ISTPCanada, CIIRDF and NRC-IRAP sign collaborative agreement

March 6, 2008

Pat Mortimer (VP, Technology Industry Support, NRC) and Henri Rothschild (President & CEO, ISTPCanada and CIIRDF)

Recently in Ottawa, ISTPCanada, CIIRDF and NRC-IRAP signed an agreement to work more collaboratively and explore possible advantages for the various small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Canada that all of these organizations serve.

All three of these organizations are looking to maximize their reach to these companies as well as provide the greatest extent of services to assist these Canadian companies grow and/or expand their technologies – whereby a solution can sometimes be found within international collaborations.

With a focus on India, China, Brazil and Israel, ISTPCanada, CIIRDF and NRC-IRAP will look to connect their respective clients to each other’s opportunities. Increasing the number of firms they assist, as well as increasing the capacity or range of services makes this partnership a natural fit in the context of global S&T collaborations.

Whereby it can be intimidating for a SME to explore opportunities in these countries, by combining the expertise of these federal support organizations, along with the potential financial support that could be offered by ISTPCanada, CIIRDF and/or NRC-IRAP, the risk of S&T collaboration can be greatly diminished and the anxiety or apprehension reduced.

While this agreement focuses on the countries of interest that are mandated to CIIRDF and ISTPCanada, NRC-IRAP is not restricted in their own current global approach to support SMEs seeking specialize technology.

A senior executive Steering Committee will be struck in the coming weeks to include a broad range of industrial, research and government expertise to establish plans to fully leverage the current programs offered jointly by the organizations. Whether it be to extend the calls for proposal more broadly and/or NRC-IRAP’s own advisory services, SMEs in Canada should be able to easily access the programs and experience its benefits.

Some of the highlights of this three-year agreement include:

Identifying innovative firms across Canada that may benefit from participating in a collaborative R&D activity;
Assisting firms in both Canada and in the Countries to jointly develop technology collaborations and projects, bring those relationships to fruition, and provide follow-up support, as required;
Identifying sectors or niches with potential synergies in the Countries and developing programs to maximize opportunities for collaborative R&D activities;
CIIRDF and ISTPCanada will provide NRC-IRAP with Expressions of Interest (“EOIs”), projects, and PDA proposals received from their Calls for Proposals (“CFPs”) in programs with the Countries;
NRC-IRAP will review these proposals and determine whether the proposal could be considered as a candidate for a financial contribution from NRC-IRAP towards the Canadian SME’s share of the joint international project.

“There is no doubt that global partnering for technology cooperation will be of increasing importance over the years to come, reflecting their growing significance to economic development and to international relations.” Stated Henri Rothschild, CEO of ISTPCanada, “By establishing the strategic relationship inherent in this agreement, CIIRDF along with ISTPCanada recognize the key role played by NRC’s IRAP in positioning Canada’s technology – based SMEs for being ideal partners with counterparts in India, China, Brazil and Israel through the delivery of its famed program and service. For their part, CIIRDF and ISTPCanada will facilitate the global connectivity of these SMEs. It is a true positive sum partnership.”

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ISTPCanada, CIIRDF and NRC-IRAP sign collaborative agreement