SFU brings international innovators together to turn science into solutions

The Charles Chang Innovation Centre in Downtown Vancouver

With a growing urgency for universities to address global challenges with breakthrough innovations, the demand for entrepreneurial scientists is on the rise.

On Aug. 4 and 5, the Beedie School of Business’ Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship drew together 395 attendees from 38 countries in 22 time zones at the digital 2020 R & D Management Symposium, Invention to Innovation: Creating the Conditions for Impact, to re-define how universities, policymakers and industry can advance research-based innovation and respond to societal needs in Canada and globally.

Those communities attended the virtual symposium in force. Government policymakers and industry leaders heard leading researchers and practitioners from universities such as MIT, Duke University, University of Bologna, Concordia, Harvard and Tsinghua University present cutting-edge research that challenges conventional wisdom on innovation ecosystems.

They discussed shaping research and capabilities around regional natural strengths. Specifically, the roles universities play in regional resilience and adaptability, and the pressing need for greater investment in translation of university research into impact as ambitious corporate R&D continues to decrease. They also heard about capabilities which can better enable research-based innovation. SFU Beedie School of Business professor Elicia Maine, spoke about the entrepreneurial capabilities scientists can develop to help create greater impact from their research, including through founding spinoff ventures with a better chance of success.

Read the full story at SFU News.