Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc.

Content provided by Ontario Ministry of Economic Development

Program Responsibility:
A non-profit organization supported by the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation

Program Description:
The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc. is a leading driver of the research to commercialization process, with a strategic focus on improving Ontario's competitiveness through innovation. OCE partners with industry, universities, colleges, research hospitals, investors and governments to bridge the gap between academic research and the marketplace.

OCE's six Centres include:

• Centre of Excellence for Communications and Information Technology
• Centre of Excellence for Earth and Environmental Technologies
• Centre of Excellence for Energy
• Centre of Excellence for Materials and Manufacturing
• Centre of Excellence for Photonics
• Centre of Excellence for the Commercialization of Research

OCE accelerates innovation in Ontario through strategic investments in three program areas: research, commercialization and talent.

OCE Research Programs

• Interact: Research collaborations that create new industry-academic relationships.
• Proof of Concept: Feasibility studies that test an idea to mitigate the risk of further research investments.
• Champions of Innovation: Research projects that develop disruptive technologies with the potential to create new markets and form the basis for new start-up companies.
• Collaborative Research: Research collaborations between industry and academia that move technologies from the lab to the marketplace.

OCE Commercialization Programs

• Market Readiness: Invests in a range of activities, including market analysis, technology validation and business plan development.
• Investment Accelerator Fund: Provides early stage investment of up to $500K.
• Martin Walmsley Fellowship for Technological Entrepreneurship: Supports a researcher creating a new technology-based startup company.

OCE Talent Programs

• Connections: Supports research collaboration between final-year undergraduate students and companies.
• International Scholarships: Gives student researchers opportunities to work with international leaders in their field.
• Professional Outreach Awards: Supports opportunities available to students who want to be further involved when participating in a conference or a tradeshow
• Value Added Personnel (VAP): Helps student researchers develop essential skills to complement their technical expertise.
• First Job: Makes it possible for companies to hire young researchers with significant academic experience and potential.

Program Category:
Research and Development, Commercialization, Human Resources and Training

Contact Information:
Ann Holtby
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc.
Tel: (416) 861-1092 x1018
Email: ann.holtby@oce-ontario.org
Website: http://www.oce-ontario.org

Last Reviewed:
June 2009/AW