1. A location for Innovation

    June 11, 2010 by AURP Canada

    By Jane Muller
    June 11, 2010
    dailywebtv.com

    The first multi-tenant building on the 35-acre McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) was officially opened in October 2009 with 80 per cent occupancy. Over the next 15 years, MIP will include other buildings that will house partners in forming a new direction for Hamilton.

    “The idea is to create an environment in which innovation can take place – based primarily on research coming out of the university (McMaster) but innovation that would lead to commercialization,” explains Zach Douglas, president of McMaster Innovation Park.

    The vision for the park is an internationally-recognized focal point that will have a “significant impact of the region”. Douglas envisions Masters’ students working on advanced technology-related jobs for example.

    It’s not enough to come up with ideas and concepts, they need to be brought to the next level as viable products that will result in direct employment on site and indirectly in the community where production can take place. Douglas predicts a broad range of jobs emanating from MIP tenants.

    MIP offers support services to the companies already occupying the office and laboratory space. The facility itself gives physical support in the form of a board room conference rooms and a 5,000 square- foot conference facility.

    “So far we have attracted quite an eclectic mix actually, some private sector tenants, public sector tenants, research initiatives coming out of the university, some people that are here to support the activities of our strategic tenants,” says Douglas.

    In a supportive role is Trivaris Ltd., a company that helps commercialize research ideas and provides financial resources, space and technology to new businesses. Another is an intellectual properties lawyer.

    At the time of the official opening, significant tenants also included McMaster’s Department of Family Medicine Research and Programming. Looking ahead, construction is underway for a second, 156,000-square-foot building on the site, which will house CANMET, the federal government’s Materials Technology Laboratory. It is expected that this key partner will draw researchers from around the world.

    Douglas predicts that the 120,000 square -feet of rentable space in the newly renovated building will be occupied by the end of the year. For more information and to view the plans for the site visit the MIP website at www.mcmasterinnovationpark.ca.

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  2. Future Technology 2009 The year of technology invention (milliongenerator)

    September 29, 2009 by dgann1

    Are we keeping up with the change? Is the world commercializing? Watch this!

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  3. GreenCentre Canada appoints commercial and product development teams

    August 25, 2009 by AURP Canada

    August 20, 2009

    KINGSTON, ON – GreenCentre Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of four commercialization professionals to its commercial and product development teams.

    The appointments are as follows:

    • Dr. Michael Szarka, Director of Commercial Development
    • Dr. Johnathan Sargent, Manager of Commercial Development
    • Dr. Preston Chase, Senior Development Scientist
    • Dr. Dominik Wechsler, Senior Development Scientist

    Dr. Michael Szarkais a physical chemist and a respected university technology manager. He was instrumental in the launch and operations of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and previously was a Technology Manager at the Innovations Foundation, University of Toronto.  During his tenure at U of T, Dr. Szarka played critical roles in the development of two of the university’s key startup companies, Biox Corp. and Opalux Inc.  He also has expertise in the photonics and small business consulting sectors and is an experienced negotiator and policy advisor in the areas of intellectual property and licensing.

    Dr. Szarka received his PhD in Chemistry from University of Toronto and completed postdoctoral work at York University’s Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry.  He is Chair of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) transactional metrics committee, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Society for Excellence in Technology Transfer (OnSETT).

    Dr. Jonathan Sargenthas more than 11 years of industrial experience in product and business development, in the chemical, materials, and biotechnology fields.  He worked for GE Plastics in a variety of global management roles for seven years and worked in the biotech sector for four years as both a researcher and founding employee.  He has also consulted for the venture capital industry.  He has a PhD and MA in chemistry from the University of Southern California, a BSc from McGill University and a Six Sigma black belt.  He is also currently finishing his MBA at Schulich School of Business at York University.

    Dr. Preston Chasecomes to GreenCentre from the University of Toronto where he was a research associate with Dr. Doug Stephan, developing metal-free hydrogenation catalysts.  Previously he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.  he received his PhD from the University of Calgary and BSc from the University of Victoria.  A recipient of a number of postgraduate and postdoctoral awards, he has published extensively and is a named inventor of two patents.

    Dr. Dominik Wechslerbrings both industry and academic experience to his position.  Most recently he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Queen’s University where his research focused on developing new hydrogen storage media for fuel cells.  Previously he worked for the National Research Council’s Institute of Marine Biosciences, and Jellet Biotek.  He received his PhD and BSc from Dalhousie University, where his doctoral research focused on organometallic catalysts.

    “We are delighted to have the expertise of these individuals on our commercial and product development teams,” says Dr. Rui Resendes, Executive Director of GreenCentre Canada. “Their extensive industry and scientific research experience, combined with proven abilities to build companies and networks, gives GreenCentre a strong foundation on which to build North America’s premier Green Chemistry commercialization centre.”

    Contact:
    Dr. Rui Resendes
    Executive Director
    Green Centre Canada
    P: 613.507.4700
    E: rui.resendes@greencentrecanada.com
    www.greencentrecanada.com

    About GreenCentre Canada:

    GreenCentre Canada is a national Centre of Excellence for developing, de-risking and commercializing early-stage Green Chemistry discoveries generated by academic researchers and industry.  GreenCentre Canada is dedicated to developing environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemical and manufacturing practices.  It is governed and operated with the assistance of industry members from across the chemical value chain.  The centre is located at the Innovation Park at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

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