Ontario provides $13.6 M for GreenCentre Canada (see video)

KINGSTON, ON – A new commercialization model that transforms Green Chemistry discoveries into real-world products and industrial technologies for reducing harm to the environment, has received a major vote of confidence from the Ontario government.

The Hon. John Gerretsen, Minister of the Environment, on behalf of John Milloy, Minister of Research and Innovation, announced at Queen’s University today the awarding of $13.6 million in support of GreenCentre Canada.  The work of the Centre is seen as reflecting the objectives of Ontario’s Ministry of Research and Innovation and the Ontario government’s Toxics Reduction Strategy with its commitment to supporting Green Chemistry and alternative technologies that reduce or eliminate the use of compounds that are harmful to the environment. 

This significant investment in leading-edge Green Chemistry research and in forward-looking, environmentally conscious industries comes on the heels of the decision by the federal government earlier this year to award the Centre $9.1 million toward the establishment of a national Centre of Excellence for the development and commercialization of Green Chemistry technologies.

“We are extremely gratified that the Centre, and what it represents as an highly promising new model for technology transfer, has won the confidence and support of both levels of government,”  says John Molloy, President and CEO of PARTEQ Innovations, the technology transfer office of Queen’s. “With this funding, we are building a global model for technology commercialization for the 21st century.”

The first entity of its kind in North America, GreenCentre Canada brings together Canada’s leading Green Chemistry researchers, industry partners, and commercialization professionals in a common goal of developing cleaner, less energy-intensive solutions for traditional chemical products and manufacturing processes.

The technology transfer model is unique in how it:

• offers academic researchers specialized commercialization services for moving their discoveries closer to market
• brings industry and  academic researchers together so that industry gets a full picture of the spectrum of research expertise  available across Canada
• puts industry at the table in selecting discoveries which hold the greatest  potential for transforming manufacturing products and processes
• provides a hands-on, all-inclusive, highly specialized commercialization team that includes experts in  product and application development, scale-up manufacturing,  intellectual property protection, business development and marketing and financial management.
• operates within an 8,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility where products and materials will be developed to meet the special needs and achieve the magnitude of scale needed to gain acceptance by industry and the market place.
• assumes upfront costs and the risks associated with early- stage discoveries.

“We are reducing the risk factor for industry and, by enabling universities and the chemical industry to work collaboratively with Canada’s leading commercialization professionals, increasing the chances that exciting new discoveries are fully realized and become commercial innovations that can make a real difference to the environment,” says Dr. Resendes, Executive Director of the Centre. 

The GreenCentre Canada model depends upon universities sharing their research base to ensure that there is sufficient critical mass of research to justify the investment in infrastructure that is required to do effective commercialization.

Since the Centre got underway less than a year ago, inventions from Canadian university researchers who want to see their work developed to the point that it can benefit society, have been pouring in. Already the Centre has received more than 50 technology disclosures from researchers across Canada for review by the Centre. “The interest from the academic community has been even higher than expected,” says Dr. Resendes. “We are very encouraged by the reactions of Canada’s researchers, technology transfer professionals and industry.” 

The Centre, to be permanently located at Innovation Park at Queen’s University by early next year,  is continuing discussions with industry representatives from across the chemical industry value chain who have an interest in playing an active role with the Centre in the identifying, assessing and developing of Green Chemistry Innovations. The Centre already has strong representation from Canadian and international companies,  including NOVA Chemical Corp., Fielding Chemical Technologies, Polycorp Ltd. , Pressure Chemical Co. and Albonia Innovative Technologies Ltd.  After its initial 5-year term, industry investment in the Centre is expected to reach $44 million.

“I am seeing increasing  interest from the industrial sector given the potential that this technology transfer model holds for the development of environmentally responsible, commercially viable products,”  says Peter Snucins, President and CEO of PolyCorp Ltd. and Chair of the Board of the Centre. “As a leading manufacturer of engineered polymer products, our company sees this as an outstanding opportunity to further our work in creating and incorporating technologies that reflect both our own goals and those of society.”
   
“As part of our longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, we are continually exploring new ways to develop and adopt innovative approaches to producing the plastics and chemicals that are essential to everyday life,”  says  Eric Kelusky, Vice President of Technology at Nova Chemicals Corp. “ GreenCentre has provided us with an excellent opportunity to ensure we are able to collaborate and  take full advantage of what our universities and research institutes have to offer in the way of new thinking.”
   
“We are extremely pleased that the Ontario government has recognized the value of the work to be done at GreenCentre,” says Kerry Rowe, Vice-Principal (Research) at Queen’s. “Universities are a primary source of the creative spirit and drive that fuel innovation and economic development.  This new Centre, initiated by PARTEQ Innovations, has demonstrated that it knows what is required to harness that intellectual energy and ensure these new research discoveries are transformed into products and technologies that improve our quality of life.”

Over the next five years GreenCentre Canada aims to manage the commercialization of 50 Green Chemistry technologies, leading to at least 10 licence agreements, and to establish at least six start-up companies. During this time, they also anticipate the creation of at least 250 highly skilled jobs.  The Centre is expected to be fully operational by 2010.

See backgrounder for additional information about Green Chemistry and GreenCentre Canada. The Ontario  government’s news release can be accessed at: ontario.ca/innovation

Contact:    

Anne Kershaw, Media Specialist
P: +1. 613. 507. 4700
anne.kershaw@greencentrecanada.com    
Background information below.

GreenCentre Canada Backgrounder

General

What is Green Chemistry?

Green Chemistry focuses on the invention, design and application of chemical products and processes that use benign substances, reduce waste and energy consumption, and make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources. Green Chemistry offers the promise of meeting economic and social development needs while reducing their overall environmental impact. 

What is meant by the chemical value chain?

This represents the full spectrum of activity associated with producing products with a chemical component, from the time when a product is conceived until it is disposed of. It extends from research and development, through the supply of raw materials and production, through delivery to international buyers, and beyond that to disposal and recycling.

How large is the chemical research community in Canada?

Canada has considerable strength in foundational chemistry research, with more than 1,000 research groups nationwide. Many are involved in Green Chemistry and many others are doing work that contributes to Green Chemistry innovation. GreenCentre Canada offers this critical mass, for the first time, the resources and expertise to see their work transformed into real-world solutions.

How large is the chemical manufacturing industry?

The global chemical and materials industry is arguably the largest manufacturing industry in the world, responsible for 3-4% of the global GDP. In 2002, this industry comprised more that 1,000 large- and medium-sized companies that manufactured more than 70,000 different product lines. Combined, these products generate approximate CDN $3 trillion billion in revenues.

About GreenCentre Canada

Who will benefit from GreenCentre Canada (GCC)?

Canadian Green Chemistry researchers will now have the opportunity to bring their discoveries forward for assessment by academic and industry experts and, if selected, developed to the point that they can be put into practice by industry. Through GCC, they will also be made aware of the specific needs of industry. Participating industries will have access to the full range of Green Chemistry research underway in Canadian universities and an opportunity to influence which technologies get developed.
Canadians benefit from the clean products and processes that will be generated as a result of GreenCentre’s unique commercialization model.

How is GreenCentre Canada’s technology transfer model unique in North America?

Until now, there has been no all-encompassing resource for commercializing promising Green Chemistry discoveries.  This model is unique in the way that it :

• brings industry and researchers together in a common goal of finding green solutions;
• provides a key role for industry in driving Canada’s most promising Green Chemistry discoveries to market; 
• assumes the upfront costs and risks associated with early stage technology development; and
• offers an all-in-one “ecosystem” of commercial development expertise.

Who decides which discoveries will be accepted for development by GCC?

Technologies are assessed for novelty, technical viability and intellectual property position. Candidate technologies are reviewed and recommended for acceptance by the Centre's commercialization managers. Each recommendation is ultimately approved for acceptance by the Centre’s industry-led screening committee.

Who benefits financially from the new technologies developed by GCC?

Under this new commercialization model, university discoveries that show both Green value and market value would be licensed to GreenCentre Canada. The centre then undertakes the developmental research, adapting the invention to meet the special needs of an industry client and to achieve the required scale of application. Once industry adopts the technology or product, it pays license fees to the centre. Inventors and their host institution share in any proceeds generated by the technology.  

Who funds GCC?

In support of GCC, PARTEQ has now received significant support from both the Ontario and Canadian government. This includes $9.1M  through the federal government’s Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR), which is overseen by the Networks of Centres of Excellence, and $13.6 M through the Ontario Government.
 
How much of a role will the private sector have in the operation of GreenCentre Canada?

A key strength of the Centre is the integral role that will by played by our industry partners in assessing the potential of new Green Chemistry discoveries, in guiding downstream development of these technologies and, where applicable, licensing these technologies for their own applications. Industry partners also sit on our Board of Directors.
 
Will this create research jobs or have other economic spinoffs? 

There is strong potential for the creation of significant numbers of highly skilled, high-paying jobs in green chemistry. Over the next five years GreenCentre Canada aims to manage the commercialization of 50 Green Chemistry technologies, leading to at least 10 licence agreements, and to establish at least six startup companies. During this time, they also anticipate the creation of at least 250 highly skilled jobs.

About PARTEQ Innovations

What is PARTEQ?

PARTEQ Innovations is the not-for-profit technology transfer office of Queen’s University. It works with institutional researchers and the business and venture capital communities to bring early-stage technologies to market. Since 1987, PARTEQ has been instrumental in the establishment of more than 40 companies developing a variety of products, from potential drugs for Alzheimer’s, cancer and heart disease to automated bacteria detection for water systems, solar-powered appliances, and advanced materials used in the plastics, automotive, aerospace and household appliance industries. While primarily focused on discoveries generated by Queen’s, PARTEQ also offers its services to the Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston General Hospital, St. Lawrence College and other Ontario institutions as requested.

What is the connection between PARTEQ and GreenCentre Canada?

GreenCentre has a management agreement with its founder, PARTEQ, which enables the centre to access PARTEQ’s business services in the areas of intellectual property management, new business creation, contract services, communications and financial management.

Will there be any financial benefits to PARTEQ from GCC?

Like any other institutional university-industry liaison office or technology transfer office, PARTEQ will present technology opportunities to GCC for consideration.  If GCC decides to secure a license to this technology and assume responsibility for its commercialization, PARTEQ as the agent representing the original IP will be entitled to 75 of the net proceeds resulting from successful commercialization by GCC.  PARTEQ would then distribute these proceeds according to their own inventor revenue sharing policies.

Who benefits from the work done by PARTEQ?     

Since 1987 PARTEQ has returned approximately $27 million to its inventors, contributors and Queen’s University, and its spin-off companies have attracted more than $900 million in investment. Canadians also benefit from the positive impact of innovative technologies advanced to market by PARTEQ.