A collaborative network of organizations across Ontario is designed to commercialize ideas through regional innovation centers like MaRS in Toronto. MaRS acts as Toronto's regional innovation center while also delivering provincial programs to help early stage science, technology, and social ventures access business advice, mentoring, networks, talent, customers, and partners. The goal is to leverage local assets and create jobs and wealth through supporting the growth of high-potential startups.

1. A collaborative network of organizations across Ontario
designed to commercialize ideas
Don Duval, Vice President, MaRS
May 14th, 2012

2. Competing is one thing…
Winning
is another!

3. How do we
Compete?
At
an
average
of
only
3.3
people
per
square
km,
Canada
has
one
of
the
lowest
popula;on
densi;es
in
the
world

4. Our hub cities are
Isolated
Edmonton
Calgary
Vancouver Saskatoon
Québec City
Halifax
Ottawa
Winnipeg
Montréal
Waterloo
London Hamilton
Toronto 4

5. Memory at Work
Understanding the driver of
Job Creation
Only…!
4-10%! !
of new companies
become high-growth firms.!
!
But the top…!
1%! in any given year generate
roughly 40% of new jobs.!
5%!
!
! in any given year generate
roughly 66% of new jobs.!
5
!
High-Growth Firms and the Future of the American Economy, Kaufmann Institute, 2011
!

6. The many roles of a Regional
Innovation Centre
Help to create successful global businesses
Mission from Canada s science, technology, and social
innovation
Who we Early stage science and technology ventures
Serve and innovative social purpose businesses
Measure of
Job and wealth creation for the economy
Success
6

7. Connectivity, Communication, Centralization and Decentralization !
7

8. As part of the Ontario Network of Excellence
MaRS acts as Toronto’s Regional Innovation Centre
while delivering key provincial programs such as
the Investment Accelerator Fund, SiG at MaRS and
the Business Accelerator Program
8

9. 9

10. Working together to build
growth companies
Services Provided by the ONE Members
Business
Education
Advice Access
and Market
and to Capital
Intelligence
Mentorship
Networks, Talent, Customers, and Partners!
Regional Programs Focused on Regional Opportunities / Challenges!
10

11. Leveraging “Backyard” Assets
Community volunteers
Service providers
Capital connections
Corporate and business
Academic and government
11

12. Culture of
Entrepreneurship

13. Don Duval
Vice President
MaRS Discovery District
dduval@marsdd.com
Twitter: don_duval
Speakerfile: don.duval