New Directors Appointed to OCI Board of Directors

June 07, 2021

The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) welcomes two new appointees to its Board of Directors as it
works together with the Government of Ontario to support the province’s economic recovery priorities.

TORONTO, ON – June 7, 2021 – The Ontario Centre of Innovation, formerly the Ontario Centre of Excellence, is pleased to welcome Andrea Mandel-Campbell and David Cunningham as new Government of Ontario appointees to its Board of Directors.

Andrea Mandel-Campbell is a senior business executive, public affairs strategist and best-selling author of “Why Mexicans don’t drink Molson: Rescuing Canadian Business From the Suds of Global Obscurity.” She is currently Senior Vice President and Practice Lead of Capital Markets at NATIONAL Public Relations and has previously held senior roles in corporate and political communications, and as a journalist for media outlets including the National Post, the Financial Times and BNN Bloomberg. Ms. Mandel-Campbell also serves as a Board Director of the Canadian Club of Toronto and is a past Board Member of Startup Canada.

David Cunningham is a parallel entrepreneur with more than 25 years of leadership experience in CEO, Chairman, Board advisory and Investor roles. Mr. Cunningham’s most recent work has been concentrated in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science & Analytics, with other work in EdTech, MarTech, Healthcare and as current CEO of DeveloperMedia, where he advises leading technology platform companies on Developer Marketing and Platform evangelism. Mr. Cunningham is known in having led numerous startups, acquisitions and exits, including providing a Data Visualization platform to Microsoft for inclusion in Microsoft SQL Server.

The appointments fill existing vacancies on the Board and are part of the recently passed Innovation Centre Governance Act, which permits the Government of Ontario to appoint up to six of OCI’s thirteen-member Board of Directors. The legislation is intended enhance the scope of expertise of its Board members and better position OCI to support the province’s economic recovery priorities.

“On behalf of the Government of Ontario, we are excited to welcome Andrea Mandel-Campbell and David Cunningham to The Ontario Centre of Innovation’s Board of Directors,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Their contributions will directly support OCI’s mandate of ‘prosperity through innovation’ and ensure that the people of Ontario are able to reap the economic and social benefits of made-in-Ontario technologies.

“We welcome today’s announcement of the new directors to our Board,” said Dr. Dan Patterson, Board Chair of OCI. “As we work closely with the Government of Ontario to support the province’s economic recovery priorities, we welcome the unique skills and experiences that these individuals offer not only to OCI, but to Ontario’s broader community of innovators and researchers.

The OCI Board appointments were made effective June 1.

About the Ontario Centre of Innovation

The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), formerly the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), maximizes the commercial impact of research developed in Ontario’s colleges, universities, and research hospitals, and accelerates the commercialization of made-in-Ontario intellectual property and technologies. A panprovincial collaboration platform, with a broad and deep network across industry, academia and government, OCI initiates unparalleled partnership opportunities, develops and manages successful
industry-academic collaborations, supports high-potential SMEs in commercializing ground-breaking research, and provides hands-on training and skills development opportunities for the next generation of highly-skilled talent. For more information: https://www.oc-innovation.ca/

-30-

Media Contact:
Braden Root-McCaig
Director, Communications & Strategy, OCI
broot-mccaig@oc-innovation.ca
647-523-4300

The Innovation Asset Collective and the Ontario Centre of Innovation announce new partnership

April 30, 2021

When it comes to protecting Intellectual Property (IP), Ontario innovators can face significant hurdles in the race to develop and protect what is theirs – including cost, expertise, and time. For this reason, organizations, researchers, policy makers and experts must come together to ensure that the critical resources Canadian businesses need to start and scale are easily accessible.

The Innovation Asset Collective (IAC) and the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) are pleased to announce a new partnership that will leverage collective resources to support the growth of Ontario Small and Medium -sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the critical areas of IP and commercialization.

“This strategic partnership will help our province’s ambitious businesses and organizations grow and protect made-in-Ontario innovations, ideas and products,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Ensuring intellectual property resources and expertise are available to Ontario’s innovators will help them commercialize new technologies, create jobs and assist in our economic recovery from COVID-19.”

“The IAC’s deep expertise in helping Canadian data-driven cleantech companies harness the value of their IP is a powerful compliment to OCI’s long track-record of supporting Ontario innovators to develop IP and commercialize it into next-generation products and services,” said Dr. Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO, OCI. “By working together, we can accelerate the commercialization of made-in-Ontario IP and sharpen Ontario’s competitive edge, now and into the future.”

With mandates to support SMEs, this partnership provides an opportunity to layer the expertise from both organizations together and more effectively drive outcomes for Ontario innovators.  

“SMEs are at the centre of innovation in Ontario and across Canada,” said Jim Hinton, Co-founder, IAC. “It is through the partnership between IAC and OCI that we will unlock the value of Ontario’s world leading research institutions for the economic benefit of Ontario, while also amplifying educational and strategic IP support for Ontario SMEs.”

New Directors Appointed to Board of the Ontario Centre of Innovation

March 09, 2021

The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) welcomes two new appointees to its Board of Directors as it
works together with the Government of Ontario to support the province’s economic recovery priorities.

TORONTO, ON – March 9, 2021 – The Ontario Centre of Innovation, formerly the Ontario Centre of Excellence, is pleased to welcome Victoria Paine-Mantha and Graeme Moffat as new Government of Ontario appointees to its Board of Directors.

Ms. Paine-Mantha has over 35 years of experience across post-secondary education, health software development and sales, small and medium sized enterprises, and public accounting. She is currently President of Brontaine Limited, a private investment management firm, Vice Chair of the North Bay
Regional Health Centre Foundation and Vice Chair of the Canadian Automobile Association, North and East Ontario organization. Previously she was the President and Vice Chancellor, interim, at Nipissing University. Ms. Paine-Mantha holds an MBA and the CPA-CA designation.

Dr. Graeme Moffat’s experience spans neurotechnology R&D, medical devices, scientific publishing, and AI. He is Co-founder and Chief Scientist at System2 Neurotechnology, a start-up working on passive brain-computer interface technology, and Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto. Previously, he served as Chief Scientist for Interaxon, a leading manufacturer of consumer neurotechnology. Dr. Moffat holds a B.Sc. in Physics and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience.

The appointments will fill existing vacancies on the Board and reflect a step forward in enhancing governance of OCI to better position it to support the province’s economic recovery priorities. As a result of this strengthened partnership, OCI and the Government of Ontario will work closely together to reinvigorate Ontario’s innovation ecosystem and build a foundation for economic prosperity.

“On behalf of the Government of Ontario, we are excited to welcome Ms. Paine-Mantha and Dr. Graeme Moffat to The Ontario Centre of Innovation’s Board of Directors,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “As our province continues on the path to economic
recovery, their experience and contributions will ensure that OCI is well-positioned to build up and expand Ontario’s world class innovation ecosystem for future generations.”

As part of the recently passed Innovation Centre Governance Act, the legislation permits the Government of Ontario to appoint up to six of OCI’s thirteen-member Board of Directors. The legislation is intended to strengthen OCI as a central player in the innovation ecosystem and enhance the scope of expertise of its Board members.

“We welcome today’s announcement of the new directors to our Board, which will further enhance our long-standing partnership and close working relationship with the province,” said Dr. Dan Patterson, Board Chair of OCI. “We appreciate the opportunity for increased diversity of experience on the Board and look forward to their participation and contributions in fulfilling our mandate to accelerate innovation and drive economic development across Ontario.”

The OCI Board appointments are effective immediately.

About the Ontario Centre of Innovation

The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), formerly the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), maximizes the commercial impact of research developed in Ontario’s colleges, universities, and research hospitals, and accelerates the commercialization of made-in-Ontario intellectual property and technologies. A panprovincial collaboration platform, with a broad and deep network across industry, academia and government, OCI initiates unparalleled partnership opportunities, develops and manages successful
industry-academic collaborations, supports high-potential SMEs in commercializing ground-breaking research, and provides hands-on training and skills development opportunities for the next generation of highly-skilled talent. For more information: https://www.oc-innovation.ca/

-30-

Media Contact:
Braden Root-McCaig
Director, Communications & Strategy, OCI
broot-mccaig@oc-innovation.ca
647-523-4300

Kingston Health Sciences Centre Procures COPD technology from Cloud DX

November 25, 2020

KINGSTON, Ontario, September 16, 2019 ­- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a degenerative lung condition that, in Canada, is most commonly caused by long-term use and exposure to tobacco smoking and is a prevalent condition in the Kingston region.

Currently, thousands of patients with COPD seeking urgent and emergency care place a significant demand on the emergency department at Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s (KHSC) Kingston General Hospital site. In order to deliver better care in a more patient-centred and convenient way for those with COPD and their caregivers, while also curbing costs and the volume of patients with COPD in the hospital environment, KHSC looked for novel, community-based health solutions. Reducing frequent emergency rooms visits and readmission of patients with COPD reduces patient risk in developing secondary complications such as respiratory tract infections while also reducing ER overcrowding.

In looking to identify innovative solutions, KHSC led an Innovation Procurement – a new approach to procure outside of the traditional process – through an opportunity with the Resources for Evaluating, Adopting and Capitalizing on Innovative Healthcare Technology (REACH) Program. The REACH Program, delivered by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) supports Ontario health care provider organizations to utilize innovation procurement methodologies to more effectively procure and adopt innovative health care technology products and services.

Using both early market engagement strategies and the Innovation Partnership approach, KHSC was able to refine a problem statement, “Reduce the frequency of ER visits caused by acute exacerbation of COPD by managing patient care in the community” and develop the required Outcomes Based Specifications [OBS] to identify solutions in the marketplace. As a result of the procurement process, Cloud DX was selected as KHSC’s innovation partner. Cloud DX’s solution can gather key vital signs including weight, blood pressure and pulse oxygen from patients at home on a daily basis. Clinicians can monitor these vitals and look for patterns that might suggest the health status of the patient in real-time. A formal pilot of Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) at KHSC is now underway. This pilot is an opportunity to examine the feasibility of utilizing this tool to reduce the frequency of ER visits caused by COPD.

“The REACH Program provided an opportunity for KHSC to embark on a novel journey in innovation procurement, which has been a tremendous learning opportunity for our organization and for all involved with the project,” said Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, Chief of Staff and Vice President of Medical & Academic Affairs, KHSC.

Through the REACH grant, the project was able to obtain the expertise of a full time Project Manager, part time Business Analyst, Innovation Procurement Specialist and 3SO Procurement Specialists, in addition to clinical experts, which created a synergistic collaboration of business and healthcare expertise. In addition to successfully achieving the innovative procurement objective, the funding helped KHSC create two sub-initiatives (i.e. Knowledge Dissemination related to innovative procurement and a Pilot Project with the product of the innovative procurement process) which will be planned and implemented. Likewise, the expertise shared by OCE staff contributed in further augmenting the value of this elaborate project.

The high-level innovation procurement concept has now been tested on the ground, step-by-step and has resulted in the creation of an innovation procurement blueprint for KHSC and the South East region, which can be leveraged and replicated by others in the future.

“Cloud DX is honored and excited to be selected as the Innovation Partner to Kingston Health Sciences Centre for this project. We believe that this deployment of our award-winning Connected Health platform will make a real and lasting difference to the health outcomes of COPD patients in the Kingston area and hopefully in all of South Eastern Ontario. This procurement joins the commercial relationships that Cloud DX now has with Markham Stouffville Hospital and Yukon Health Services as the third major Canadian deployment of Connected Health for COPD in 2019 thus far. This is evidence that the long-awaited roll out of digital healthcare for chronic disease management in Canada has arrived.” said Cloud DX Founder & CEO, Robert Kaul

The Government of Ontario and Newly Named Ontario Centre of Innovation Strengthen Partnership to Accelerate Innovation and Commercialization

November 20, 2020

The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) will become the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) and is strengthening its partnership with the Government of Ontario to further the organization’s central role in Ontario’s innovation ecosystem.

TORONTO, November 20, 2020 – Today, the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) held its Annual General Meeting where members approved a resolution to change the organization’s name to the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI). OCI and the Government of Ontario are pleased to announce the organization’s rebranding as they work together to further increase and strengthen the role of OCI in Ontario’s innovation strategy.

This positive step will better position OCI to support the Province’s economic recovery priorities and address the findings of various reviews that identified the key role OCI can play in improving coordination and program delivery of Ontario’s investments in innovation and commercialization.

“Ontario is proudly home to one of the most dynamic and collaborative innovation ecosystems in the world,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “As OCI and our government work closely together to drive prosperity from innovation, we are excited about the organization’s new name and governance to better reflect its work and further strengthen its role in Ontario’s innovation strategy. By fostering the conditions for a strong innovation economy in Ontario, we will ensure that our province is well-positioned for recovery, new jobs and growth.”

As OCI and the Government of Ontario work closely together to drive prosperity from innovation and accelerate the commercialization of Made-in-Ontario technologies, this created an exciting opportunity to refresh the organization’s name to better reflect this work. On November 5th, the Government of Ontario introduced legislation to enhance governance by appointing up to six (6) Directors to OCI’s board.

“Maintaining our leadership in emerging technology development and deployment is crucial to Ontario’s success,” said Dr. Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO of OCI. “By strengthening our long-standing partnership with the Province of Ontario, we are delivering on the government’s priorities to accelerate the commercialization of Made-in-Ontario technologies and help Ontario companies scale and succeed in the global marketplace. Together, we are inspiring innovators to respond to today’s challenges with tomorrow’s solutions.”

For over 33 years, the Ontario Centre of Innovation has fostered industry-academic R&D collaboration and accelerated the development, commercialization and adoption of emerging technologies in Ontario.
OCI’s tagline, “Where Next Happens”, highlights this focus on leveraging partnership to equip Ontario-based companies with the transformative next-generation technologies of tomorrow to drive job creation, business growth and global competitiveness today.

“This strengthened partnership enables OCI to work more closely with our provincial partners and deliver more effectively on the province’s priorities and innovation strategy,” says Dr. Dan Patterson, Chair of OCI’s Board of Directors. “We’re delighted to be launching this new chapter in our long history with the Government of Ontario and deliver even greater value for Ontario innovators, entrepreneurs, and taxpayers.”

The Ontario Centre of Innovation will continue to operate as Ontario Centres of Excellence as the name change and brand transition is completed over the coming months.

About the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI):

The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), formerly the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), maximizes thecommercial impact of research developed in Ontario’s colleges, universities, and research hospitals, andaccelerates the commercialization of Made-in-Ontario technologies. A pan-provincial collaboration platform, with a broad and deep network across industry, academia and government, OCI initiates unparalleled partnership opportunities, develops and manages successful industry-academic collaborations, supports high-potential SMEs in commercializing ground-breaking research, and provides hands-on training and skills development opportunities for the next generation of highly-skilled talent.

-30-

Media Contact:
Braden Root-McCaig
Director of Communication & Strategy, OCI
Braden.root-mccaig@oce-ontario.org
647-523-4300

A connected community, a coordinated response

March 16, 2020

With the increasing spread of COVID-19 and a rapidly evolving global response, the health and safety of our staff, partners and the broader public is our top priority.  We are taking proactive actions to support global, national, provincial and local efforts being undertaken on the ground as we work together to “flatten the curve.” OCE is dedicated to ensuring our actions are informed by the best expert advice available and we will continue to coordinate our response with the Public Health Agency of Canada, Ontario’s Ministry of Health, and Toronto’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. 

We are implementing these immediate safety measures to help reduce the potential spread of the virus, while ensuring business continuity: 

• All OCE staff are working from home. 

• All in-person events, workshops and meetings currently scheduled have been suspended until further notice. If you have a meeting or event scheduled, we will coordinate with you to develop an alternative arrangement. 
• We are no longer taking meetings at our main office (325 Front Street W.) and will be instead setting up virtual meetings and teleconference calls, where appropriate. 

• Be advised that if you are a current tenant of our main office, building access is still possible for those with security passes and fixed hand-sanitizer stations remain available throughout the building. 

• All business travel has been suspended. 
• For those using the ENCQOR and NGNP testbeds and the AVIN Regional Technology Development Sites (RTDS), please consult with the appropriate innovation hub for their approach to building/on-site access. 

With the World Health Organization recognizing COVID-19 as a public health emergency, the emphasis must be on each of our individual actions as we work together, in a coordinated effort, to contain the spread of the virus. 

Please be assured that we are virtually connected to our systems, answering calls and emails, in-taking and reviewing applications, issuing awards, and processing claims.  Our Business Development (BD) Team is working virtually with clients, developing proposals and assisting with applications. To borrow from the wise words of our partner Communitech, it’s “business as virtual” in the innovation ecosystem. 

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Braden Root-McCaig, Director of Communications & Strategy at braden.root-mccaig@oce-ontario.org. 

We also recognize the importance of access to quality information sources and encourage individuals seeking additional information about the virus to visit Health Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Toronto Public Health. 

Sincerely, 
Claudia Krywiak 
President & CEO 
OCE 

OCE names new President and CEO

October 11, 2019

Toronto, October 11, 2019 – Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Dr. Claudia Krywiak has been appointed the new President and CEO of OCE. Claudia has been serving as OCE’s Interim President and CEO since July 2019, following the retirement of Dr. Tom Corr. 
 
Claudia Krywiak, OCE’s new President and CEO 

“Claudia’s strategic leadership in the role of Vice President, Corporate Development, Planning and Strategic Initiatives has contributed greatly to OCE’s success. She has worked closely with Ontario’s business, research, and government communities for many years and has a strong grasp of how these stakeholders can work strategically together to elevate Ontario’s standing as a formidable competitor in global markets,” says Michael Nobrega, Board Chair of OCE. 

Since joining OCE in 2011, Claudia has championed innovation as a key driver of competitiveness and economic growth, implemented strategic initiatives and brought together multiple levels of government, corporations, academia and SMEs to fuel growth in emerging technology areas. Previously, Claudia was Vice President of Business Development at Mitacs, and began her career at Bruker Corporation. 

In addition to her role as President and CEO at OCE, Claudia also serves on the Board of Directors for IBI Group Inc. and received a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Toronto. 

“It’s an honour to have been chosen to lead OCE given the long and successful history of the organization in driving job creation and economic opportunities in the province while helping Ontario-based SMEs and young entrepreneurs commercialize technologies both at home and in the global marketplace,” says Claudia Krywiak. “I look forward to working with our industry, academic, and government partners across the innovation ecosystem in continuing OCE’s long-standing role as a connector and collaboration platform.” 

ABOUT Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc. 

OCE maximizes the commercial impact of research developed in Ontario’s colleges, universities, and research hospitals, and accelerates the commercialization of emerging technologies for the prosperity of Ontario. A pan-provincial collaboration platform, with a broad and deep network across industry, academia, and government, OCE initiates unparalleled partnership opportunities, develops and manages successful industry-academic collaborations, supports high potential SMEs in commercializing ground-breaking research, and provides hands-on training and skills development opportunities for the next generation of highly-skilled talent. OCE invests in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, digital media and information communications, advanced health, cleantech, automotive and ag-tech to drive job creation and economic growth in Ontario.