More is needed than just research partnerships to encourage innovation

More is needed than just research partnerships to encourage innovation

November 26 was Startup Day on the Hill in Ottawa. One of the many topics discussed was the partnerships between academia, industry, and government. University research parks are a great way to combine the three, promoting technological advancement and economic growth.

Thanks to the 26 research and technology parks in Canada, over $4.3 billion in GDP has been generated, along with the creation of 65,000 jobs. Within 5 years, we are looking at a projected $6.4 billion in GDP and 100,000 employees.

Parks such as the David Johnston Research and Technology Park are critical for driving Canadian innovation and entrepreneurship. Moreover, the Waterloo Region is an area that is ideal for startups thanks to services such as the Accelerator Centre. There is always room for technological ideas to prosper, evident in the R+T Park’s parnership with the University and companies such as Agfa, OpenText, and SAP.

Read the full article here