Inno-Centre establishes new Guelph affiliate

Inno-Centre Canada has established yet another affiliate firm with the creation of Inno-Centre Guelph (ICG), with $200,000 in start-up funding from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF). The announcement brings to an end a three-year quest to establish a coaching and commercialization facility in the city, joining similar centres in Ottawa, Edmonton and Montreal. Guelph is considered an ideal locale for an Inno-Centre, given its high concentration of life science and agri-food companies and research. Collaborating in the venture are OMAF, the Univ of Guelph, the City of Guelph, with the OMAF and the university providing in kind support. The municipality is also building ICG into its plans for a biotechnology cluster. An additional funding partner is due to be announced shortly. Dr Larry Milligan, chair of the steering committee overseeing ICG’s creation, says ICG anticipates launching four or five companies annually within three years. The steering committee will relinquish its duties to a new board at the beginning of 2003, when its inaugural director, Constance Hearty, assumes her position (see People column on this page)….