Western and London: A Great Partnership

1. Western and London: A Great Partnership London Chamber of Commerce Dr. Paul Davenport February 28, 2008

2. Western’s impact on the local economy • 35,000+ full-time and part-time students (including affiliated university colleges) • 3,500+ full-time faculty and staff • 65% volunteer in some capacity • $223.5M in research funding (2006-07) • $230M in new construction (2006-2013) • $1.5B in economic activity annually • Building business through technology transfer

3. Technology Transfer in London: New Structure, Greater Focus • It is central to Western's identity that the best student experience takes place in the context of a major international research university. • Research is at the heart of Western’s enterprise and the focus of future technology transfer is directly aligned with the jobs agendas of the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

4. Technology Transfer in London:New Structure, Greater FocusWestern, Robarts, and Lawson • A record of success • A City-wide technology transfer organization • A greater focus on areas with strong links to industry and national scientific leadership: • Imaging and Medical Devices • Alternative Energy • Materials and Biomaterials • Seeking alignment with business and government

5. A Record of Success • Compared to other cities, public institutions in London have achieved significant success through technology transfer • In 2005-2006, Western, Robarts and Lawson together reported: • 84 invention disclosures (4th nationally) • 8 U.S. patents (4th nationally) • $4.8M in licensing income (3rd nationally)

6. A Record of Success • Western, Lawson and Robarts have created over a dozen successful start-up companies creating hundreds of jobs in London • Viron Therapeutics • EK3 Technologies • EVS (now GE Healthcare) • Keigan Systems • KGK Synergize

7. Are We Doing Enough? • It is time to align the technology transfer efforts of public research institutions across London to achieve maximum potential within the system • First step has been taken with the alignment of the Robarts and Western tech transfer operations • LHRI has now agreed to partner with Western/Robarts to establish a new city-wide organization

8. A City-Wide Technology Transfer Organization • New joint-venture, involving Western/Robarts and LHRI will be formed this spring • Teams of commercialization experts will be located across the City and supported by a central hub offering administrative, patent search, and legal services • Total institutional investment of over $2.0M plus Federal/Provincial contributions through C4 • Will offer services on a “walk-in” basis to local inventors subject to appropriate review of proposed technologies

9. Building on Strengths • The new organization will develop a national/international “brand” focusing on key areas of research strength in London where industry links are strong: • Imaging and Medical Devices • Alternative Energy • Materials and biomaterials

10. Imaging and Medical Devices • London is a national and international leader in imaging/device research • London has a strong record of success in commercialization • London has a strong local receptor capacity

11. Imaging and Medical Devices London is a national and international leader in imaging/device research • Over 50 researchers located at Western/Robarts, LHRI and National Research Council • Leading-edge facilities include: • Centre for Brain and Mind • C-Star • NRC-Industrial Manufacturing Institute • National Centre for Audiology

12. Imaging and Medical Devices London has a strong record of success in commercialization • $2M annually in licensing income from imaging alone • Multiple start-ups in London • Medtrode • Scisense • EVS • Stellar Pharmaceutical • XLR Imaging

13. Imaging and Medical Devices London has a strong local receptor capacity • Over two dozen imaging/device companies in London employing 1000+, including Trudell Medical, 3M Canada, GE Healthcare, Medtech, Photon Technology International, Sciencetech, Modus Medical Devices, and Sonometrics • Strong interest in collaborative research • Proposed Institute for Medical Device Commercialization driven by industry with support from TechAlliance and LEDC • Strong alignment with City objectives through the Mayor’s Roundtable on Life Sciences

14. Alternative Energy • Growing strength in London and Southwestern Ontario • Outstanding development of new infrastructure • Success in Commercialization and Industrial Partnerships

15. Alternative Energy:Growing Strength in London and SWO • London is an emerging national leader in biofuels research • Western leads $11M national initiative of Agricultural Bioproducts Innovation Program (ABIP) sponsored by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada • Strong research clusters in Science and Engineering at Western and in Sarnia, now consolidated under ICFAR • Strong alignment with City objectives through London Sustainable Energy Council and Mayor’s Roundtable on Sustainable Energy

16. Alternative Energy: Infrastructure • Green Building • $22M CFI/MRI/Industry project) focusing on bio-oil, hydrogen from waste, biofuel cells • Sarnia-Lambton Research Park • $10M invested by Province in the Ontario Bioindustrial Innovation Centre for scale-up of new biofuel technologies to industry • Biotron • $28M CFI/MRI/Industry supported climate-controlled facility will lead research on biomass research and development • Planned construction of $5M pilot plant facilities north of London

17. Alternative Energy: Commercialization • Western spin-off Agri-Therm has sold first portable pyrolysis units to Mexico (units are manufactured in Southwestern Ontario) • Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources (ICFAR) has established collaborative research projects with national, and international partners: • Syncrude (Edmonton) • Suncor (Sarnia) • Total (France) • FP Innovations (Paprican)

18. Materials and Biomaterials • London has long been recognized as a centre for materials research • Western’s Synchrotron Radiation Group • Surface Science Western • Links to materials and biomaterials industry in Sarnia under development • Strong alignment with City’s objectives through the Mayor’s Roundtable on Advanced Manufacturing

19. Materials and Biomaterials • Western’s Synchrotron Radiation group established the Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon • Western researchers continue to dominate the field as leaders in publication of results from CLS facility

20. Materials and Biomaterials • Surface Science Western dominates the surface materials characterization field nationally and internationally • Includes dozens of researchers from Physics, Chemistry, and Engineering fields • Provides materials characterization services to over 1000 industrial clients including several multi-nationals: General Motors, Honda, Novelis, CVRD Inco, Ontario Hydro, Babcock & Wilcox, Dupont • Planned move to the Research Park in summer 2009 to capitalize on industry links

21. Seeking Alignment with Business and Government • Strong business support for all three focus areas: medical devices, alternative fuels, materials and biomaterials • Federal support through ABIP, CFI, NSERC, CIHR • Provincial support ORF and other programs, and to Bioindustrial Innovation Centre • City support through advocacy: we need to get these key programs on the radar screen for LEDC, the Chamber, and the City

22. Seeking Alignment with Business and Government • Western recently hosted John Wilkinson, Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation on campus • The goal of the visit was to highlight Western’s role in the knowledge-based economy locally, provincially and nationally • Three members of local industry shared their experiences in collaborating with the university and urged the Minister to support the growth of local innovation: • Trudell Medical - Mark Pickard • Agri-Therm - Jim Weaver • EK3 Technologies - Nick Prigioniero

23. Opportunities in Emerging Fields of Research • The three areas of focus do not preclude the development, support and expansion of other technologies and industries in emerging fields of research. • EK3 is an example of an enormously successful university spin-off company that has established itself in London. • EK3 is leading the way in the digital media industry which has been identified by the Ontario Government as one of its four priority areas for industries innovation. • Western will continue to develop, support and expand emerging opportunities for technology transfer and commercialization throughout our research endeavours.

24. Western and London: A Great Partnership London Chamber of Commerce Dr. Paul Davenport February 28, 2008