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Commercialization Success

Updated: September 9, 2024

Canadian farms are home to cutting-edge technology; automated feeding systems, robotic tools with precise calibrations, remote-access surveillance systems, and intricate datasets spanning generations are just some of the valuable technical assets of a modern farm.

But what if hackers brought your whole enterprise to a standstill?

Intellectual Property (IP) strategy is a careful and constantly evolving balance between innovative research efforts, commercialization ventures, legal protections, and strategic management. In addition to being a lengthy and time-intensive process, many may not know where to find support for IP strategy development.

Guelph ON, 1 November 2023 – Early-stage Ontario agri-innovation start-ups are encouraged to participate in the second annual Ontario Agri-Tech Pitch Competition run by the University of Guelph’s Research Innovation Office (RIO) in collaboration with the Government of Ontario.

In September’s article, we delved into the urgency of addressing soil health challenges and the collaborative strides taken by the Research Innovation Office in collaboration with Innovation North. Our commitment to a flourishing future fueled our efforts, culminating in a transformative April event to serve as a crucible for innovative solutions to improve soil health.

With a focus on sustainability in agriculture, the University of Guelph’s Research Innovation Office and Western University’s Innovation North worked together to identify the key problems blocking the path to more sustainable agri-food futures. To broaden our understanding, we identified and interviewed key participants across the industry including farmers, entrepreneurs, and industry experts to better conceptualize the issues they face that impact sustainability planning.

The New Venture Creation team at the Research Innovation Office aims to help researchers explore the entrepreneurial potential of their ideas and foster an entrepreneurial culture at the University of Guelph. The Ask Us Anything series brings together entrepreneurial-minded researchers, be they just getting started on their entrepreneurial journey or experienced mentors, to support one another and share ideas in a community environment. 

David Hobson lives at the intersection of technology transfer and entrepreneurship. He describes himself as a concierge that connects researchers with the resources they need for their research to make an impact in the real world. In December, David joined the Ask Us Anything session to share what entrepreneurs need to know about Intellectual Property (IP).

Three-time NSERC Alliance awardee Dr. Lee-Anne Huber reflected on her experience and continued success with the program. She emphasized the unique opportunity to stretch your research dollars and in turn gain the skills and expertise for future applications. Beyond leveraging partner funds, Dr. Huber highlighted the value of working with a diversity of partners, “it opens up a whole network of expertise that my students and I can access, which you can’t really put a dollar value on.”

Whether you are established in your career or looking to get started, LinkedIn is a powerful networking and information sharing tool. Entrepreneurs can use LinkedIn to connect with their existing network and strategically grow their network and generate leads. Shannon Clement, Founder & Director of Content Marketing at Engagement Marketing, joined this session to provide digital marketing and content expertise.