The Innovation Cluster was thrilled to attend OCE Discovery, with 3000 other attendees and 330 exhibitors, on May 14th and 15th.
Discovery, showcased leading-edge technologies, best practices and research from sectors such as health, manufacturing, digital media and cleantech, including energy, environment and water.

Discover Innovation

Ontario Centres of Excellence hosted a forum on social innovation in environment and sustainability in Guelph, Ontario.

The forum hosted an impressive cross-section of leaders from the not-for-profit, social enterprise, academic and industry sectors with the hope of generating a new vision to integrate social innovation into Ontario’s innovation ecosystem.

GPIC would like to welcome its newest member Neo Performance Materials.

Neo Performance Materials Limited (NPML) is a growing and successful company that recovers and upgrades Gallium, Indium, Rhenium and other specialty metals used in: semi-conductor components and circuitry, consumer electronics applications, super-alloys and catalysts for the aviation industry, and alloys for electrical contact points, flashbulbs, heating elements, etc.

NPML is a primary refiner of Gallium and a secondary refiner of Gallium, Indium and Rhenium.  We operate two extractive metallurgy facilities in Ontario, with typical processes including: leaching, precipitation, cementation, solvent extraction, electro-winning, electro-refining, ion exchange and crystallization.  We are one of the world’s top suppliers of these specialty metals and we continue to grow our portfolio of products.  The company is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and has approximately 1,375 employees in 19 locations, across 10 countries.

For more information click here – www.amr-ltd.com

Tel: 416-367-8588

e-mail- info@neomaterials.com

The Experts answer…

Check out the 2011, Social Innovation Summit, as leaders in their field answer “what social innovation” means in their world.

\”What Is Social Innovation\”

On April, 5th, 2012 at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club, The Community Innovation Forum:Knowledge in Action took place.

A 109 students, from Trent University & Fleming College, came together to showcase their student applied projects to the private, public and voluntary sectors.

It was a fantastic day of innovative ideas, community collaborations, two panel discussions  and the insightful keynote address from Kevin Stolarick, PhD – Research Director at the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Congratulations to all the students!

For the Peterborough Examiner story click here

The count down is on to the Community Innovation Forum:Knowledge In Action.

Presented in Partnership by:

The Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster

Fleming College

The Trent Centre for Community-Based Education

THURSDAY APRIL 5th, 2012

PETERBOROUGH GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Check out 2011 Community Innovation Forum

The Community Innovation Forum: Knowledge In Action, happening this Thursday April 5th, 2012 at the Peterborough Golf Country Club is very excited for their Keynote Speaker, Kevin Stolarick.

Kevin will be speaking at 6:00 p.m. for more information on the Community Innovation Forum, please visit http://communityinnovationforum.eventbrite.com/

Kevin Stolarick Bio

Dubbed the “Official Statistician of the Creative Class”, Kevin     Stolarick, PhD, combines a depth of knowledge with an appreciation of the importance of finding and sharing the knowledge or “pearls of wisdom” gained from his comprehensive understanding of the Creative Class and the Creative Economy.  He is the Research Director at The Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.  He has held faculty positions at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and for over a decade worked with technology in the insurance industry as a manager of strategic projects.  He holds a PhD in Business Administration and an MBA from the Tepper School of Management, Carnegie Mellon University and a BS in Honors in Applied Computer Science from Illinois State University.  He has taught numerous courses in statistical analysis, Information Systems and Regional Economic Development.  His research interests include the relationship between firm performance and information technology and the impacts of technology, tolerance, talent, and quality of place on regional growth and prosperity.  Kevin provided quantitative research and analytical support for Richard Florida during the development of his books The Rise of the Creative Class, The Flight of the Creative Class, Who’s Your City and The Great Reset. He continues in collaboration with Richard and others researchers.  This research includes primary development of measures, indicators, and benchmarking approaches with significant impact on the growth and development of the Creative Class theory.   He developed all updated indicators and measures for the paperback version of The Rise of the Creative Class, and continues to work on theoretical and measurement-based advances associated with the Creative Economy.  One of the few statistical analysts who has the complete works of Edward Tufte and Donald Norman on his shelves, Kevin presents informative, accessible and entertaining insights into the Creative Economy and the role of the Creative Class in increasing regional growth and prosperity.  Kevin is also the recipient of the Creative City Builder award, by Mayor David Miller, City of Toronto.

This morning, the Innovation Cluster held it’s first 2012 quarterly membership breakfast in partnership with the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce.  The topic: Intellectual Property Rights – Why bother?  The event was well attended which made for a great networking event along with the excellent education on Intellectual Property (IP) by Gastle & Etigson.  This breakfast was quite a bit different from past events – with quick case study reviews followed by an expert panel review ( Jim Gastle , Robert Hirons and Joe Etigson) and Q&A from the attendees.

The discussion ranged from basic to quite advanced issues with regards to IP and when/why to protect your rights.  A few highlights included:

• The potential for an inventor to become the patent infringer -  the focus of this discussion was around academia: can a researcher continue to do research on a patentable technology? (yes but must be wary as if the research takes a commercial spin then is considered infringement).

• The potential for an inventor to become the infringer of a patent on their own invention – the focus of this discussion was around industry collaborations: as collaborations may not last forever and with first to file always file your IP and make sure any agreement takes into account IP created.

• Trade Secret is disclosed within a patent with too narrow of claims, thus cannot protect the invention – the focus of this discussion was when to file and the risks/rewards of filing for patent protection versus keeping it a trade secret: a few things to think about (competition in the field – will others be able to create the same technology independently  of yours, value of technology and market, how quickly will the technology be obsolete, previous public disclosures – are you likely to get all of your claims in a patent or just a few that will be unenforceable.)

The other topic was around building up a portfolio of IP around the same technology that increases the value of the technology you are trying to protect.

• Small Technology company dealing with Titans today, thanks only to a patent that was issued in 2000 – This discussion pinpointed the value of Intellectual Property protection by small companies to get a seat at the table with large companies.  The question came up – what is the value of IP if you do not have the resources to assert your rights: Gastles indicated that a new market has developed to help address this: contingency IP litigation, as well as, private orgs. Raising funding to support the litigation/legal proceedings as an investment vehicle.

Overall, the event was quite educational – if interested in specific questions, interested in filing for IP (patent, trademark, copyright),  litigation, or even general discussion we strongly recommend getting in touch with Gastle and Etigson: info@gastleetigson.com; as they clearly demonstrated a mastery of the field.

We look forward to seeing you all at the next Innovation Cluster Breakfasts on June 22^nd and want to thank our sponsors and Gastle and Etigson again for their support and time: Trent Security; The Stewart Group; Community Futures Develoment Corp.; Fleming College; Trent University; and  Workforce Development Board.

Joseph F. Miller

Interim Director/Commercialization Officer

Innovation Cluster

James Gastle, P. Eng

Jim is a registered Patent Agent in both Canada and the United States, graduated    from    Mechanical Engineering at Queen’s University in 1984 and began a five-year internship in patent agency, including one year at the IP department of a Canadian    forest products company and four years at a national law firm. He later acted as Patent Agent counsel for leading firms specializing in intellectual property.

In 1989, he continued his training on a freelance basis while developing and marketing two proprietary product lines. With a partner, Jim launched VETERINARY DESIGNED INSTRUMENTS INC. to design and market animal transport systems for veterinary clinics across North America. His products were featured in a major veterinary medical catalogue in the United States. Jim was later involved in the design and manufacture of a compact rescue unit. Numerous patents now adorn the United States Patent Office from these efforts.

Jim understands the needs of inventors – he is one.

For the past twenty five years, Jim has represented corporate, academic and independent clients in a wide range of scientific fields. His firm, GASTLES, has managed the Canadian patent portfolios, for several multinationals in the automotive, industrial lighting and hospitality fields.

Jim is an active member of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, serving on a number of its committees. Jim is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario and past president of the Chelsea Club International Association of Entrepreneurs.

Jim is also president of MONIDAX INC. a computer forensics and network support firm, which works closely with the “Computer Securities Investigations” course at Fleming College in Peterborough, to create opportunities for local computer forensics graduates. MONIDAX offers a unique suite of managed services for businesses in the Peterborough area, with plans to expand throughout central Ontario and beyond.

In his spare time, Jim enjoys cross country running, alpine skiing, windsurfing and boating. Jim is an active volunteer and supporter of several community organizations in the Peterborough area.

For more information on Mr. Gastle and Gastle and Associates, please visit http://gastle.com/

Mr. Gastle will be presenting “Intellectual Property: Is it Really Worth the Trouble?” at the Innovation Cluster’s Quarterly Membership Breakfast at the Gathering Space, Gzowski College, Trent University, Friday March 23rd, 2012

For more Information on the breakfast March 23 breakfast invite