Stiller Centre opens Convergence Laboratory Facility

The Stiller Centre for Technology Commercialization today celebrated the launch of its Convergence Laboratory Facility in a ceremony hosted by Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco and Ministry of Research and Innovation Parliamentary Assistant Hon. Tony Wong. The facility provides a home for young science-based companies who need laboratory facilities but find it difficult to access the expensive array of equipment they need. It also is a resource small and medium-sized companies can access when they need to perform short term research work to solve a current problem or research new products. The Convergence Laboratory is a project funded by the Ministry of Research and Innovation through the Regional Innovation Network (RIN) Funding Program, the matching funding partners as well as Corporate Sponsors. The laboratory is located at The University of Western Ontario’s Research Park, “which is important because it helps bring entrepreneurs, researchers and small companies together while encouraging a culture conducive to the commercialization of research,” says Ted Hewitt, Western’s Vice-President (Research and International Relations). The university has also provided support in the form of equipment to help get the Lab off the ground. Hach Laboratories, an organization affiliated with Trojan Technologies, recently donated equipment valued at $25,000 to the laboratory. “This sort of partnership is truly synergistic” said Marvin DeVries, President of Trojan Technologies. “By helping foster a support system for entrepreneurs we can develop future clients for our companies”. The 300M2 laboratory has a wide range of laboratory equipment from microscopes, centrifuges, minus 80 freezer, incubators, shakers, and glassware. The Stiller Centre has been procuring this equipment over a period of one year while readying the program for its launch. Typically entrepreneurs would take up bench space in the lab, benefit from our equipment inventory and bring in their own specialized equipment. “This laboratory has been just what I needed to start my own research company” says Dr. Erin Johnson, an expert on Bio-fuels and President of Bio Transform Research (BTR Laboratory). “The rate for the equipment I can access is a phenomenal advantage to us”. The Convergence Lab is one of 5 integrated programs funded under the RIN designed to foster much greater entrepreneurship in our region. Others include: • The Shared Services Program negotiates access to the wide array of research resources at our regional institutions on behalf of small businesses in our region. These are then catalogued on the centre’s communication portal, Biovelocity.net for easy search and access. • The Business Analyst program recruits graduate business students with strong science backgrounds and puts them to work helping develop business plans for startup companies in hopes that these young graduates find full time roles in new companies in our region. • The Venture Services Program, managed by TechAlliance helps small companies ready themselves for financing. • Finally the Mentoring Programs operated by Stiller and TechAlliance connect business skills to young regional companies. “The focus of the programs is to develop a culture of interaction where private companies, entrepreneurs, researchers and even investors are brought together to bring some of our fantastic research and resources to benefit society as well as create jobs here in our region” commented Peter Bruijns, President of the Stiller Centre. The Stiller Centre is a 5,500 M2 commercialization centre focused on servicing the needs of newly formed and small and medium-sized companies in our region. The facility was constructed with grants from the Province of Ontario and the City of London. For more information, contact Peter Bruijns at 519.858.5175 or peter@stillercentre.com 700 Collip Circle London, Ontario N6G 4X8 t. 519.858.5050 f. 519.858.5142 www.stillercentre.com