David McFadden, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Centres of Excellence

Mark Romoff, President and CEO, Ontario Centres of Excellence

Mark Romoff, President and CEO, Ontario Centres of Excellence

Student Video Competition

OCE's 3rd annual Student Competition will have a new feature this year. Capitalizing on the success of YouTube, this year's student poster competition will challenge OCE-funded students to showcase their research using video, animation, sound and any other components of the digital age that can make their research compelling. Digital presentations will be featured on OCE's official Facebook page as well as throughout the showcase at Discovery.

Student Awards

Skills development is a key element of OCE's Value-Added Personnel Program, and this year we have selected 15 of OCE's most promising innovators to present their research live to a panel of judges. And we will celebrate the work of our undergraduates in our Connections program, as the final teams from universities and colleges across the province compete against each other for fame and fortune. Over $15,000 in prize money will be shared among the three best presentations in each category.

The Student Program has been generously supported by Queen's University.

IMPACT fosters entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation through connecting aspiring youth with experienced leaders and likeminded individuals. It is an organization that is dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship amongst youth nationwide through a vast array of exciting initiatives. Join the IMPACT experience, and help yourself get your entrepreneurship underway, by utilizing our teams knowledge, and our Industry contacts. Come hear from students involved with our team, and get tips on cultivating your entrepreneurship ideas.  Take the first step towards reaching your dream, and join the thousands of youth in this entrepreneurship phenomenon.

Do you have what it takes? Learn more about what start-up life is like, tips and strategies to ride the wave and enjoy it. Building the plan, network and mojo to make it happen out there, no matter what your background and focus area.

Paul Vice, Business Development Associate, Ontario Centres of Excellence

Corey Centen, CEO, Atreo Medical Inc.

Kunal Gupta, CEO, Polar Mobile Group Inc.

Julian Spillane, CEO, Frozen North Productions

Delegates are invited to participate in OCE's new sector forums debates. Imagine a live 'blogging' session where delegates share their perspective on critical issues facing the innovation sector in Ontario. The following three Discussion Zones will be this year's area of focus and will begin an open forum discussion which will continue live on OCE's Discovery Facebook page.

Energy, manufacturing, and the environment: the alternatives, the obstacles, the impact.

Convergent medical technologies, meeting the demands of an aging population, and innovating our way through the health sector.

What is digital media - gaming or a whole new way to look at how we play, communicate and share information?

Panel Discussion: Canada enjoys one of the most prosperous and competitive economies in the world. Our diverse, well educated population and broad mix of industries positions Canada well to thrive globally. And yet we have failed to embrace opportunities on the global stage. How do we conquer the obstacles standing in the way of our expansion into global markets? The panel will discuss strategies to support global expansion and the role our research and commercialization activities have to play in Canada's future success at home and abroad.

Moderator

Walter Derzko, The Smart Economy

Panelists

Vincent Barboza, Senior Manager, Trade Products, Global Solutions, RBC Financial Group

Greg Horowitt, Director and Co-Founder, Global CONNECT

Sarah Kutulakos, Executive Director, Canada China Business Council

Dr.Y.S. Rajan, Principal Adviser, Confederation of Indian Industry

Concurrent Panel Discussion: At every stage of development, your business and investment needs will change. When seeking capital investment, the bottom line is just the beginning. What stage is your business at today? Where do you need to go tomorrow? Matching the right funding with the right business development stage is crucial for successful longevity. Our panel of seasoned professionals will discuss their experiences and insights into the process of matching investment with opportunity.

Moderator

Mark Chamberlain, President and CEO, Trivaris Ltd.

Panelists

Andrew Abouchar, Partner, Tech Capital Partners Inc.

Christine Gulbranson, Director, Advancing Innovation, The Kauffman Foundation

Ryan Little, Vice President, Business Development, StormFisher Biogas

The Hon. John Wilkinson, Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation

Launch of the Investment Accelerator Fund

Delegates are invited to participate in OCE's new sector forums debates. Imagine a live 'blogging' session where delegates share their perspective on critical issues facing the innovation sector in Ontario. The following three Discussion Zones will be this year's area of focus and will begin an open forum discussion which will continue live on OCE's Discovery Facebook page.

Energy, manufacturing, and the environment: the alternatives, the obstacles, the impact.

Convergent medical technologies, meeting the demands of an aging population, and innovating our way through the health sector.

What is digital media - gaming or a whole new way to look at how we play, communicate and share information?

Concurrent Panel Discussion: Some of the most successful entrepreneurs and investors wear past failure as a badge of honour to mark lessons learned on the path to success. Many believe the lessons learned from unsuccessful ventures led to their current achievements. Is failure part of the success equation? Our panel will offer their insights and advice based on their own experiences.

Moderator

Jeffrey Crelinsten, President, The Impact Group

Panelists

Terry Graham, Chairman and CEO, Dungor Holding Corporation

Keith Thomas, President, Northern Nanotechnologies Inc.

Michael Raynor, author of The Strategy Paradox,
Why Committing to Success Leads to Failure (And what to do about it)

David McFadden, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Centres of Excellence