Info-Guide – Innovation / R&D;

Innovation is the process whereby ideas for new or improved products, processes or services are developed and commercialised in the marketplace. The process of innovation affects the whole business – not just specific products, services or technologies.

This Info-Guide will take you step by step through the major decisions to move from an idea to the marketing of a product or to implement a culture of continuous improvement within your company; it will also inform you about the various available resources.

Nevertheless, it will not deal with every aspect of innovation, and because of this, we strongly recommend that you seek the professional assistance available from the public and private sectors. Their assistance will make it easier for you to start your business and increase your chances of success.

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Acknowledgements
This Info-Guide was developed by Info entrepreneurs in collaboration with the Canada Business service centre of New-Brunswick and the Canada Business Network which kindly authorised the reproduction and integration of excerpts from their documentation.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Inventing products / services
Innovative company management
Innovate through market expansion and diversification
Innovate through R&D, knowledge transfer and technologies

Inventing products / services

Entrepreneurs who establish and record a clear plan for bringing their new products to market are much more likely to succeed than those who do not. In this section, we explore the 10 essential steps in the innovation process:

1. Generate

The first step in the innovation process is to pull together a number of potential ideas by observing and analysing the marketplace.

Inventing a product or service which meets an existing but unaddressed demand can create an excellent business opportunity. This will answer the following questions:

• What services or products are needed but don't exist?
• What consumer needs could be met by an invention?
• What processes familiar to me could I improve by inventing a new procedure, product or service?
• What ideas do I have that I could develop into inventions?

2. Filter

After you’ve generated a number of ideas, the next step is to decide which ideas show the most potential and concentrate on developing them further.

3. Protect your idea

Intellectual property (IP), very broadly, means the legal rights that result from intellectual activity in the industrial, scientific, literary and artistic fields. IP rights, whether in the form of patent, trade-marks, copyrights, industrial designs, integrated circuit topographies, or plant breeders' rights reward this intellectual activity.

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) administers most of Canada's IP laws and regulations to ensure that they meet present and future client needs and best contribute to the Canadian economy. For more information, call 514 496-1797 or 1-866-997-1936. You can also consult our document Intellectual Intellectual Property - IP Toolkit.

Patents
To be eligible for patent protection, the invention must:

• be new (first in the world);
• be useful (functional and operative);
• show inventive ingenuity and not be obvious to someone skilled in that area.

The invention can be a product (e.g. a door lock), a composition (e.g. a chemical composition used in lubricants for door locks), an apparatus (e.g. a machine for making door locks), a process (e.g. a method for making door locks) or an improvement on any of these. Most patents are for improvements to existing patented inventions.

A patent gives its owner exclusive rights over a claimed invention. Applicants should file as soon as they can, in case someone else is working on the same thing.

Patent protection applies in the country that issues the patent. It is possible to apply for a foreign patent in Canada under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), or directly to the patent office of the foreign country concerned. For more information, consult our document Patents.

Before you file an application or invest in new R & D, search in the Canadian Patents Database to see if your invention already exists.

Trade-marks
A trade-mark is a word, a symbol, a design (or a combination of these features) used to distinguish the wares or services of one person or organisation from those of others in the marketplace. Trade-marks come to represent not only actual wares and services, but the reputation of the business. As such, they are considered valuable intellectual property (IP). A registered trade-mark can be protected through legal proceedings from misuse and imitation.

Slogans, names of products, distinctive packages or unique product shapes are all examples of features that are eligible for registration as trade-marks. For more information, consult our document Trade-marks.

The Canadian Trade-marks Database is the official register of trade-marks in Canada and contains information about all pending, registered and inactive trade-marks.

Copyrights
Simply put, a copyright prohibits others from copying your work without your permission. Original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work such as books, plays, songs, paintings, safety instructions, Web pages, how-to manuals and a prospectus are all copyrighted. Copyright also applies to three other kinds of subject-matter: performer's performances (actors, musicians, dancers and singers), communication signals (broadcasts) and sound recordings (records, cassettes and compact discs). For more information, consult our document Copyrights.

The Canadian Copyrights Database allows you to see all copyrights that have been registered or expunged in Canada since October 1, 1991. This includes traditional copyrights (original literary, artistic, dramatic and musical works) and copyright in other subject-matter (performer's performances, sound recordings and communication signals), as well as information on licences and assignments.

Industrial Design
An industrial design is defined as the visual features of shape, configuration, pattern or ornament (or any combination of these features) applied to a finished article made by hand, tool or machine. Although the design must have features that appeal to the eye, it is not the responsibility of the Industrial Design Office to evaluate the aesthetic quality of those features. The Office's role is to assess originality and ensure that the application meets the requirements of the Industrial Design Act and Regulations.

Industrial designs are protected for their original shape, pattern, ornamentation or configuration applied to a finished manufactured article. The artwork of your game board may be subject to copyright protection. Industrial design protection might be available for the board itself. Industrial design protection, for example, might be available for the shape of a table or the ornamentation on the handle of a spoon. Like patents, industrial designs are obtained only by registration. For more information, consult our document Industrial Designs.

The  Canadian Industrial Designs Database is a data base you may consult for all industrial designs that have been registered since June 15, 2002.

Integrated Circuit Topographies
An integrated circuit is a product that performs an electronic function in which the elements and interconnections are integrally formed on or in a piece of material (such as a computer chip). An integrated circuit product is a microchip. The protection is for the topography of an integrated circuit product which is a manufactured device made up of a series of layers of semi-conductors, metals, insulators and other materials. The three-dimensional configuration is a "topography." The original design of the topography is protected.

To qualify, a topography must be developed through the application of intellectual effort and not by the reproduction of all, or a substantial part, of another topography. Integrated circuit topographies are protected upon registration, but the Act does not protect topographies that are commonplace among topography designers or existing products. For more information, consult our document Integrated Circuit Topographies.

4. Research

Once you’ve decided upon an idea that shows potential, the next step is to carry out market research, talk to prospective buyers, assess the competition and record your findings. You will find information on market research in our Info-Guide – Business Start-Up. You can also consult our document Guide to Market Research and Analysis.

5. Assess

If you are either inventing a new product or considering developing a new product to add to your existing product lines, there are a number of critical factors to consider in assessing how practical this is. For a list of those factors, consult our document Critical Assessment Factors for New Products.

6. Plan

After researching market potential and assessing the competition, you must determine project financing and develop a business and marketing plan. You will find a section on business plans in our Info Info-Guide – Business Start-Up. You can also consult our document Financing a Business.

Road Map – Financing Innovative SMEs
The Road Map is a didactic tool that formalises the steps required to complete an innovative project or a project with innovative components It is the extended version of the Canadian Technology Network's SME Financing Chart.
http://www.infoentrepreneurs.org/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1097152959326&pagename=CBSC_QC%2FCBSC_WebPage%2FCBSC_WebPage_Temp&c=CBSC_WebPage

7. Develop

At this stage, the primary objective is to develop a prototype and proof of concept, taking into account market expectations, and manufacture the first models and the first prototype, making use of the available expertise and the feedback of potential buyers. You must fine-tune your product, ensuring that the final result will be functional, high-performance, attractive, patentable, and superior to competitive products – all while keeping the manufacturing cost as low as possible.

Engineering development generally calls for the involvement of a team of industrial designers and engineers working with the inventor on the project.  The industrial designer is a professional trained to develop products that can be manufactured on an industrial scale, taking into account human needs and characteristics, aesthetics, safety, market expectations, available manufacturing methods, use, and maintenance.

8. Test and alter

Once a prototype has been developed, decide if changes are necessary by testing prototypes and processes in-house or with a limited group of potential buyers.

You could sell your products on consignment. Selling goods on consignment is described as a situation whereby goods are shipped to a dealer who pays you, the consignor, only for the merchandise which sells. In the case of a newly designed and manufactured product for which there is no sales record, dealers might be more enthusiastic about promotion if their investment loss is minimised. For more information, consult our document Selling Products on Consignment.

Once you have collected feedback from consumers and distributors and analysed consumer purchasing behaviour, you may have to adjust the prototype, making any changes deemed necessary following the testing.

9. Execute

Your patent application has been filed, you have a prototype for your invention or new product, and studies show that it is very promising. You now have the choice of either producing it yourself or issuing a patent license.

Production
You must exercise stringent control over the use of materials and components and the efficiency of workers and equipment. You are now ready to deliver the merchandise to your distribution network.

Licensing
You've invented something, it has received a positive evaluation and has a patent pending. Or maybe your company doesn't have the capital or expertise to manufacture and market its product to a global market. Inventors often find it is better to license their technology rather than try to manufacture and market it themselves. Similarly, licensing may be the only practical way for a company to maximise the potential for its existing products.

Licensing companies in other areas of Canada or in other countries expands your potential while minimising your risk by using companies that have the necessary manufacturing capability and marketing networks already in place. For more information, consult our document Product Licensing.

10. Monitor

Once the product or service is launched, it is important to continue to check sales figures and other financial indicators against the business plan and modify the business plan if needed.

It is only when you have completely recovered your investment through the sale of your product or invention that you have reached the break-even point.  When your invention has earned much more than it cost to produce for a sufficiently long period, you can consider that your invention is a commercial success. 

The following documents can help you assess your performance:

• Checklist for Profit Watching
• Attacking Business Decision Problems With Breakeven Analysis

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Other resources:

Fastforward : An Innovation Guide for Small and Medium Enterprises
ACOA is working to encourage and assist small and medium-sized enterprises to become more innovative in the development of new products, services and technologies. Fastforward: An Innovation Guide for Small and Medium Enterprises has been designed to assist entrepreneurs in this process.http://www.acoa.ca/innovationE/guide/index.shtml

Le guide pratique de l'inventeur : en route vers le succès en 15 étapes – Luc E. Morisset
A tool to guide inventors through the maze of steps needed to successfully invent a product Available in our documentation centre. (In French only)

What you need to know about inventing
This booklet is the first part of the New Product Development Program – The Guide to Profitable Inventing. This program was developed to assist entrepreneurs who have chosen this type of business but need a plan to take them from the product-idea stage through to the first sale of the new product. Available in our documentation centre.

Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ)
The Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) is a member organisation of the National Standards System of Canada and operates in the fields of standards development; the product, process, service and person Certification; the system registration of quality and environmental management systems. The BNQ has the authority to assess the laboratories in Québec that wish to be accredited in the framework of the Testing Laboratory Assessment Program – Canada (PALCAN) and can also grant food safety certification according to the HACCP principles (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). For more information, call 514 383-1550, 418 652-2238 or 1-800-386-5114, or visit http://www.bnq.qc.ca/fr/index.html

Innover dans les produits – Services Québec
This site contains information that may be helpful if you have an idea to improve an existing product or create a new one. http://www2.gouv.qc.ca/entreprises/portail/quebec/strategie?lang=fr&g=strategie&sg=&t=s&e=1628783256  (In French only)

Institut de développement de produits
An exchange, training and awareness network and a top reference for business leaders in the industrial sector and engineering, production and marketing professionals whose activities revolve around product design and development. For more information, call 514 383-3209 or visit http://www.idp-ipd.com/ (In French only)

United States Patent and Trademark Office
A data base on patents and trademarks filed in the United States.
http://patents.uspto.gov/

Canadian Innovation Centre – CIC
The Canadian Innovation Centre (CIC), which is located in Waterloo, provides evaluation, consulting and educational programs to help small and medium-sized enterprises, innovators, inventors and researchers take their ideas from the drawing board to the store shelf. For more information, consult our document Canadian Innovation Centre - CIC.

Canadian Centre for Housing Technology (CCHT)
The CCHT is a unique full-scale test facility where innovative products can be evaluated in a complete and realistic housing system. The CCHT can also assess alternative construction techniques on additional serviced lots. The CCHT is a technology showcase where industry can get exposure to both domestic and foreign markets. For more information, consult our document Canadian Centre for Housing Technology, call 1-800-668-2642, or visit http://www.ccht-cctr.gc.ca

CRC – Communications Research Centre Canada – Innovation Centre
The CRC has been operating an Innovation Centre that provides small (including start-ups) and medium-sized Canadian companies access to CRC technologies, expertise and specialised facilities and test beds. For more information, consult our document CRC - Communications Research Centre Canada - Innovation Centre.

NRC Institute for National Measurement Standards (NRC-INMS)
The main role of the NRC Institute for Nat ional Measurement Standards (NRC-INMS) is to provide the primary centre of reference in Canada for the accuracy, validity and traceability of physical and chemical measurements. As Canada's National Metrology Institute, it is the foundation of Canada's national measurement system and is responsible for the realisation and dissemination of primary measurement standards.For more information, consult our document NRC Institute for National Measurement Standards (NRC-INMS) or visit http://inms-ienm.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/main_e.html

Canadian Technology Network (CTN)
The Canadian Technology Network (CTN) is an NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) initiative that offers technological and business advisory services to small and medium Québec enterprises in all sectors. For more information, consult our document Canadian Technology Network, call 514 496-4636 or 1-888-286‑0001, or visit http://ctn-rct.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Industry Partnership Facility
The Industry Partnership Facility (IPF) can help SMEs working in the information and communication technologies sector by providing an environment that complements their needs. The IPF (incubator/accelerator) exists to foster and assist new ventures using NRC technologies or expertise. The IPF will provide facilities, services and professional expertise that promotes the establishment of a successful venture. For more information, call 613 998-6755 or visit http://www.ipf-ipi.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Réseau IncubAction
Réseau IncubAction is Québec’s network of business preincubators and incubators. It serves to represent and support its members, who represent the regions and the various types of incubator. For more information, call 418 682-6627 or visit http://www.el.ulaval.ca/incubaction/index.html

A list of Québec preincubators and incubators is also available at http://www.formulaire.gouv.qc.ca/cgi/affiche_doc.cgi?dossier=1272&table=0

Inno-centre
An incubator for businesses involved in technological innovation, the centre offers a two-year program of guidance. The fees for the program are determined by the percentage of sales from the second year onward. To be eligible, a company must be operating in a high-tech sector, offer a product with a high degree of technological innovation and be on the verge of marketing. For more information, call 514 987-9550 or 418 657-6555, or visit http://www.inno-centre.com/fr/html/A.html

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Innovative company management

Firm-Level Diagnostic

Industry Canada has developed the Innovation Management Toolkit in which you will find the Firm-Level Diagnostic which examines how your firm is performing today, relative to recognised best practices. It covers eight management areas which are critical to success in innovation:

Leadership and culture – Innovative firms are distinguished by their strong and progressive leadership and a culture that fosters continual improvement. In today’s competitive marketplace, these features are an essential ingredient in the success of SMEs.

Marketing and customer relations –  To survive and grow, SMEs need satisfied and loyal customers. In today’s competitive and global marketplace, firms must provide products and services that improve their customers’ competitive performance and business results. They must exceed customer expectations. Effective customer relationships are the critical business success factors.

Product and service development – In today’s competitive marketplace, customer needs change as rapidly as the global business environment. Innovative firms manage their portfolio of products and services to respond to, and anticipate, these changes. A strategy that emphasises continuous improvement of existing products and services is one way innovative firms stay ahead of the competition.

Process management – For companies looking to improve their innovation performance, internal processes are a good place to start. In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, innovative processes help the firm respond effectively to opportunities. Process management is a mutli-faceted endeavour. Strong customer-related processes contribute to business excellence, but these require support from processes that maximise internal operating efficiency, enhance relations with external stakeholders and deliver sound business results.

Management of technology – The use and management of technology is an important issue for all firms. For SMEs, technology provides the chance to level the playing field with the operating systems of larger firms – it is key to improving performance. Innovative firms continuously search for ways to integrate emerging technologies into all facets of their business. Management ensures that technology adoption is given top priority in the firm’s strategy and employees are given the necessary training to reach business targets.

Alliances and partnerships – Building new strengths, creating new capabilities and developing new and improved products and services are hallmarks of innovative firms. Establishing relationships with customers, researchers, suppliers and professional advisors can increase competitiveness and boost the overall performance of all firms. For SMEs competing on a global scale with larger firms, this is particularly important. Establishing alliances and partnerships can help to reduce costs, lead to new business, speed-up time to market and reduce overall risk.

Human resources and skills – Innovative firms know that having competent, motivated and satisfied employees is key to their success. Best practices in the area of human resources (HR) planning is linked to improvements in employee motivation, participation and job satisfaction. Innovative firms create HR strategies to support business plans and treat training and development of all employees as a strategic investment. Success depends on knowledgeable and skilled employees developing their potential and working to achieve the firm’s vision.

Financing business excellence – Innovation is the most powerful ingredient in the continuous performance improvement required to achieve standards of excellence. Funding for continuous improvement activities is built into the financial plans of innovative firms. Sound operating profits provide a source of internal financing.

You will also find in the Innovation Management Toolkit the best practice standards achieved by leading innovators.

Once you have completed your company’s diagnosis, consult our document Financing a Business to learn about the programs available to help you implement a culture of innovation.

Benefits of innovation

For SMEs, successful innovation delivers many benefits:

Becoming more competitive – increasing market share, gaining new customers and receiving greater recognition of the value of their firm’s goods and/or services by the marketplace.

Creating customer loyalty – becoming a trusted and preferred supplier with key customers and working with them on strategic projects.

Underpinning the way ahead – having a clear vision of what they want their firm to be and its place in the global marketplace.  

Creating confidence with external investors – being seen as a reliable, progressive and valued organisation to support.

Improving the quality of decisions – having knowledge management, problem solving, risk assessment and monitoring processes in place to make sounder decisions.

Making the business run better – achieving progressive and controlled improvement in the effectiveness of business systems and the use of the latest technology.

Making all employees more effective – attracting, developing and retaining the best employees and involving them in the achievement of the business strategy and vision.

Barriers

The four issues which consistently create barriers to successful innovation are:

Funding problems – an inability to attract external funding and difficulties directing available internal monies to fund innovation.

Organisational barriers –  poor internal communication, resistance to change and the failure to sell innovation and change to employees. From an external perspective, barriers include poor links to customers, suppliers and investors.

Stagnant or non-existant processes –  lack of systems in place to stimulate and develop new ideas and capitalise on new opportunities; little or no capacity to deal with continual improvement, incremental innovation, risk management and progress monitoring.

Technology –  no clear idea of future technological needs, where to source new technologies and how to introduce these into processes, products and services.

Creation of an Innovation Culture

Innovation depends on people: your customers, suppliers, co-workers, competitors and partners are your best starting points for new ideas. To improve the innovation culture in your organisation:

Start small – ask people to suggest one change within the organisation that could improve their personal performance and efficiency.

Improve skills – provide training opportunities on current trends and practices within your industry.

Build trust – establish a safe and positive environment, listen and act on ideas put forward by employees.

Cross-pollinate – encourage cooperation and problem solving between divisions which may not normally work together.

Communicate – let employees in on challenges, goals and opportunities and share the ‘why’ as well as the ‘what’ and ‘how’.

Build stakeholders – spread risk, reward and ownership more evenly to give others a stake in the outcome.

Take another chair – encourage problem solving from the customer, supplier, or competitor’s perspective.

Conduct a 360 review – actively solicit feedback and suggestions from management, employees, customers, partners and suppliers.

Encourage and support – recognise and reward the contributions of others and provide the resources needed to develop new ideas.

Take risks – realise that innovation is not possible without risk and take steps to record and learn from experiences.

Improving competitiveness

To compete in today’s marketplace, your business must meet global standards for productivity and quality, employees must be well trained and marketing strategies must be well thought-out. Since even the best ideas don’t succeed without solid execution, competitiveness is a pre-requisite for innovation success.

Steps to Competitiveness
The Service Industries Branch of Industry Canada developed Steps to Competitiveness, an electronic information product that presents, in a modular format that includes self assessment tools, information on competitiveness issues and gaps facing small and medium sized service firms. The subjects addressed may also be of interest to companies in other sectors wishing to ensure their competitiveness in this period of increasing globalisation: 

Step 1: Need assessment –  The success of a service provider rests on its expertise, its competence. The skills and knowledge your company possesses is a major determinant of your success.

Step 2: Strategic planning –  Strategic planning will help you capitalise on your strengths, overcome your weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities and defend against threats to your organisation.

Step 3: Financing –To be competitive, it is helpful to understand the various types, sources, and methods of financing available, to know how to manage your relationship with lenders, and to understand the areas of expertise of financial institutions.

Step 4: Technology –  There are numerous technological tools and services available to assist Canadian businesses in conducting their affairs more effectively and productively. By optimising the use of technology, your organisation may better manage growth, improve client services and gain a competitive edge over firms who choose not to adopt technology.

Step 5: Human resources –  Many experts suggest that the last major area in which a company can make significant improvements is in human resources. Using this resource to its best advantage is a means to maximise the effectiveness of all of the other systems and procedures already in place.

Step 6: Marketing –  The marketing function and related activities in an enterprise, small or large, ensure that an enterprise gets information from its customers, develops and markets the services to satisfy their needs and gets feedback on their satisfaction levels. Marketing is an interface between the enterprise and its markets.

Step 7: Partnerships –  There are many different structures of alliances that can be used to accomplish different objectives and satisfy different time frames.

Step 8: Quality assurance –  For successful implementation of quality assurance strategies, there must exist a strong will to make the necessary changes and there must be exceptional communication between management and employees.

Step 9: A new service – The introduction of a new service is closely tied to the profitability of the business, but at the same time it is also closely associated to financial risks. The financial health of a business is closely related to its success in launching new services.

IP management – Stand out from your competitors

Your intellectual property (IP) is one of your most valuable business assets. When used strategically in your business, it can increase your competitiveness and allow you to reap numerous benefits.   SMEs that dedicate time and resources to establishing their IP goals and protecting their IP assets can increase their competitiveness in a variety of ways:

• They may prevent competitors from copying or closely imitating a company's products or services.
• They also may avoid wasteful investment in research and development (R&D) and marketing.
• They enhance their corporate identity through a trade-mark and a branding strategy.
• They may negotiate licensing, franchising or other IP-based contractual agreements. Then, they may further increase the market value of their company. Further, they may acquire venture capital and enhance their access to finance.
• They may access new markets or develop untapped niche markets.

In addition, companies which search systematically for conflicting IP rights of others prior to seeking IP protection are able to avoid unnecessary litigation, thereby saving time and resources. For more information, consult our document Intellectual Property - IP Toolkit.

Technological and strategic Intelligence

Given the ever-increasing mass of information and the strategic need for this information to be processed quickly, an intelligence service can save the firm a great deal of time and money. It can provide information of vital importance to the making of decisions concerning its development, e.g., for new product launches, new market penetration, technology acquisitions, new research and development activity start-ups, and so on. For more information, consult our document Info-Guide – Management and Growth (available soon).

Sustainable development

More and more companies are realising that the application of business and technology strategies to environmental pressures and sustainable development could in fact translate into profitability. Some are advancing even further through long-term strategic planning and investment in products, processes, technologies and approaches that are expected to generate revenue and increase market share. For more information, consult our document Info-Guide – Management and Growth (available soon).

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Other resources:

L’indice d’innovation des entreprises
This diagnostic tool uses an on-line survey to measure the abilities and performance of your employees and your organisation in terms of innovation. http://www.conferenceboard.ca/inn/iie/ (In French only)

Meilleures pratiques d’affaires – Ministère du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation
To accelerate the dissemination of knowledge related to exemplary business practices, the ministère has established the largest training program on best business practices (Formation MPA). Designed for company managers and strategic employees, these training sessions focus on specific subjects adapted to the needs of SMEs.
http://www.mdeie.gouv.qc.ca/page/web/portail/entreprises/service.prt?svcid=PAGE_GENERIQUE_CATEGORIES31&iddoc=47538 (In French only)

Centre d’entreprises et d’innovation de Montréal (CEIM)
Located in the heart of Montréal's Multimedia City, Centre d'entreprises et d'innovation de Montréal (CEIM) is a non-profit organisation completely devoted to the creation and development of innovative business concepts with strong commercial potential, and one of the largest business incubators in Canada. For more information, consult our document Centre d'Entreprises et d'Innovation de Montréal (CEIM).

Innovation et conseils stratégiques – Services Québec
Innovation is not just about creating new products. You can also improve your administrative practices, financial management, marketing and human resources management.
http://www.entreprises.gouv.qc.ca/portail/quebec/innovation?lang=fr (In French only)

Innovation Insights
Giving Canadian executives a chance to see how others meet manufacturing challenges is the goal behind the program sponsered by Manufacturers & Exporters Canada and the National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC/IRAP). The goal of these "shop floor" visits is to prompt Canadian firms to increase their competitiveness. For more information, call 1-800-999-4129 or visit http://www.tvp-ii.org

CTN’s Quorum
Quorum is a group of suppliers of private-sector services affiliated with the Canadian Technology Network. The group's mission is to provide easier access for SMEs to suppliers of private-sector services related to innovation. The Web site is a tool for quickly and efficiently locating private-sector professionals, highly qualified staff in all business management fields and technology and innovation specialists. For more information, call 514 875-1888 or visit http://www.quorumrct.com

Smart Practices Innovation Network (RIN)
The Smart Practices Innovation Network pursues the activities of the Réseau québécois sur l'étude et la promotion des systèmes d'innovation (RQSI). The network is first of all a group of persons who have an interest in the innovation process and regional development. Secondly, it is an intelligence gathering tool through which these persons can stay up-to-date on the best innovative practices and economic development in OECD countries. It is finally an extensive database that repertories initiatives, practices, public policies, research programs and documents on innovation and regional economic development. For more information, call 418 656-2131 extension 3523, or visit http://www.rqsi.ulaval.ca/ang/index.php

Association de la recherche industrielle du Québec – ADRIQ
The ADRIQ network is the primary business group for new economy business leaders. Its mission is to encourage and support the performance and success of innovative new economy Quebec businesses in every industrial sector. For more information, call 514 337-3001 or visit http://www.adriq.com/english/index.html

Maison des hautes technologies
The Maison des hautes technologies is a coalition of organisations dedicated to the promotion and advancement of high technology whose aim is to simplify procedures for technological entrepreneurs everywhere in Québec, but particularly in Montréal. For more information, call 514 840-1291 or visit http://www.mht.qc.ca (In French only)

Benchmarking and business performance assessment (BALISE)
This Web site is dedicated to benchmarking. On this site, you will find Balise, a unique tool that can be used to assess the performance of businesses. This tool allows executives of manufacturing SMEs, as well as strategic workers, to gain free exposure to comparative analysis, one of the best business practices. http://www.uqtr.ca/balise/  (In French only)

Technology Roadmaps
Technology roadmapping is a planning process driven by the projected needs of tomorrow's markets. It helps companies to identify, select and develop technology options to satisfy future service, product or operational needs. Via the process, companies in a given sector can pool their resources and work together with academia and governments, to look 2-10 years into the future and determine what their specific market will require. For more information, consult our document Technology Roadmaps or visit  http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/intrm-crt.nsf/en/Home

Innovation in Canada Portal
This portal is a comprehensive inventory of the best links to universities, public laboratories, municipal agencies and businesses across Canada who can help you with your innovations. You can use the diagnostic tools to help you zero in on your innovation needs, you can find out about hundreds of subjects related to innovation and how to improve your chances of success, and you can access our lists of innovation experts, researchers and technology experts either in your own community or across Canada.
http://innovationstrategy.gc.ca/gol/innovation/site.nsf

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Innovation through market expansion and diversification

To remain competitive in the face of globalisation, entrepreneurs must not only continue to develop innovative products and innovate within their own businesses, they must also increase their market share and penetrate new overseas markets. For more information on market expansion and diversification, consult our documents Info-Guide – Management and Growth (available soon) and  Info-Guide – Export

Innovate through R&D, knowledge transfer and technologies

R&D encompasses scientific research and experimental development. Experimental development involves work on creating or improving materials, devices, products or processes.

The transfer of knowledge and technology is not just about sharing knowledge between universities, government labs, research centres, and businesses; it is also about exploiting research results and commercialising inventions and new technologies.

Financing

To find available financing programs, consult our document Financing a Business.

Technical Resources

College Centers for Technology Transfer
The 31 College Centers for Technology Transfer (CCTT) are technology research centers offering specific services of applied research, technical support and training to small and medium enterprises. Located in 13 regions of the province of Québec, the CCTT are covering more than 30 secondary or business sectors be they, traditional or technological. For more information, call 418 653-6763 or visit http://www.reseautranstech.qc.ca (In French only)

Centre francophone d'informatisation des organisations (CEFRIO)
CEFRIO is a liaison and transfer centre to help organizations to be more productive and contribute to public well-being through recourse to the information technologies as a means of promoting change and innovation. For more information, call 514 840-1245, 418 523-3746, or visithttp://www.cefrio.qc.ca/english/indexAccueil.cfm

Québec Biotechnology Innovation Centre (QBIC)
QBIC, a non-profit organisation, is a specialised incubator for start-up companies in the biotechnology sector. The Centre provides entrepreneurs-researchers, from Québec and elsewhere, with an environment conducive to research and development activities. For more information, call 450 688-8377 or visit http://www.cqib.org/index.aspx?LANG=EN-CA

Centre for Interuniversity Research and Analysis on Organisations (CIRANO)
CIRANO is an interuniversity centre of research, liaison and transfer of knowledge on the analysis of organisations. It provides access to the best researchers in this field to any firm or organisation, private or public, seeking innovative ways to improve the efficiency of its activities. http://www.cirano.qc.ca/index.php?lang=en

Centre québécois de valorisation des biotechnologies (CQVB)
The mission of the CQVB is to stimulate and accelerate the industrial and commercial exploitation of research results through partnership and networks, support for innovation, and the development of technology companies.  http://www.cqvb.qc.ca/ (In French only)

CRIM
In its role as a knowledge and technology transfer centre, CRIM is a major contributor to the Information technologies (IT) industry. The organisation provides leading edge services across a range of activities, including: research and development, training, watch, security, as well as best practices and software testing. Recognised as a technology accelerator, CRIM relies on its highly skilled personnel to increase the value of businesses through the transfer of expertise, knowledge, best practices and technologies. For more information, call 514 840-1234 or 1-877-840-2746, 418 648-8080 or 1-877-648-2746, or visit http://www.crim.ca/en/index.html

Chair in Strategic Management of Information Technology – HEC
The mission of the Chair of Strategic Management of Information Technologies is to make a contribution to the development and dissemination of knowledge on the capacity to select, deploy and implement information technologies in such a manner that they have a real impact on organisational performance. For more information, call 514 340-6493 or visit http://neumann.hec.ca/chairegestionti/indexang.html

Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Québec (CRIAQ)
CRIAQ is a non profit consortium whose goals are to bolster and carry out joint precompetitive aerospace research projects. Seven universities and most of the champions of the Québec aerospace industry are part of the consortium. For more information, call 514 313-7561 or visit http://www.criaq.aero

Canada Foundation for Innovation
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and other non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefit Canadians. For more information, consult our document Canada Foundation for Innovation or visit http://www.innovation.ca/

Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA)
IRDA is a non-profit research corporation who is to conduct knowledge acquisition, research, development and transfer activities, with the goal of contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture. For more information, call 450 778-6522 or 418 643-2380, or visit http://www.irda.qc.ca/accueil.html

PROMPT-Québec
The academic and business communities have come together to create the Programme de recherche orientée en microélectronique, photonique et télécommunications du Québec (PROMPT-Québec), an organisation for co-ordinating research and training. PROMPT-Québec is committed to implementing a program that will foster strategic bilateral relationships by pairing businesses in the information technology and communications sector with university researchers working in fields relevant to business' specific needs. For more information, call 514 875-0072 or visit http://www.promptquebec.com/?Lang_id=E

Répertoire de la recherche publique du Québec – Expertise recherche Québec
This directory lists scientists in all fields of research that further the growth and international stature of Québec. It clearly shows the scope and diversity of Québec research and fosters communication between researchers, industry and knowledge-based partners here at home and around the world. http://www.erq.gouv.qc.ca/site_html/pages/chercheurs/index.html (In French only)

Industrial R&D Directory
The Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ) created a directory to inventory the number of Québec companies conducting activities in the area of research and development. http://diffpls.stat.gouv.qc.ca/pls/gi4/GI4_AN

Réseau d’informations scientifiques du Québec (RISQ)
RISQ (Québec's Scientific Information Network), refers both to the network itself, which links Québec's institutions of research and higher education, and to the Montréal-based non-profit corporation that manages the network. RISQ provides sophisticated telecommunications services and infrastructure to Québec's research and educational institutions. They also provide these institutions the best possible access to the information they need to fulfill their research and instructional requirements and offer support services for innovation and for the deployment of networked applications. For more information, call 514 845-7181 or visit http://www.risq.qc.ca/index.php?LANG=EN

Univalor
Univalor’s mission is to commercialise research results from the Université de Montréal, the École Polytechnique de Montréal, CHU Sainte-Justine, le centre hospitalier universitaire mère-enfant and HEC Montréal. http://www.univalor.ca/

In conclusion

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• Info-Guide – Export
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• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Saguenay Lac Saint-Jean (Region 02)
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Region 08)
• Financing a Business
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• Info-Guide – Import
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Laurentides (Region 15)
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Lanaudière (Region 14)
• Social Economy – Financing and Technical Resources
• Info-Guide – Women Entrepreneurs
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Outaouais (Region 07)
• Info-Guide – Cooperatives
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Bas-Saint-Laurent (Region 01)
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• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Centre-du-Québec (Region 17)
• Info-Guide – Employment and Training
• Info-Guide – Not-for-Profit Organisation (NPO)
• Info-Guide – Permits and Licences Required for Certain Types of Businesses
• Info-Guide – eBusiness
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Côte-Nord (Region 09)
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Nord-du-Québec (Region 10)
• Info-Guide – Business Start-Up
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• Info-Guide - Aboriginal Entrepreneurs
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Estrie (Region 05)
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Region 11)
• Info-Guide – Young Entrepreneurs
• Entrepreneurship Assistance – Capitale-Nationale (Region 03)

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