A new program that will place graduate students from B.C.’s post-secondary research institutions into established companies for job experience should help this province’s companies get their products to market more quickly.
The B.C. Innovation Council-Mitacs Commercialization Voucher Program was created to demonstrate the value of collaboration between industry and post-secondary institutions and to develop and retain B.C. talent.
The program allows graduate students to apply for a $15,000 commercialization voucher to undertake opportunity assessments of new products or services or new market opportunities for existing products or services at established B.C. companies.
Eligible companies will receive information on the commercialization potential of their technology or business concept, allowing them to make an informed decision about whether to pursue the opportunity.
“It's important that we support development and commercialization of products using innovative means such as the voucher program,” said John Yap, B.C. minister of advanced education, innovation and technology. “B.C.’s ability to compete successfully in the global economy depends on a highly skilled and educated labour force.”
In the pilot phase of the voucher program, all applications must be received by March 15, 2013. Full program guidelines: bcic.ca/voucher.
Certification for Broadmead
Broadmead Village Shopping Centre has received a Building Owners and Managers Association Building Environmental Standards Level 1 Certification. The certification, the first of four levels, is a benchmarking process that helps applicants reduce their environmental footprint and offers incentive via the certification levels to move up through improved environmental management. Certification recognizes excellence in environmental management and performance in six key areas — energy, water, waste reduction, emissions and effluents, indoor environment and environmental management system. “We are very pleased to have received the first level of certification for environmental management. This process supports Grosvenor's ongoing commitment to best practices in sustainability,” said Alison Miles Cork, asset manager for Grosvenor Americas, which manages Broadmead Village. “This sets a benchmark for us to improve our processes and in future achieve higher levels of certification.”
On Top 40 list
Greg Bobolo, chief executive of SendtoNews; Levi Sampson, president of Harmac Pacific and CHEK TV; and MetaLab Design founder Andrew Wilkinson are among Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40 List for 2013. biv.com.
Clothing group
Coalescence Design Co., a local artists collective featuring one-of-a-kind clothing items and accessories, has opened at 1412A Douglas St. coalescencedesign.co or facebook.com/ coalescencedesignco.
