Ventures Dialogue

During Stockwell Day’s recent trade mission promoting Canadian building systems and energy-efficient construction companies to China and Japan, the federal government’s Minister of International Trade and Minister of Asia-Pacific Gateway’s also used the visit to announce the launch of six new Canada-China science and technology research collaborations.  These projects, partly funding by $6.87 million of Canadian funds, is part of the government’s International Science and Technology Partnerships Program (ISTPP).  The projects differ, ranging from healthcare and climate change to wastewater treatment and wireless technology.

ISTPP is a $20 million five-year program administered by ISTPCanada, a non-profit organization.  The program aims to encourage commercialization by bringing together key stakeholders in both countries from the private and public sectors.  Collaboartion with universities have their place as well as being important hubs of knowledge and innovation.  

Canada’s partnership with China was launched in January 2007 with the focus on energy, including fuel cells; environment, life sciences and biotechnology; agricultural foods and bioproducts; and information and communications technologies and nanotechnology.  In May 2008, the inaugural 20 projects (worth more than $11 million) were unveiled. 

China is not the only nation that with which Canada has science and technology agreements.  Canada has also signed partnerships with Brazil, India and Israel. 

Other than supporting research and development projects, ISTPCanada also supports development activities such as workshops, symposia, conferences etc., with the goal of promoting international research collaboration.     

If you think your business could fit into these categories, it is worth a following up. Take a look at the backgrounder from this media release/backgrounder for a complete list of the six projects and their partnering organizations.

Photo by Dominik Mayer of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum