Joel Liederman, MaRS Innovation’s vice-president of Business Development and Physical Sciences, is participating in a live chat on the Financial Post‘s website.

The chat will take place on June 28, 2012 at 2 pm.

Topic: Why Canada can’t do anything with its big ideas

When it comes to academic research and the development or discovery of new concepts or product models, there are few countries in the world that can hold a candle to Canada.

Indeed, Canada ranks 10th in the world for its level of per-capita academic publications. In addition, Canadian universities and colleges communicate frequently with private industry about their research in hopes of collaborating and/or selling intellectual property to Canadian companies.

Yet, with a few notable exceptions, Canada’s track record of turning research and innovation into products that can be commercialized is quite poor. In its latest assessment of Canada’s economic performance, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said that if Canada is to improve its economic performance, it will need to better the transferability of innovation to the commercial sector.

What is it that hinders the ability of the country’s academics, researchers and entrepreneurs to find the common ground necessary to take ideas from concept to market? What can be done to improve knowledge transferability from academics to the private sector? Is academic research sufficiently oriented to market needs?

To participate in the chat or for more information about the other panelists, visit the Financial Post‘s website.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, marketing and communications manager.