The Short Report, July 3, 2019: Geothermal energy, digital task force, biofoam

Razor Energy Corp has received $5 million from Natural Resources Canada and $2 million from Alberta Innovates to co-produce a geothermal electricity project at an active oil and gas operation. The University of Alberta will conduct geothermal research in association with the project. - Newswire

Nova Scotia-based company CarbonCure Technologies has partnered with Hawaii’s HC&D Ready Mix (HC&D) to produce CO2 mineralized concrete, as part of the state’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. - CarbonCure

The SCALE.AI supercluster in Montreal selected its first set of projects, comprising initiatives to explore how AI can be used to reduce costs and improve efficiencies in the consumer goods, farming, telecom and shipping sectors. A federal investment of up to $2 million in these projects will be matched by $3.1 million in contributions from industry and other partners. - Newswire

Alberta hemp producer Rowland Farms, along with its research partners Corteva Canada and Botaneco, have been chosen as the first recipients of a Protein Industries Canada Supercluster grant. The $4-million matching grant will support applied research to develop new processing capabilities. - Lethbridge Herald

WELL Health Technologies Corp acquired KAI Innovations, a Toronto-based SaaS company that helps clinics and doctors transition health information to electronic medical records (EMR). - BetaKit

Innovative Solutions Canada announced the launch of a plastics challenge led by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) for the development of a new kind of foam insulation to be derived from Canadian forest residue. - Newswire

The University of Manitoba officially opened its Smartpark Innovation Hub, a 75,000-square-foot "information exchange centre" intended to facilitate partnerships between industry, government, and the University. - UM Today

Natural Products Canada (NPC) announced three new commercialization programs for members of its innovation cluster: an executive talent program, a proof-of-concept program, and a go-to-market program. - Natural Products Canada

APPOINTMENTS AND AWARDS

Bell Canada COO Mirko Bibic will assume leadership of the company when CEO George Cope retires on January 5, 2020. Bibic is currenty responsible for Bell Mobility, Bell Residential and Small Business, and Bell Business Markets (BBM), and has led Bell's broadband leadership strategy. - Newswire

Algoma University in Ontario appointed Dr. Paulette Steeves as the Tier II Canada Research Chair in Healing and Reconciliation. Steeves has received $500 thousand to continue her work creating a database of archaeology sites in North and South America that demonstrate the presence of Indigenous First Nations people as far back as 200,000 years. - The Sault Star

The Ontario government announced the creation of a Digital and Data Task Force, as well as consultations for the development and implementation of its provincial data strategy. The task force will be chaired by Linda Mantia, former Senior Executive Vice-President and Group Chief Operating Officer of Manulife Financial, and vice-chaired by Bryan Smith, co-founder and CEO of Toronto-based tech company ThinkData Works. Other members: Bilal Khan (Deloitte Data), Avner Levin (Ted Rogers School of Management), Maithili Mavinkurve (Sightline Innovation), Shyam Oberoi (Royal Ontario Museum), Mark Sakamoto (Think Research), and Kirsten Thompson (Dentons Canada LLP). - Ontario.ca