MaRS and Global CONNECT Partner in International Conference for Innovation and Commercialization
MaRS AND GLOBAL CONNECT PARTNER TO HOST 2006 ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN TORONTO
Toronto, ON and La Jolla, CA , September 7, 2006 -- U.S.-based Global CONNECT and MaRS – a Canadian convergence innovation centre – today announced their decision to hold the 2006 Global CONNECT annual conference in Toronto, Ontario. The MaRS Discovery District in Toronto and the Torrey Pines Research Mesa in La Jolla – where Global CONNECT is based – are two of the world’s R&D powerhouses: each represents an annual R&D investment of over US$1 billion.
The conference will be held December 6 through 8 at the MaRS Centre, and will attract an international audience of technology commercialization experts, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, scientists, and policymakers. The event will advance inter-regional collaborations to facilitate rapid development of promising technologies.
“Global CONNECT seeks to facilitate region-to-region alliances and understand and promote best practice in technology commercialization,” said Peter Thomas, Global CONNECT’s Director of Operations. “Holding the 2006 Conference at MaRS builds on our mission by spotlighting an organization with a unique approach to commercialization.”
As the conference co-host, MaRS is both a 700,000 sf research and incubation complex and a professional services organization that offers a full suite of commercialization events, seminars and programs aimed at turning Canadian innovation into significant global companies. “MaRS is building a global gateway through which Canadian companies can access international partners,” said Dr. Ilse Treurnicht, CEO of MaRS. “Partnering with Global CONNECT will help us to solidify that role and to tap into a transnational network of commercialization best practices.”
This year’s event will build on the 2005 Global CONNECT conference, held in Taipei Taiwan in December 2005 and co-hosted by CONNECT Taiwan and the Institute for Information Industry. The meeting attracted delegates from 13 countries and centered on the theme of building global enterprises through region-to-region relationships, with special emphasis on relationships in Asia Pacific.
In 2006, the Global CONNECT conference will return to North America for the first time in three years – and come to Canada for the first time. By choosing Toronto, Global CONNECT is selecting a world-class centre of research and commercial excellence and furthering its mission of connecting regional commercialization networks.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Ross Wallace
MaRS Discovery District
(416) 673-8126
rwallace@marsdd.com
Peter Thomas
Global CONNECT
(858) 534-0425
pthomas@ucsd.edu
ABOUT MaRS
MaRS Discovery District is a not-for-profit corporation founded by leaders from the business and public sectors, to improve commercial outcomes from Canada’s foundation of science and technology innovation. MaRS connects and fosters collaboration between the communities of science, business and capital through co-location in the MaRS Centre and more broadly through catalytic programs, structured networks and the MaRS web portal. The MaRS Centre, located in Toronto’s Discovery District, officially opened in September 2005.BACKGROUNDER
About the PartnershipThe objectives of the 2006 Global CONNECT Conference include:
- Creating a premiere event designed to support and promote the commercialization of global innovation
- Bringing together leaders of business acceleration and technology commercialization organizations from around the world to review best practices and broker partnerships
- Reinforcing the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship to leaders across the private, public and research sectors
- Sharing of knowledge and access to venture capital funding for start-up or emerging companies and other related initiatives
- Expanding the profile of Global CONNECT broadly – and in Canada in particular
- Publicizing the role of MaRS as a key global gateway
ABOUT GLOBAL CONNECT
Global CONNECT (www.globalconnect.ucsd.edu), based at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) links individuals and organizations committed to building international technology-based enterprises. Global CONNECT facilitates partnerships between regions, especially between Southern California and regions around the world, to accelerate applied research collaborations and the growth of technology enterprises.MaRS FACTS
MaRS is part of many networks and consortia, but it did not emanate from any pre-existing partnership. MaRS is a new and autonomous entity.
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