AN “ARMCHAIR” DISCUSSION WITH Sask. Institute of Public Policy (S.I.P.P.)

February 18, 2004

SASKATCHEWAN INNOVATION STRATEGY AT THE CROSSROADS

Presented by: Dale Botting, Executive ManagerInnovation StrategySaskatchewan Industry and Resources

Discussion Outline

Setting the ContextDefining the OpportunityStrategic Issues OverviewLooming Policy ChallengesThe Next Critical 18 Months

The Current Context

Globalization and Clusters

The Federal Innovation Agenda

The Productivity Imperative

The Saskatchewan Innovation System

APPENDIX B

Public and Not-for-profit Organizations within the Saskatchewan Innovation System

   

GovernmentIndustry and Professional

Organizations

 

Financial System

 

Education System

 Research &

Development

 S&T Structure

Commercialization

 Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service CentreNRC –CISTISK Ag & FoodWestern Economic DiversificationAboriginal Business CanadaIndustry CanadaSERMStatistics CanadaPFRASaskWaterSK Industry & ResourcesREDAsCFDCsWomen EntrepreneursSaskatoon Innovation PlaceRegina Research ParkNorthern Affairs

 Canadian Institute of MarketingProvincial Exporters Assn.STEPApparel & Textile Association of Sask.APEGSConsulting Engineers of SKInstitute of Certified Management ConsultantsPIMASATASK Construction AssnSEDASEIMASK Food ProcessorsSK Nutraceutical NetworkAg-West BiotechSask New Media Developers Assn.Canadian Information Processing Society

 Business Development Bank of CanadaCrown Investments Corp (SOCO)SR&EDNRC – IRAP

 Univ. of ReginaUniv. of SaskatchewanFirst Nations University of

CanadaSIAST (four institutes)Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies Nine Regional CollegesLuther CollegeCampion CollegeSt. Thomas MooreGabriel Dumont Institute

 NRC – PBINRC - Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure ResearchCanadian Light Source SynchrotronSask. Research CouncilTR LabsAgriculture and Agri-Food CanadaSemiarid Prairie Agricultural Research CentrePOS Pilot PlantNational Water InstitutePrairie Agricultural Machinery InstitutePrairie Swine CentreSaskTel MobilityVaccine & Infectious Disease OrganizationWestern Beef Development Centre

WestlinkSRC’s TecMarkUniversity Industry Liaison Offices

What is Innovation?

The successful development and application of knowledge, which in turn leads to the

development, adaptation or improvement of products, services, technologies and business

processes.

But…

Innovation Means More Than Research

Innovation is the ability to generate and take advantage of ideas and knowledge and create new ways of doing things.

Why is Innovation Important?

Because it is Critical to Saskatchewan’s future economic Success

It directly affects competitiveness, productivity, and Jobs

It affects standards of living, incomes, quality of life and Sustainability

Key Partners in the Innovation Agenda:

Business - SME’s, large corporations - ALL sectors

Universities and other Learning / Research Institutions

Government and Communities

Collaborating for Success

Leveraging the Federal Innovation Agenda and Building New Coordination Mechanisms

Establishing Targeted International Partnerships with our Innovation Systems

Increased Institutional Coordination - across Saskatchewan Regions and Centres of Excellence

Developing Progress Indicators, Benchmarks and Other Metrics

Developing an Innovation Strategy within a Made-in-Saskatchewan Context

Fiscal RealitiesSocial and Demographic ContextIntra-regional ContextInter-regional ContextIn the Context of the Federal Innovation

AgendaCompetitive Global Realities and Pressures

A Three Pronged Approach:

PRODUCTINNOVATION

COLLABORATING FOR SUCCESS

PROCESS INNOVATION

Product Innovation

Building More Strategic Infrastructure to Support Innovation

Creating a Competitive Climate for Innovation

Enhancing Business Start-up and Incubation Supports

Enhancing the Availability of Early Stage Seed Capital

Product Innovation Maximizing the Acceleration and

Commercialization of Opportunities Building a More Applied and Industrially -

focused Research Agenda Enhancing the Economic Value and

Saskatchewan ROI from our Research Institutions

Creating and Aligning Strategic Innovation Clusters at all levels within Saskatchewan

TECHNOLOGYPUSH RESEARCH INNOVATION &

DEVELOPMENTTECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION(The Critical Link)

DEPLOYMENT& DELIVERY

MARKETPULL

Skills Skills Skills Skills

PRODUCTS MARKETS

FEEDBACK

$ $ $ $

Process Innovation

Enhancing our Innovators’ Education and Skills to Meet the Demands of the New Economy

Propagating the Best Management and Organizational Methods and Practices amongst Business

Embracing the eBusiness and eCommerce Revolution

Demonstrating Effective Approaches to Innovation in the Economy and Society

Process Innovation

Strengthening the Capacity for SME’s and Larger Industry to Adopt, Absorb and Transfer New Technologies and “Know-how”, regardless of origin

Growing Leadership Capacity within the Knowledge-based Economy

Leading by example - i.e. Building an Innovation Culture within Government

Collaborating for Success Clarifying Roles & Responsibilities across

agencies & levels of Government within Saskatchewan

Reorganizing the Provincial Focus on Innovation Developing Strategic Vision and Technological

Foresight Enhancing Prairie Cooperation and Regional

Alignment

Some Key Policy Choices and Issues

A Critical Issues List

The Global “War” for Attracting Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP)

Bigger “D”; the Commercialization Agenda

Sustaining our Research Infrastructure

More Critical Issues

Getting a Stronger Industrial “Pull” from our Research and Academic Institutions

The Rude Awakening of a Higher Dollar

Collaborate or Die!!

Even More Critical Issues

Geopolitics vs Global Excellence

Creating a Transformational Economy

Strategic Focus and Alignment

The Way Ahead

The Saskatchewan Innovation Council and its Innovation Framework

Toward a Renewed Economic Action PlanSIR’s Strategic Sector Development

ProcessThe Emergence of Regional Cluster

StrategiesA new Era of Collaboration & Teamwork

“The future ain’t what it used to be.”

“When you come to a Fork in the Road – take it”

- Yogi Berra

Thank you!

Comments?

Questions?

Discussions!