News from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
Canadian Science and Technology Growth Fund
Two weeks ago Dr. Peter Morand, President of the Canadian Science and Technology Growth Fund (CSTGF) and Mr Bruce Fountain, Director of BeauTech Management Corporation, were on campus as guests of McGill and the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT). Dr. Morand and Mr. Fountain were here to present CSTGF to McGill's academic research community. The following is a summary of the presentations, and how you as a McGill researcher may be able to take advantage of this new fund.
CSTGF was begun in late fall 1996 with a prospectus and an initial public offering to raise capital for its activities. The initial offering raised $9 million for investment purposes. CSTGF does intend to make more share offerings later this year with the objective of raising approximately $20-$25 million for investment. The focus of CSTGF is to find and fund the development of early-stage scientific projects in Canada. Since the majority of these early-stage scientific projects will originate from university research, the fund managers (Dr. Morand and Mr. Fountain) are making tours of and presentations to the large research-intensive Canadian universities such as McGill.
CSTGF has signed agreements with the National Research Council (NRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). All three granting agencies will play a critical role in helping CSTGF identify the leading scientific projects in Canada today. The target investment sectors are: Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, Environment and Natural Resources, Space Technology Applications and Communications and Information.
Selection and Submission of Projects
The process starts with the identification of projects that fit CSTGF's investment criteria. This evaluation is carried out in collaboration with the three research organizations associated with the fund and its Technology Advisory Board. The focus will be on emerging technologies, with particular emphasis on technologies that have the potential to start viable spin-off companies engaged in early-stage commercialization or product development. Each technology selected by the fund will go through an intensive due diligence process to ensure that it meets the fund's investment criteria. For this due diligence process, BeauTech Management, a high-tech consulting firm, has been retained to undertake the review, discovery and market evaluation required by the fund and its investors.
If you feel you have a technology you would like to show to CSTGF, there are a few simple steps you should take:
- Call OTT (Tel: 4200 or e-mail: info@OTT.LAN.McGill.CA) to discuss the new technology with us.
- Next, a "Report of Invention" form (available from OTT directly or from the Sponsored Research Policies and Procedures booklet) must be completed and returned to OTT*. Our personnel will be happy to help you complete this form.
- OTT will contact the management of CSTGF to propose the technology for investment.
If you wish to find out more about the CSTGF or any other information concerning Technology Transfer or the commercialization of your invention(s), please feel free to contact us at: 398-4200 or e-mail: info@OTT.LAN.McGill.CA.
* McGill policy on Inventions and Patents makes it a requirement that: "All members of the University are required to report all of their innovations made in the course of carrying out University duties, using University facilities or made with material support of the University."
