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Canada's economy is outperforming the rest of the developed world

willingness to embrace a strong role for public investment in innovation,

Another example of public, private and university collaboration is the MaRS discovery district, a nonprofit innovation center that brings together biotech researchers, VCs, and social entrepreneurs in the same part of downtown Toronto with several research hospitals. 

MaRS Innovation and The University of Toronto (U of T) are pleased to announce that they have entered into an agreement to collaboratively commercialize a novel sustained release formulation of nitric oxide (NO) for applications in wound healing, including diabetic ulcers. 

This wound healing technology is extremely exciting, making it an early commercialization opportunity that MaRS Innovation has identified as being a potential win for some 45 million diabetics globally,” said Dr. Rafi Hofstein, President and CEO of MaRS Innovation. 

disruptive technology that facilitates continued therapeutic release of NO over a two week period has been developed by Dr. Ping Lee, Professor at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and GlaxoSmithKline Chair in Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery at U of T.

MARS DISOVERY DISTRICT has appointed businessman and philanthropist Richard Ivey to its board of directors.

"Richard Ivey has a strong track record of community involvement and commitment to research and innovation, most recently through his continuing role as chair of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research," said John Evans, founding chair of the board at MaRS. "His integrity and dedication to building a strong foundation for Canada's innovation economy will be of tremendous benefit to MaRS"

MaRS is a Toronto non-profit centre linking science, technology and social entrepreneurs with business skills and capital to stimulate innovation and the creation of successful Canadian companies.

Allyson Hewitt, Director, Social Entrepreneurship, MaRS Discovery District

Allyson Hewitt of Social Innovation Generation at MaRS advised that we consider how the nonprofit sector has survived, to date, because of people’s willingness to volunteer for causes they believe in. We’re good at creating opportunities to volunteer, she said, but have a great amount of work to do in measuring the impact of those efforts.

MaRS, a Toronto-based, not-for-profit incubation center, is leading a delegation of five cleantech ventures at this week’s Cleantech Forum XXIII in Boston. The companies – all clients of MaRS advisory services – will showcase their products for the cleantech CEOs, investors, scientists and policy makers attending the east coast forum. “While cleantech is a relatively new sector for MaRS advisory services, it is fast catching up with our other core strengths in information technologies and life sciences,” said Tom Rand, a cleantech entrepreneur, author and investor who leads MaRS’ cleantech practice. “MaRS is establishing itself as a major deal-flow engine in the cleantech sector, with an emphasis on early-stage companies.”

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MaRS places Israeli biotech veteran at helm

TORONTO – MaRS Innovation names Dr. Raphael Hofstein (pictured) as president and CEO. Dr. Hofstein comes to MaRS Innovation by way of Israel, where he was president and CEO of tech transfer company Hadasit Ltd.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Hofstein,” says Mary Jo Haddad, chair of MaRS Innovation, which is a subset of the Queen’s Park-sponsored innovation hub MaRS Discovery District.

Film Italia and the Italian Trade Commission's annual TIFF party took on a  chameleon theme set at the MaRS Discovery Centre.

The lower-key festival event, held at the MaRS Discovery District, attracted more than 400 people and took on a chameleon theme and slogan: "Try on the colours of Italian cinema."

“We try every year to shock people and to be a novelty,” said Italian trade commissioner Paolo Ponti of the party, which he planned in collaboration with Graham. Ponti said MaRS was chosen as a venue this year because of its melding of old and new and its representation of innovation. (The centre is known for leadership in science and business research.)

“Social technology: This workshop will focus on emerging online media strategies, products and services in order to advance social purpose work. The use of online media strategies is absolutely critical as we can no longer use old methodologies to look at new ways for solving problems.” Leaders: Joseph Dee and Lisa Torjman of Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District, and Ryerson University sociologist Sam Ladner.