Building Innovation Networks:
The Role of Universities
Mike Szarka
Manager of Technology Transfer &
Commercialization
UOIT
The Role of Universities in
Innovation Networks
What is happening at
YOUR university?
 Why partner with
universities on
research?
 What are the things that
universities CAN’T do
well?
 A path forward?
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UOIT: A brief history
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Announced with seed
money on May 9, 2001 in
the Provincial Budget
Bill 109, an Act to
Establish the University of
Ontario Institute of
Technology, was passed
by the Ontario Legislature
on June 27, 2002
First four-year degree
classes graduated in May
2007
The Mission of the University
To provide undergraduate and postgraduate
university programs … that are innovative and
responsive to the individual needs of students
and to the market-driven needs of employers
Advance the highest quality of research
Contribute to the advancement of Ontario and
Canada…with particular focus on Durham
Region and Northumberland County
Offer programs with a view to creating
opportunities for college graduates to complete
a university degree
Academic Units
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Faculty of Business and
Information Technology
Faculty of Criminology,
Justice and Policy
Studies
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Engineering
and Applied Science
School of Energy
Systems and Nuclear
Science
Faculty of Health
Sciences
Faculty of Science
Big Science
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Automotive Centre of
Excellence (ACE) Partnership
with GM Canada as part of
their $2.5 billion Beacon
Project
New $58 million facility at
UOIT for advanced design and
engineering
New $24 million temperature
controlled wind tunnel (largest
of its kind in Canada)
Cameco Research Chair
• $1.5 million project,
expanded proposal
recently submitted
• Corrosion and
fluorine production
• Automation/Robotics
• Waste management
Research of Interest to
Manufacturers
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IT security
Wireless and
telecommunications
High-performance computing
and modelling
Energy (including nuclear)
Corrosion
Robotics, automation and
controls
Automotive systems, vibration
and noise
Engineering design
Manufacturing and materials
Fluid mechanics
Industrial Research Collaborations
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GM
Web in Motion
Three Wise Men
Canada Rubber
Oshawa PUC
Messier-Dowty
Bell Canada
MDF Mechanical
GE Plastics
Marnoch Thermal Power
BRIC Engineered Systems
Veridian
E.I. Williams
AECL
OPG
Cameco
Zircatec
NWMO
UOIT Technology Transfer
• Technology Transfer office
established September
2005
• Mike Szarka hired to
establish office after three
years at OCE and six at
UofT
• Szanne McNutt joined June
2007
• Significant commitment to
innovation at a young
institution!
• OPIC established in partnership with
Ryerson, Trent, Brock, Laurentian,
Nipissing, Lakehead
• Funding from NSERC IPM and ORCP to
create larger virtual TT office
• Broad range of expertise
• Demonstration project fund
• Coordinated educational events
UOIT Technology Transfer
First eighteen months:
• Thirteen invention
disclosures
• Four demonstration projects
funded
• One OCE market readiness
project funded
• One start-up company
created, another two under
discussion
• One issued patent and three
patent applications under
management
UOIT Technology Transfer
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Plastic wood
Hotlink optimizer
SPSS assistant
Koolplate
Micro heat engine
Rotational molding
Stability analysis
Engine design
Handicapped door entry system
Why Partner with a University?
Facilities
 People
 Fresh perspectives
 Low cost
 Huge leverage
 Consider a modest investment of
$27,000 by a company to a
university project
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Leverage Opportunities in
University Partnerships
Sample budget:
Item
Industry Cash
Graduate Student
$20,000
University
Overhead
Total
$7,000
$27,000
Leverage Opportunities in
University Partnerships
Add leverage from OCE:
Item
Industry
Cash
Grad Student
$20,000
Industry
In-kind
OCE cash Total
$20,000
Post-Doc
$40,000
Industry time,
materials
$27,000
University O/H
$7,000
Total
$27,000
$27,000
$40,000
$27,000
$14,000
$21,000
$54,000
$108,000
Leverage Opportunities in
University Partnerships
Add leverage from NSERC:
Item
Industry Industry
Cash
In-kind
Three Grad
Students
$20,000
OCE
Cash
Total
$40,000 $60,000
Post-Doc
$40,000
Ind. time,
materials
NSERC
Cash
$27,000
$40,000
$27,000
University
O/H
$7,000
$14,000
$21,000
Total
$27,000 $27,000
$54,000 $40,000 $148,000
Leverage Opportunities in
University Partnerships
But wait, there’s more…
The industry contributions are still eligible for the
SR&ED tax credit, so about $20k or more will come
back. So for only a few thousand dollars out-ofpocket you get:
1. Three B.Sc. engineers/scientists
2. One Ph.D. researcher
3. One professor (who isn’t even in the
budget)
4. Access to the university’s equipment and
facilities
BEAT THAT!
Other Benefits
Interacting with
new graduates
and students
(recruitment)
 Internships and
student projects
 Windows into the
wider community
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Other Resources
Ontario Centres
of Excellence
(OCE)
 NRC-IRAP
 SR&ED
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When NOT to work with a
University
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Very short projects
that need to be done
very quickly
When absolute
secrecy must be
maintained (i.e. no
patenting)
The university may
still be able to help
through consulting
agreements
A Path Forward?
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“This country
is doing
dismally in the
critically
important area
of innovation”
– Anne Golden,
President,
Conference
Board of Canada
in Globe & Mail
June 13
1 Switzerland
2 Sweden
3 Finland
4 United States
5 Germany
6 Netherlands
7 Britain
8 Belgium
9 Denmark
10 Ireland
11 Japan
12 Austria
13 France
14 CANADA
15 Norway
16 Australia
17 Italy
A
B
B
B
B
C
C
C
C
C
C
D
D
D
D
D
D
A Path Forward?
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Ontario is one of the
best places in the
world to do R&D
Collaborations start
with people
• Relationships
• Networking
• Synergies
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Networks are
“broadband”
Universities can serve
as a hub for an
innovation network
Dr. Mike Szarka
Manager, Technology Transfer &
Commercialization
Phone (905) 721-8668 x2523
E-mail: mike.szarka@uoit.ca