Barriers to Technology Commercialization in Alberta

Prepared by Bruce Healy, Davitech Consulting Inc., Calgary, Alberta
in association with Nick Portman, Portman Innovations Ltd., Calgary, Alberta
and Denzil Doyle, Doyletech Corporation, Ottawa, Ontario

July 15, 1996

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Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OVERRIDING ISSUES, RECOMMENDATIONS

• Financing Issues
• Financing Recommendations
• Management Issues
• Management Recommendations

CONTRIBUTING ISSUES / RECOMMENDATIONS

• Marketing/Commercialization Issues
• Marketing/Commercialization Recommendations
• Infrastructure Issues
• Infrastructure Recommendations

SCOPE AND CONTENT OF REPORT

ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

FINANCING

• Issues
• Identifying the Funding Gaps
• Quantifying the Needs
• Sources of Financing
• Recommendation #1 - Capital Gains Offset Tax Credit
• Recommendation #2 - Provincial R&D Tax Credit
• Recommendation #3 - Labour Sponsored Venture Capital Company

MANAGEMENT

• Issues
• Implications
• Recommendation #1 - Mentoring Program
• Recommendation #2 - Networking Workshops
• Recommendation #3 - Angel Networks
• Recommendation #4 - Interactive Database

MARKETING/COMMERCIALIZATION

• Issues
• Implications
• Recommendation #1 - Export Marketing and Financial Support Programs
• Recommendation #2 - Provincial Procurement
• Recommendation #3 - Technology Transfer
• Recommendation #4 - Corporate Technology Development Support
• Recommendation #5 - Intellectual Property Protection

INFRASTRUCTURE

• Issues
• Implications
• Recommendation #1 - Logistics & Lead Times- Government Programs
• Recommendation #2 - Technology Focus
• Recommendation #3 - University vs. Commercial Technology Commercialization
• Recommendation #4 - Provincial Linkage with Industry Associations
• Recommendation #5 - Export Marketing Missions
• Recommendation #6 - Entrepreneurship Training at Post-Secondary Institutions

KEY CHALLENGES

• Geographic Dispersion of SMEs in Alberta
• Getting Investors "On Board" with Technology
• "One Size Does Not Fit All"

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A - THE PERSPECTIVES

• Small and Medium Size Enterprises
• Financial Purveyors
• Government
• Service and Product Purveyors

APPENDIX B - LABOUR SPONSORED VENTURE CAPITAL COMPANIES

• Understanding the Need
• Assessing the Current Funding Gaps
• Labour Sponsored Venture Capital Companies - the current perspective
• Prospective Guidelines for Labour Sponsored Venture Capital Companies in Alberta

APPENDIX C - GOVERNMENT BASED FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

APPENDIX D - DEFINITIONS

APPENDIX E - PARTICIPANTS IN SURVEY

• SMEs
• Financial Purveyors
• Government, Government Agencies, Academia
• Service and Product Purveyors, including technology transfer practitioners

APPENDIX F - REFERENCES AND OTHER SOURCES OF DATA

APPENDIX G - CANADIAN VENTURE CAPITAL STATISTICS

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Last Revised August 22, 1996 1530 MST

Copyright © 1996 Government of Alberta. All rights reserved.