ideas as we showcase start-ups in the bio-tech, pharma and hi-tech industry," The Hon. Jerry Grafstein, a co-host of the summit, says in a statement. "It will be a practical guide for venture capitalists and start-up entrepreneurs alike to navigate their way to capital and markets in order to create jobs in the knowledge economy that knows no borders."

The one-day event will include presentations by Gordon Nixon, President of the Royal Bank; Provincial Minister of Innovation and former Winnipeg Mayor Glenn Murray; Paul Chipperton, Ceo of Profound Medical; and Amar Varma, co-founder of Xtreme Labs, among others.

Raphael Hofstein of MaRS says the event will bring together players to examine growth. "The goal of our inaugural MaRS Innovation Summit is to bring together dynamic entrepreneurs with industry innovators and thought leaders of today, as we examine the aspects of economic growth in tangible terms."

Registration for the event is open to the public and costs $199, through the website.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Hon. Jerry S. Grafstein

A Toronto-based company that has developed a new disease diagnosis device that could be used for cancer and other genetic diseases has drawn $1.04 million in financing for commercialization of its project. Xagenic was created by U of T researcher Dr. Shana Kelley as a spin-off from the university to commercialize the research.

Funding comes from several sources: $500,000 from MaRS [pdf], a $300,000 loan from the government of Ontario's new HTX commercialization program, $200,000 from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and $40,000 from the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Commercialization of Research.

According to a statement from Dr. Kelley, the funding "will enable Xagenic and its clinical development partner, the University Health Network, to confirm critical clinical sensitivity and specificity parameters for the technology." HTX estimates that Xagenic will create five jobs during the immediate commercialization process, with more expected later.

An announcement from Rafi Hofstein, CEO of MaRS Innovation, said that this is the first of several announcements from the business incubator of new investments over the next several months. "MaRS Innovation is very excited about the potential of the Xagenic technology. It is still early days for this company. This investment, however, sends a strong signal to researchers working in our partner institutions. MaRS Innovation wants to help develop Ontario technology to its fullest potential,right here and right now."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: Rafi Hofstein, CEO, MaRS Innovation; Marcelle Mundle, Marketing and Communications Manager, HTX

Last week, the Canada Media Fund announced the recipients of its first round of "Experimental Stream" funding for innovative media projects. A total of 27 projects across Canada will receive a combined $12.9 million in production financing. Projects from four Toronto companies will receive $1.92 million of that money:

*The CBC -- the national broadcaster headquartered in Toronto -- will get $434,400 for Kids' CBC Augmented Reality, which will allow children to "explore augmented reality and ... interact with 3D images rendered on screen by their own movements through a webcam and digital marker."

*Toronto-based My City Lives will receive $586,686 to produce a mobile application that will let users "learn about places to visit in the city through a growing library of geo-tagged videos contributed by the user community."

*Smokebomb Entertainment Inc of Toronto will receive $639,044 for a mobile application called Big Break, which "consists of 13 original live-action 'appisodes' featuring entertainment, music, celebrity and performance themes where tweens can create their own content and share it with others within a fully moderated community."

*And Peace Point Entertainment Group, also of Toronto, will get $260,138 for an application called Olson Anytime Anywhere Recipe Maker which will generate recipes for users based on ingredients available in their kitchens.

In addition, three Toronto companies received funding for projects in development or for support in marketing.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Betsy Chaly, Director, Marketing & Communications, Canada Media Fund

In February, Yonge Street reporter Piali Roy heralded 2010 as a big year for Morgan Solar, noting that the energy startup has scored over $5 million in seed funding and was preparing to produce its potentially game-changing solar energy product, Sun Simba. Now, the company has annouced that solar industry superstar Asif Ansari, formerly head of eSolar in California, will become its CEO.

MaRS cleantech lead and industry expert Tom Rand calls Ansari's relocation to Toronto "the biggest brain gain for Ontario in the cleantech sector I've seen. Ansari has enjoyed a string of successes, including eSolar, and he didn't come to Morgan to fail. The quality of Morgan's management team, with these sorts of additions, demonstrates their ability to go global on a major scale."

In an announcement, Ansari says his decision to take the job and move to Toronto was motivated by his impression that the company will transform the industry. "Morgan Solar has done something I wasn't sure was possible -- they have cracked the code for CPV  optics, substantially lowering its costs to where it can now deliver a value proposition significantly better than PV," he said. "Morgan was able to see the problem in a whole new way, starting with inventing a new optical concentrator to replace conventional Fresnel lens architectures. The potential of this technology is massive."

Currently, Ansari is focussed on securing second-round financing as Morgan Solar prepares for large-scale production in 2011.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Nicolas Morgan, VP Business Development, Morgan Solar Inc.