By Daniela Fisher and Shawn Lawrence
ALBERTA BIOTECH
Alberta’s
Innovation System
Five years ago, the Alberta government undertook the task of reviewing all of its agencies related to innovation in the province. It was an ambitious plan driven by the hope of adding more rigour to a system where Albertan businesses, government, and universities could collaborate, share resources, experts, and ideas across sectors. A further focus was enhancing efficiency, targeting research in areas of strategic importance to the province, and going beyond traditional industries (such as oil and gas ) and
expanding capacity to commercialize new technologies. From this review, a new government funded body, Alberta Innovates, was born. Today, Alberta Innovates is a globally competitive research and innovation system focused on the key areas of agriculture, forestry and life sciences; health and medical research; energy, water and the environ-
ment. Four corporations make up the Alberta Innovates family, they are: Bio Solutions, Health Solutions, Energy and Environment Solutions and lastly Technology Futures. In a short period of time, each organization has taken on a leading role in creating and funding projects within the province in their selected areas, while at the same time, they maintain a highly integrated relationship.
Alberta Innovates Technology Futures Good working partnerships and timely support can be key to a company’s ability to quickly translate research into the meaningful products, processes and services that new and existing businesses can confidently and successfully take to market. Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures helps entrepreneurs, innovators, businesses and industries find solutions, develop products and move technologies to market. “We’re building on Alberta’s already established advantages in platform technologies like nanotechnology, information communications technologies, and genomics. Our focus is on enhancing the technical capacity of Alberta’s high-tech sector,” says 16 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS July/August 2013
Don Back, vice president Health Technologies, Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures. “As a key player in Alberta’s innovation system, we guide our clients to the supports and services available for innovation, commercialization and new venture growth. And we invest in and attract the research talent essential in the priority areas important to Alberta.” Tech Futures is part of a system working to move research, into the innovations that create new products, new services and new businesses in the province. Alberta Innovates supports provincial research and innovation priorities in the industry sectors of: agriculture, food and forestry; energy and the
environment; health; and technology commercialization. Four Alberta Innovates corporations – Bio Solutions, Health Solutions, Energy and Environment Solutions, and Technology Futures – coordinate research investments and activities across public, private and academic sectors. Through the corporations and a network of additional providers, services are delivered to entrepreneurs, established companies, and technology driven start-up businesses. Tech Futures is unique within the Alberta Innovates system for the range of services it provides. Focusing on technology, it provides hands-on applied research services, business development services, and talent
