Newly funded innovation centre to support commercialization in Saskatchewan

Regina, SK – Saskatchewan researchers and entrepreneurs will now be better able to take new technologies and research into the marketplace, due to $6.2 million in federal and provincial government funding that makes a new centre connected with the University of Regina and Regina Regional Economic Development Authority a reality.

SpringBoard West Innovations, formerly known as the Technology Innovation Centre, has been officially established at Innovation Place Regina. It is receiving a $3,385,000 investment from the federal government and Saskatchewan’s provincial government through the Canada-Saskatchewan Western Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA) and an additional $2.85 million through Saskatchewan Industry and Resources Strategic Investment Fund.

SpringBoard will help in the commercialization of technologies developed at the University of Regina, and serve as a place for industry and entrepreneurs to engage the university in assisting on research and in solving technical and business problems. Its initial focus will be in the areas supported by the universitys Centres of Excellence in energy, environment and informatics. The centres will be co-located with SpringBoard at Innovation Place Regina.

To increase technology commercialization in Saskatchewan, SpringBoard will provide services in three areas. These include technology innovation programming; an entrepreneur in residence program; and technology incubator programming.

SpringBoard will help innovators take an idea, turn it into a product and get it to market, says Randy Brunet, the centre’s interim chair. Our success will be measured by the number of ideas we move from concept to commercialization.