New scientific prize searches for world’s best and brightest

London, ON – Life sciences commercialization facility, the Stiller Centre, is encouraging entries to a recently launched annual award for young science graduates from around the world that will provide them with the opportunity to develop their ideas towards viable businesses.

The Stiller Centre Prize is the brainchild of the centre’s president, Peter Bruijns. Canadian medical scientist and pioneer, Dr Calvin Stiller, also helped develop the prize and provided input.

“We’re thrilled to launch this initiative, which is about fostering entrepreneurship, supporting and growing our scientific and business communities, and ultimately stimulating our economy on a regional, provincial and national level,” says Mr Bruijns. “Our centre will surround the winners with what they need to successfully drive their ideas forward and help assure the best probability that each of them will succeed in developing their idea towards the marketplace.”

The award is open to anyone who has received a science degree, bachelor to doctorate, in the past two years and has an idea they would like to research and develop. Three to five winners will receive a prize package valued at over $80,000 each, which includes $20,000 in relocation and living expenses, access to the Stiller Centre’s state-of-the-art convergence laboratory facilities, consumables, as well as the scientific mentoring and business support they need to develop their ideas towards commercialization.

Entrants can submit their applications online at www.bigbangidea.com until December 15. Candidates and their ideas can come from any area of science. Winners will be announced at an event in February 2007, hosted by the Stiller Centre in London, ON.