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Assunta Krehl

What's wrong with Ontario - and how to make it right - The Globe and Mail - February 18... - 1 views

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    Adam Radwanski, Tim Kiladze and Tara Perkins, reports of the Globe and Mail state "Don Drummond's report caused a stir with its cost cuts and gloomy forecasts. But one positive result was that it spurred a serious examination of how to reinvent the economy." Ilse Treurnict, CEO, MaRS Discovery District,  states that the "health care sector is growing."
Sarah Hickman

Amazon.com: The Innovator's Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth (978157... - 0 views

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    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.
Sarah Hickman

Commercialization of Innovative Technologies: Bringing Good Ideas to the Marketplace: A... - 0 views

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    A new way for inventors/innovators, investors, technologies, and entrepreneurs to approach commercialization and build portfolios. The book guides you through the lifecycle of innovation, from screening to funding to development to commercialization. It presents discusses strategic issues, it discusses solutions towards successful commercialization, and it provides guidance from well-respected entrepreneurs.
Assunta Krehl

Creativity, innovation and film festivals - The Star - 0 views

  • At the corner of College St. and University Ave. sits a growing monument to this kind of original thinking. MaRS – short for Medical and Related Sciences – is all about a building becoming much more than the sum of its users and programming. Already, MaRS has become a global leader in biotech research; it has certainly become a city builder, creating jobs and spawning companies; and, of course, it does all this by being a creative cauldron – just like the film festival.
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    TIFF is essential for Toronto's future but corporate support lags for its new home. Small mention of MaRS becoming a great global leader in biotech research, a great city building and creating new jobs. Sept 24, 2009
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    TIFF is essential for Toronto's future but corporate support lags for its new home. Small mention of MaRS becoming a great global leader in biotech research, a great city building and creating new jobs.
Assunta Krehl

MaRS makes its first foray into the cleantech spotlight - Cleantech Group - 0 views

  • Five cleantech companies receive support at the Cleantech Forum in Boston from Canadian incubation and innovation center MaRS.
  • Alternative Fuels was just one of a lineup of early-stage startups being supported by MaRS, a nonprofit innovation center in Toronto’s downtown Discovery District that connects entrepreneurs with business skills, networks and capital to stimulate innovation and grow Canadian companies.
  • This week’s forum marked the organization’s first foray into the cleantech sector, said MaRS Venture Group Associate Kevin Downing. Downing said he wanted to connect cleantech-related companies in the MaRS portfolio that were “investment ready” with the forum’s audience. “I don’t have a motive to push any one client over any other because they’re not paying me,” Downing said. Of the 1,300 MaRS portfolio companies, he said the cleantech sector has been its fastest growing segment and an expanding sector in country as well (see Canadian cleantech looks to the future and IPO drought? Cleantech companies flood Canadian markets). Since 2006, cleantech and environmental technology companies have made up 9 percent of MaRS' portfolio. MaRS currently has 350 active clients. The center isn’t government funded, but does receive some government support, he said. It has been funded through donations from the public and private sector. MaRS has the ability to provide some funding, around $40,000, to startups on a competitive basis. Other companies showcased at the forum through MaRS included NIMtech, Real Tech, Vicicog and Skymeter.
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  • This week’s forum marked the organization’s first foray into the cleantech sector, said MaRS Venture Group Associate Kevin Downing. Downing said he wanted to connect cleantech-related companies in the MaRS portfolio that were “investment ready” with the forum’s audience. “I don’t have a motive to push any one client over any other because they’re not paying me,” Downing said. Of the 1,300 MaRS portfolio companies, he said the cleantech sector has been its fastest growing segment and an expanding sector in country as well (see Canadian cleantech looks to the future and IPO drought? Cleantech companies flood Canadian markets). Since 2006, cleantech and environmental technology companies have made up 9 percent of MaRS' portfolio. MaRS currently has 350 active clients. The center isn’t government funded, but does receive some government support, he said. It has been funded through donations from the public and private sector, as well as revenue from its mixed-use facility. MaRS has the ability to provide some funding, around $40,000, to startups on a competitive basis. Other companies showcased at the forum through MaRS included NIMtech, Real Tech, Vicicog and Skymeter.
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    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
Cathy Bogaart

Plucking 'low hanging fruit' on energy tree - with MaRS Advisor, Tom Rand - 0 views

  • The groundswell of geothermal interest among builders, developers and individual homeowners all over the GTA is mainly because it's what "green" venture capitalist Tom Rand calls "low hanging fruit" on the energy tree – easy to pluck and very cheap in the long run.
  • It has special appeal in large-scale operations, something Rand covers in a book he is working on. "I didn't think it was possible to go 100 per cent renewable but the studies support it.''
  • He claims that "if you drill 10 kilometres down to the really high temperatures, you can make enough energy to supply the whole U.S. with between three and 30,000 times more energy than it needs."
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  • It might be said that the Planet Traveler hotel in Kensington Market, in which Rand is a partner, is a bit of a test case. Although it appeared initially that geothermal wouldn't be possible on such a tight city lot, Rand approached the city about using the lane behind the hotel to sink his geothermal pipes.
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    The groundswell of geothermal interest among builders, developers and individual homeowners all over the GTA is mainly because it's what "green" venture capitalist and MaRS Advisor Tom Rand calls "low hanging fruit" on the energy tree - easy to pluck and very cheap in the long run. Tom talks about the opportunities available to enterprising, innovative businesses.
Sarah Hickman

2020 Science - 0 views

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    Towards 2020 Science, sets out the challenges and opportunities arising from the increasing synthesis of computing and the sciences. It seeks to identify the requirements necessary to accelerate scientific advances -particularly those driven by computational sciences and the 'new kinds' of science the synthesis of computing and the sciences is creating. Already this synthesis has led to new fields and advances spanning genomics and proteomics, earth sciences and climatology, nanomaterials, chemistry and physics. Towards 2020 Science acts as a 'pathfinder' to new research directions in science and computing. It contributes to, and informs, national and international scientific debate and science policy. It is also meant as just a start, a catalyst for more discussion; something that readers will find useful, inspiring and provocative.
Sarah Hickman

Small Business and Small Business Information for the Entrepreneur - 0 views

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    'The Daily Resource for Entrepreneurs' provides free access to INC. Magazine ['Handbook of the American Entrepreneur'] and Inc.TV. It also provides free access to many entrepreneur-centric Resource Centres, Blogs, Technologies, and Events. It is highly current and relevant Though a wonderful resource for all entrepreneurs, Inc.com is also very good for newbies. Its' "Start-Up" section provides links to columns, how-to guides, articles, and other recommended resources. There is even an interactive Ask the Expert section to the site.
Cathy Bogaart

How to Run a Meeting Like Google - 0 views

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    Great article with clear steps on how to run an effective meeting. Use it for your next project, use it for your annual reviews - just use it!
Cathy Bogaart

Monitor Institute - Investing for Social and environmental impact - 0 views

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    This report examines impact investing and how leaders could accelerate the industry's evolution and increase its ultimate impact in the world. It explores how impact investing has emerged and how it might evolve, including profiles of a wide range of impact investors. The report also provides a blueprint of initiatives to catalyze the industry.
Cathy Bogaart

Skymeter: the future of road tolls in Toronto? - 0 views

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    Have you read or heard about Andrew Coyne's paper, "Stuck in Traffic?" It talks about how Torontonians are spending more time commuting to work. Eye Weekly points out that we've got the technology to solve that problem right here at MaRS. It's our tenant and client, Skymeter. Skymeter, a company founded by local businessman Bern Grush, has designed a device that sits inside vehicles and tracks the location and distance of travel using GPS technology, adjusting for price changes in real time. To address privacy concerns, the Skymeter sends only the price information to authorities-data about where and when you've travelled stays inside your car, and you can erase it as often as you like. The technology has already been tested for road pricing in Asia and proved effective. So why aren't we using it in Toronto, Eye Weekly asks?
Sarah Hickman

MaRS Discovery District - Recommended Resources - Global Market Reports - VHA Research ... - 0 views

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    "The United States spends more on health care-related research and development than any other country. In 2003, it was estimated that the Federal government alone spent over $26 billion. Pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers and other private companies invested over $10 billion more. At its best, the American health care system is capable of delivering care unsurpassed anywhere else in the world. Yet, a 1999 Institute of Medicine study estimated that as many as 98,000 Americans die each year from hospital related medical errors. A recent study by the Rand Corporation (a non-profit think tank) concluded that less than 50 percent of encounters with doctors and hospitals resulted in optimal, evidence-based treatment. Studies show that as many as 42 million Americans - almost 15 percent of the population - lack health care insurance. Surveys reveal that patients do not feel they have adequate information about their conditions, and that their experience with health care ranks below that of most other sectors, in fact below that of the post office. In the aggregate, the country is spending nearly $2 trillion on health care, and yet the nation's health care system does not meet acceptable thresholds for safety, quality, access or cost. In 2005, VHA Health Foundation's board of directors sought to better understand the reasons behind this paradox. The foundation commissioned Larry Keeley and his associates at Doblin Inc. to apply the rigorous analytical methods that are used in their evaluation of other American industries and companies. The project set out to discover when, where and how innovation was taking place in health care. It also sought to identify organizations that were developing model innovation processes, and to explore where opportunities for successful innovation might lay."
Assunta Krehl

Bridging the gap - Telegraph Journal - October 22, 2011 - 0 views

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    At the 2011 Canadian Small Business Week, the University of New Brunswick announced its new innovation and entrepreneurship centre. There are many discussions taking place as to how this centre will be structured and support the next generation of entrepreneurs in New Brunswick and the Maritime region. Erin O'halloran, commentary of Telegraph Journal looks into how MaRS Discovery District is structured, how its Market Intelligence teams supports MaRS and its entrepreneurs and mentions success with clients such as Sysomos.
Assunta Krehl

Wirelessly enabling the long-distance house call - The Globe and Mail - January 20, 2012 - 0 views

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    Dr John Semple helped to created an app that is being in the healthcare industry in Canada for diagnoses. Peter Adams, senior health-care IT adviser, MaRS Discovery District, describs "Dr. Semple's app as the "tip of the iceberg," ... technology and others like it are capable of saving the health-care system millions in unnecessary hospital readmissions, needless suffering and potential deaths."
Assunta Krehl

Ontario research organizations join forces - ITBusiness.ca - 0 views

  • Three technology research centres in Ontario Monday said they have agreed to work together to help the province compete more effectively against countries like India and China.
  • Communitech is working with the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, an economic development corporation located in the nation's capital, and the MaRS Discovery District, a Toronto-based not-for-profit geared towards the commercialization of scientific and technological intellectual property.
  • MaRS originally stood for Medical and Research Sciences, but has since shied away from that label, said Ross Wallace, director of corporate strategy. The organization doesn't want to be pigeonholed as being just a life sciences or biotechnology outfit -- it lends equal weight to information communications and advanced manufacturing. MaRS may be Toronto-based, but its mandate is province-wide, said Wallace. By joining forces with organizations in other parts of Ontario, MaRS is more likely to fulfill that mandate, he said.
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  • The three organizations have agreed their partnership will function under the name the MaRS Network. MaRS is by far the youngest of the three organizations – Communitech is almost a decade old and OCRI is about 25 – but has become a business force since it opened last year.
  • The three organizations aim to share best practices and contacts, and lean on the strengths of their respective regions. All three may have good venture capital resources, for example, but specialties that may be peculiar to a certain area.
  • Dale added that the MaRs Network is open to working with other Canadian technology organizations, including those with a national or a regional focus.
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    Communitech, the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, and the MaRS Discovery District have ageed to work together to help the province compete more effectively against countries like India and China. These three companies partnership will function under the name MaRS Network. May 29, 2005
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    Communitech, the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, and the MaRS Discovery District have ageed to work together to help the province compete more effectively against countries like India and China. These three companies partnership will function under the name MaRS Network.
Assunta Krehl

Mensante named one of Top 10 Healthcare Companies to Watch | Markets | CNW GROUP | Cana... - 0 views

  • Market research leader IDC Canada has featured MaRS client Mensante as one of its "Ten Canadian Health Companies to Watch" in 2009.
  • Leading international psychiatrists, family physicians, psychologists, work place mental health experts and mental health economists developed an innovative web-based mental healthcare system called FeelingBetterNow(R).
  • Dr. Ozersky, Mensante's CEO, was selected by the Canadian Association of Health Informatics as recipient of the 2008 Community Physician Leader and Innovator of the Year Award.
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  • About Mensante Corporation Mensante Corporation (www.feelingbetternow.com) is a privately owned Canadian corporation, founded in 2003. The Toronto-based company developed FeelingBetterNow(R) with the assistance of leading Canadian and American psychiatrists, psychologists, family physicians, a mental health economist, and work place mental health-care experts. FeelingBetterNow(R) is a valuable benefit for many, including insurance companies, employers, government agencies, professional associations, family physicians, patients and their families.
  • About MaRS MaRS (www.marsdd.com) is a non-profit innovation centre connecting science, technology and social entrepreneurs with business skills, networks and capital to stimulate innovation and accelerate the creation and growth of successful Canadian enterprises.
  • Mensante named one of Top 10 Healthcare Companies to Watch
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    As stated in MaRS Press release "IDC Canada has featured MaRS client Mensante as one of its "Ten Canadian Health Companies to Watch" in 2009. Leading international psychiatrists, family physicians, psychologists, work place mental health experts and mental health economists developed an innovative web-based mental healthcare system called FeelingBetterNow(R).The College of Family Physicians of Canada has reviewed and approved FeelingBetterNow(R) as a practice management tool available to assist family physicians in patient care. The Ontario Medical Association approved the program for its members' personal use."
Assunta Krehl

TheStar.com | World | Race on to use people power to light up our lives - 0 views

  • But though piezoelectric technology is gaining momentum as the search for greener energy sources intensifies, it's not likely to replace more traditional power sources anytime soon, said Tom Rand, a project leader at MaRS with a background in electrical engineering.
  • "Everyone knows piezoelectricity works," he said. "The question is whether it's cost-effective."
  • "Everyone knows piezoelectricity works," he said. "The question is whether it's cost-effective."
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  • "Everyone knows piezoelectricity works," he said. "The question is whether it's cost-effective."
  • Rand said, in the next 10 years he expects to see this type of technology springing up all over cities like Toronto."I think it will happen simply because the optics are great," he noted. "It looks good to power a checkout at a supermarket with the cars that are rolling into the parking lot. But whether or not it's a serious player in energy production, I have my doubts ... I don't think it's a game-changer."
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    Tom Rand states "everyone knows piezoelectricity works ... the question is where it is cost-effective
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    Tom Rand states "everyone knows piezoelectricity works ... the question is where it is cost-effective.
Sarah Hickman

The Strategy Paradox: Why committing to success leads to failure and what to do about i... - 0 views

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    A compelling vision. Bold leadership. Decisive action. Unfortunately, these prerequisites of success are almost always the ingredients of failure, too. In fact, most managers seeking to maximize their chances for glory are often unwittingly setting themselves up for ruin. The sad truth is that most companies have left their futures almost entirely to chance, and don't even realize it. The reason? Managers feel they must make choices with far-reaching consequences today, but must base those choices on assumptions about a future they cannot predict. It is this collision between commitment and uncertainty that creates The Strategy Paradox.
Tim T

Climate change after Copenhagen: China's thing about numbers | The Economist - 0 views

  • overall aim: to move from a world in which carbon dioxide emissions are rising to one in which they are falling, fast enough to make a difference.
  • How fast is enough? A fair measure is carbon and other greenhouse emissions in 2050; if by that date they are only half their 1990 level, most people agree, then things would be on the right track. Another widely accepted calculation: if developing countries are to grow a bit between now and then, rich countries would need to slash emissions to a level at least 80% below what they were in 1990.
  • The numbers that China had resisted were those that could be read in any way as commitments.
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  • They secured the removal of language contained in early drafts that spoke of a Copenhagen deal as a step on the road to a legally binding treaty. As the world’s largest emitter (without which any agreement is dead), China was in a strong position, and it took full advantage.
  • China also gave some ground. It satisfied the Americans on one sticking-point: the principle of “monitoring, reporting and verification” of actions promised by developing countries.
  • Unless China, in particular, can be shown to live up to its promises, it will be very difficult to get a climate bill through America’s Senate.
  • And there is money on the table: an initial promise of $10 billion a year, for three years, from developed countries to help poorer states mitigate climate change and adapt to it.
  • Copenhagen Green Climate Fund
  • A bid to reinsert the notion of a future binding treaty was firmly quashed by China, India and Saudi Arabia.
  • the next full conference will be in Mexico on November 29th
Tim T

Beijing plays hardball with Washington - thestar.com - 0 views

  • Western countries were preparing for a more assertive China to emerge over the next decade. No one thought it would happen virtually overnight.
  • "Before the (Beijing) Olympics everyone believed it was going to be gradual. People would have time to adapt. But over the past 18 months things have just developed so rapidly."
  • China's ability to survive and thrive through the financial crisis left many Chinese feeling their system is just better, says Stubbe Ostergaard
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  • While many Western countries experienced negative growth last year, China registered a jaw-dropping 8.7 per cent increase. Though much of it was achieved by a generous stimulus package, it maintained jobs and, in the end, helped fuel feelings of superiority.
  • Economic power is inexorably shifting away from the U.S. and towards China, he says, and coming with it is power and influence. "China is stronger now. It's more influential," says Yao. "And the Chinese banking sector looks better than the Western banking system."
  • "Saving face matters to the Chinese," he says. "But if you slap the Chinese face once, twice, three times, four times – that's too much." That language underlines the stark differences in the two nations' perception of issues such as Taiwan, Tibet and the Dalai Lama.
  • "China has risen to a different place. ... It's clearly an unsettling stage in U.S.-China relations, a new paradigm. No one is really sure how it's going to shake out."
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