SpringBoard eases leap from concept to commercialization: competition may drive innovation, but co-operation gets it to the finish line. A new partner, at Innovation Place in Regina, is on the scene to help entrepreneurs navigate their way.Saskatchewan has a long list of innovative achievements. There is still, however, a gap in services that help take an innovative idea from concept to commercial success. SpringBoard West Innovations Inc., a new non-profit organization A non-profit organization (abbreviated "NPO", also "non-profit" or "not-for-profit") is a legally constituted organization whose primary objective is to support or to actively engage in activities of public or private interest without any commercial or monetary profit purposes. , will fill that niche. Its name aptly describes its mandate which is to fast track the commercialization of Saskatchewan-based innovation. Programs and expertise are available to innovators innovators people who will try new things. early innovators important figures in the farming or client community because they are the leaders in the introduction of new techniques and management systems. in the province. The people at SpringBoard act as facilitators helping others gain access to these programs and services. "We like to refer to ourselves as "way finders", says founding and interim chair Randy Brunet, of MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman LLP LLP - Lower Layer Protocol . "We will lead clients through the many stages to commercialization. We move the idea along through the process rather than to try to duplicate DUPLICATE. The double of anything. 2. It is usually applied to agreements, letters, receipts, and the like, when two originals are made of either of them. Each copy has the same effect. other industry-wide services. The bottom line for all our clients is to determine if the idea makes economic sense." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SpringBoard may help to source funding for some projects, or provide services directly for a fee or on some other reimbursable re·im·burse tr.v. re·im·bursed, re·im·burs·ing, re·im·burs·es 1. To repay (money spent); refund. 2. To pay back or compensate (another party) for money spent or losses incurred. basis should the idea become commercial. Or, a SpringBoard entrepreneur-in-residence can mentor a client in areas such as writing a business plan, financing, market analysis or managing intellectual property. "We're not a funding agency," says Brunet. "Our survival hinges Hinges may refer to:
SpringBoard will work closely with the University Industry Liaison Office (UILO UILO University Industry Liaison Office (University of British Columbia) ). "UILO currently has projects at various stages and they are a key partner. We will be closely connected with the University of Regina History Origins In direct response to the award of the University of Saskatchewan to Saskatoon rather than Regina, the Methodist Church of Canada established Regina College in 1911 on College Avenue in Regina, Saskatchewan, starting with an enrollment of 27 students; and others," says Brunet, "but SpringBoard is its own independent entity." SpringBoard has conducted an international search for a chief executive officer and an announcement is imminent. The organization's permanent home will be in the new facility planned for 2 Research Drive at Innovation Place in Regina. The building will be completed by the fall of 2008 and will also house the University Industry Liaison Office, the University of Regina's Centres of Excellence, and other community partners to create a culture of collaboration and innovation. SpringBoard West Innovations Inc. provides services in three key areas: Technology Innovation Programming Hosting workshops, seminars and networking sessions designed to help people understand how to develop their product and make it marketable; Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program Mentoring people through two entrepreneurs-in-residence with extensive executive-level experience; Technology Incubator incubator, apparatus for the maintenance of controlled conditions in which eggs can be hatched artificially. Incubator houses with double walls of mud, a fireroom, and several compartments each holding about 6,000 hens' eggs were developed in ancient times; the Services Moving commercialization projects through the discovery and feasibility, pre-commercialization, and commercialization stages. |
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