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"Lauren Flynn, Queen's University chemical engineer pioneered the process for transforming discarded human fat into a soft-tissue substitute for use in reconstructive surgery... Further development of the technology is possible through $192,500 in funding from MaRS Innovation Medical Sciences Competitive Proof of Principle. The program is part of the Ontario Centres of Excellence Institutional Proof of Principle program." 

Toronto is a globally competitive centre for groundbreaking basic and clinical research, with historical and current strengths in areas including new cancer therapeutics, stem cell research and development, genomics, bioinformatics, and the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools for every imaginable disease process.

R&D has laid the foundation for economic growth, giving us fuel cells, computer databases, the Internet, satellite navigation -- unexpected spillovers of R&D funding. To stay competitive in the innovative industries, government funding, it is argued, is required to continue.

Innovators for the public.

Ashoka "strives to shape a global, entrepreneurial, competitive citizen sector: one that allows social entrepreneurs to thrive and enables the world's citizens to think and act as changemakers." Ashoka supports social entrepreneurship, promotes group entrepreneurship, and builds infrastructure for the sector. Fields of work include environment, health, human rights, economic development, education, and civil engagement.

Canada's Technology Triangle Inc (CTT) is a not-for-profit, public-private regional economic development partnership that markets the competitive advantages of the Waterloo Region to the world, and works to attract new businesses, investment and talent to the Region. As an information provider and business network facilitator, CTT is typically the first point of contact for enterprises outside the Waterloo Region interested in start-up, expansion, or relocation to the Waterloo Region. CTT's activity complements its partner municipalities, who focus on local business retention and expansion, and investment-related site location, business cost, servicing, and development approval considerations. CTT's municipal partners are the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, and the townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich.

Clean Tech Funding\n\nIf you have a new, innovative technology that helps address climate change or promotes clean water, land or air, then Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) wants to hear from you.(\n\nSDTC supports late-stage development and pre-commercial demonstration of clean technologies by Canadian companies.( (The Statement of Interest (SOI) is an initial application used for preliminary screening and is subject to a competitive review process by SDTC and a panel of independent experts. ( (Applications are evaluated on the basis of their fit with SDTC's mandate, selection criteria, and the quality of technology, marketing and business capabilities. ( (IMPORTANT - Prior to submitting an application and to ensure a good fit:\n\n 1. First review the "Application Advice" section and subsections on SDTC's web site, starting at http://www.sdtc.ca/en/funding/advice/index.htm.\n 2. Register for one of their free online webinars or workshop to learn more - see http://sdtc.ca/en/news/events/200803-61120.htm for details. \n 3. Then discuss your proposed project with one of their Applications Managers.\n

The first first annual MobileMonday Toronto Marketing Awards will be held September 8, 2009 at the MaRS Centre. MobileMonday is a partner of MaRS. MobileMonday Toronto Marketing Awards recognizse Toronto area marketing professionals for their effort in helping grow the use of mobile as a marketing channel. Sept 2, 2009

The first first annual MobileMonday Toronto Marketing Awards will be held September 8, 2009 at the MaRS Centre. MobileMonday is a partner of MaRS. MobileMonday Toronto Marketing Awards recognizes Toronto area marketing professionals for their effort in helping grow the use of mobile as a marketing channel. Sept 2, 2009

Ron Freeman, CEO of Research at InfoSource Inc, says that our current funding model isn't working to commercialize our science. That new policy measures are needed to improve Canada's long-term competitive position.

Over the next decade, two out of every three companies will face the challenge of their corporate lives: redefining their core business. Buffeted by global competition and facing an uncertain future, more and more executives will realize that they must make fundamental changes in their core even as they continue delivering the goods and services that keep them in business today. "Unstoppable" shows these managers how to look deep within their organizations to find undervalued, unrecognized, or underutilized assets that can serve as new platforms for sustainable growth. Drawing on more than thirty interviews with CEOs from companies such as De Beers, American Express, and Samsung, it shows readers how to recognize when the core needs reinvention and how to deploy the "hidden assets" that can be the basis for tomorrow's growth. Building on the author's previous books, "Profit from the Core" and "Beyond the Core", this book shows how any company in crisis can transform itself to become truly unstoppable.

From Publishers Weekly\nChristensen (The Innovator's Dilemma) analyzes the strategies that allow corporations to successfully grow new businesses and outpace the other players in the marketplace. Christensen's earlier book examined how focusing on profits can destroy even well-run corporations, while this book focuses on companies expanding by being "disruptors" who are able to outpace their entrenched competition. The authors (Christensen is a professor at Harvard Business School and Raynor, a director at Deloitte Research) examine the nine business decisions integral to growth, including product development, organizational structure, financing and key customer base. They cite such companies as IBM, AT&T, Sony, Microsoft and others to illustrate their points. Generally, the writing is clear and specific. For example, in discussing whether a company has the resources necessary for growth, the authors say, "In order to be confident that managers have developed the skills required to succeed at a new assignment, one should examine the sorts of problems they have wrestled with in the past. It is not as important that managers have succeeded with the problem as it is for them to have wrestled with it and developed the skills and intuition for how to meet the challenge successfully the next time around"; they then provide a real-life example of a software company. Similar important strategies give readers insights that they can use in their own workplaces. People looking for quick fixes may find the charts, diagrams and extensive footnotes daunting, but readers familiar with more technical business management tomes will find this one both stimulating and beneficial.

Five cleantech companies received support at the Cleantech Forum in Boston from Canadian incubation and innovation center MaRS. Some of the companies showcased at the forum through MaRS included NIMtech, Real Tech, Vicicog and Skymeter. Sept 10, 2009

A lively and authoritative compendium of never-before-heard tales of Canadian companies abroad, Why Mexicans Don't Drink Molson is also a hands-on guide for innovative competitiveness, helping readers to identify the nation's previously underestimated assets and abilities.

Five architects' have been chosen as finalists in the competition to replace the bland St. Lawrence north market with a combined market and courtroom complex. Adamson Associates, who designed the MaRS building, is one of the five respected firms.

Chim Kan blogs about his reflection about being an MBA graduate and mentions about the MaRS CIBC Entrepreneurship Upstart Competition 10K which will feature entrepreneurs showing their latest ideas.

Vincent Cheung of Shape Collage, recent winner of the MaRS Up-Start Competition, was also named national champion for an award by the Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) organization. Congrats to Shape Collage, a MaRS client.

The Premier's Innovation Awards was hosted by the Ontario Centre of Excellence (OCE) in partnership with MaRS. The award is part of Ontario's Innovation Agenda to invests $200,000 to $5 million in the provinces top innovators to help advance their cutting-edge research and development, while boosting global competitiveness and creating more high-skilled jobs.

The Next36 had a competition, Venture Day, that challenged teams to create new mobile apps and pitch their ideas to investors. The event took place at the MaRS Centre.

On September 1st, 2011, Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX) kicked-off their national search for Canada's Top 20 hottest innovative technology start-ups.Canadian startups have until October 14th to submit their applications to the CIX Top 20. The competition will take place on December 1st at the MaRS Centre.