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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.

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.

“Collaboration is the essence of the new economy,” insists Ross Wallace, director of strategic partnerships at MaRS. “There’s a new focus on the power of institutions to generate intellectual property and ideas, and then build around them.”

MaRS has a virtual education program dubbed “Entrepreneurship 101.” One February class features budgeting, another agrifood innovation. The classes are available at no cost, and anyone can register. The program also includes blogs and discussion groups such as the drug development and cancer targets groups. So far, MaRS has relied on viral marketing to get the word out.

To provide that expertise, MaRS developed the MaRS Venture Group. This team of experienced investors, entrepreneurs, technology experts, and advisors works with companies to help them bridge the gap between entrepreneurial start-up and experienced growth company. The Venture Group provides market intelligence as well  as advisory services such as strategic planning, partnership and alliance building, intellectual property management, marketing and communications, sales strategy, channel development, financing, and human resource development. It works with groups outside the MaRS orbit, too.

New graduates are known as ‘Generation Yers’. Born between 1979 and 1998, they want to be successful business people, but they also want to do good with their skills. They want luxurious products, but won’t buy from unethical companies. For businesses to recruit and retain the best, they have to offer more than the corporate package. Community engagement is fast becoming a key competitive differentiator between professional services firms. In a recent survey of UK graduates by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 70% said that they will actively seek out employers whose corporate responsibility behaviour reflects their own. An Aspen Institute study shows business school students citing ‘business's responsibility to society’ as a top concern when choosing a job.

social entrepreneurship will be rattled by this economic situation, but we will make changes to our approach where necessary and come out stronger and more central to both business and community.

"MaRS Innovation is a unique global initiative, and I must commend the institutional leaders in Toronto for pulling this innovation powerhouse together to strengthen commercialization output. In my experience, good science is the single most important ingredient for success in this business. Toronto is already known as one of the strongest science cities in the world, and it continues to grow. Leading MaRS Innovation is a wonderful opportunity to do something remarkable."

Dr. Tim McTiernan, assistant vice-president (research) and executive director of The Innovations Group (TIG), U of T's research commercialization operation, said Mars Innovation will provide significant benefits to U of T.

And he said that MI's role as a resource "is like putting a turbo charger on an engine. Having MI working with us and the other member organizations is a huge step in taking advantage of the enormous potential in the Toronto research community. Commercialization offices acting independently will not be able to manage in nearly as effective a manner as will be possible with the expertise of MaRS Innovation."

A key strategic focus of the SickKids Research Institute is the commercialization of research findings-translating discoveries into new technologies and treatments to improve the understanding and treatment of diseases that affect children.

"An environment like the Discovery District allows research institutes and the University of Toronto and its affiliated hospitals to work together to promote research and its application," she explains.

One of the unique aspects of Toronto is its open, collaborative environment. Individual institutes are not fighting each other for funding resources. This collaborative nature is what people comment on when they come here." A Toronto location provides other advantages too, she says. "There is a strong university and college environment, which provides a great pool from which to draw talent. There is strong support from all three levels of government. And there is strong philanthropic support, which is important." Dr. Rossant says working for the Hospital for Sick Children has been very gratifying.

Dr. Rossant is also looking forward to the opening of the new research and education building going up in the Discovery District. "The Research Institute currently has 2,000 people spread across the Discovery District and the new building will bring us all together and allow us to interact in new ways."

Skymeter is poised to usher in smart metering and – if the execution holds true to the vision – tolls that directly fund roads that are in demand.

The conference, featuring international speakers such as Richard Lloyd of Vanderbilt University, will investigate cultural mapping from a number of unique perspectives and disciplines, and will support the interaction of policy-makers, academics and new researchers. Richard is author of "Neo-Bohemia: Art and Commerce in the Postindustrial City". Other Speakers include British-based cultural policy expert Colin Mercer. The conference is an extension of the Placing Creativity partnership which investigates the interconnection between 'Place' and 'Creativity' through a number of different lenses.

With support from the Mississauga Technology Business Accelerator (MTBA) he started his business, which grew to occupy some state-of-the-art labs at MaRS and is about to take the next step forward by moving its business outside of the protecting and nurturing environment of MaRS. This is the entire purpose of MaRS, which says on its website (www.marsdd.com), "We measure our success through the companies that emerge after receiving help from MaRS." "The resources, the facilities, the training and everything else that MaRS is bringing to the table - we're able to capitalize on that and get off on a very solid footing," says Kamal. Inside the Incubato

Whether you're looking for work - or you want to start your own business, MaRS is one of the best places to start your search.

Everybody you talk to in the elevator, the hall, the cafeteria - they are all in the science field - so you can network with one another," says Ratheesh. "MaRS does not just provide research space, they are bringing business people, people with money." These are the connections that can turn your idea into a profit-making business that employs many people. This is exactly what MaRS is all about. As they say on their website, "MaRS connects the communities of science, business and capital and fosters collaboration among them." MaRS advisors are able to connect entrepreneurs with private funding opportunities as well as free educational programming and hands-on advisory services. Corporate sponsor CIBC funds an entrepreneurship lecture series, for example. Ratheesh adds, "Patent people are here as well, so if you have patentable technology, you can talk to them." Once you start your business, MaRS offers many supports. "When we had the lab space we had the chemical hood that had to be set up so MaRS came and provided people to set up our hood," explains Ratheesh. "They help us dispose of chemical waste, provide water service, fridge and freezer service - so these are all important. "For smaller companies that have problem buying fridges and freezers, they can use common equipment." MaRS facilities also include lecture theatres, meeting rooms and an auditorium. Growing Cultures Bacteria and tissue cultures aren't the only cultures that thrive in the MaRS environment. It's also a great place for newcomers from every culture to

Clera, one of many emerging companies housed in the MaRS incubator.

He says, "MaRS is a one-stop shop for job and information seekers. Here we have many companies - so quite a few job opportunities