1. What is the Alberta Innovates Connector? The Alberta Innovates Connector is a helping hand to guide people through Alberta's research and innovation system in their efforts to turn advanced technology ideas into commercial products or services. It is a personalized, value-added service that helps businesses, innovators, researchers, and investors connect to the information, advice, resources and key people they need to access to commercialize a product, invest in a new technology or innovation or collaborate on research.
2. What is the Alberta Innovates network? The Alberta Innovates network refers to the five provincially funded Alberta Innovates agencies, other innovation support organizations, including the Alberta Enterprise Corporation, innovation and technology commercialization service providers, and post-secondary institutions. These organizations help advance research and innovation in our province through programs, services, funding, and investment.
3. What type of service does the Connector offer? The Connector is a one-window access to information regarding research, innovation, and technology commercialization in Alberta. The Connector offers:
4. Which technology and industry sectors does the Connector offer information on? The Connector service facilitates research, innovation, and technology commercialization within the advanced technology areas. The Connector aims to be knowledgeable and comprehensive about research and innovation activities and technology and knowledge intensive industry sectors in Alberta. At the same time, because Alberta strategically focuses its efforts and investments on several priority sectors, those sectors unavoidably have more dedicated programs, services, and infrastructure available. Alberta's priority sectors include nanotechnology, life sciences, information and communications technologies, environmental technologies, and clean energy.
5. How does the Connector operate? The Connector service is managed and delivered by professional staff from the Innovation Client Services branch of Advanced Education and Technology. The staff have background and experience to collect and disseminate information about the provincial research and innovation system, as well as manage complex inquiries from sophisticated clients. Areas of staff expertise include scientific research, business development and management, technology commercialization, and government programs and policies.
6. How do you access the Connector? By telephone at 1-877-828-0444, by e-mail at connector@albertainnovates.ca , or you can learn more by visiting www.albertainnovates.ca and pushing the Connector button.
7. What are the performance standards for providing information to clients? Clients who call the Connector telephone number will be able to speak to someone in person or leave a message. Normal business hours of the Connector are 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (MST). The targeted maximum response time for new inquires, telephone messages, or e-mail is less than three business days and the Connector staff aim to respond to new inquiries as soon as possible. For follow up cases that involve more detailed or complex matters, a response can take longer to process and will be managed on a case-by-case basis.
8. Is the Connector a call centre? Even though the Connector has a toll-free number, it is not a traditional call centre. It is a common interface for industry, the public, and other system partners to access information, support, and guidance across the research and innovation system. The Connector is staffed with professional business development and facilitation staff, not "scripted" call centre operators.
9. What is the value of the Connector? In a fast-paced business innovation environment, the Connector provides a value-added, personalized service that can save the client time, energy, and resources. Being able to access the right information at the right time is crucial to helping innovators, innovative companies, and organizations overcome some of the hurdles they face in conducting research and development, commercializing an idea, or investing in a new technology.
10. Who would typically use the Connector services? Any potential or existing client of Alberta's research and innovation system can use the Connector services including:
In many situations, the research and innovation system stakeholders and service providers are also clients of the system and can use the Connector.
It is expected that the main volume of simple inquiries will come from Alberta's innovators and small innovative companies who are looking for information about services and programs available in the province. Another significant segment of the Connector clients is expected to be sophisticated organizations, from governments to institutions and large companies, looking for assistance in developing complex initiatives or projects.
11. Is the Connector for Albertans only? No. If you are innovator or innovative organization or business from outside Alberta - including countries outside of Canada - you can still contact the Connector if you want to pursue collaborative research and development opportunities in Alberta, invest in an Alberta-based business or innovation or make Alberta the location for developing your business or new product.
12. Can stakeholders use the Connector? In many situations the research and innovation system stakeholders and service providers are also clients of the system and can use the Connector. Therefore, they can access the Connector services for themselves or on behalf of their clients.
13. Is there a cost to use the services of the Connector? No. The information and resources provided by the Connector are free of charge. The service is 100 percent delivered and supported by the Government of Alberta.
14. What are the expected outcomes of the Connector? The expected outcomes are:
15. How does the service relate to the newly launched Alberta Innovates? Alberta has a world-class provincially funded research and innovation system, however, as the system grew, it became more complex and sometimes difficult to navigate. Under the banner of Alberta Innovates, changes have been made to the system to reduce complexity and increase connections, minimize duplication and overlap, improve transparency, and attract investment. The Connector is a helping hand for those who want to connect with Alberta Innovates.
16. If I contact the Connector, will the Government of Alberta collect personal information about me like my phone number or my address? No. The Government of Alberta does not collect personal information for those who contact the connector; it only collects business information needed to respond to questions or refer to other individuals and organizations within the system. The Connector service complies with provincial privacy legislation.
17. Is the Connector a permanent service of the Government of Alberta? Like all Government of Alberta programs and services, the Connector is dependent on government priorities and available budgets. The service will be monitored over the next year to ensure it is operating as intended. Recommendations for enhancements or modifications will be brought forward as part of Advanced Education and Technology's business planning process.
18. How many people are expected to use the service? The Connector is a new service function for the Government of Alberta and the initial projections are based on previous experiences among clients and Advanced Education and Technology staff. It is expected that approximately 300 clients will access the Connector within the first six months of its operation. However, as awareness spreads about the services offered, it is anticipated that there will be an increase in people accessing the service.
19. Did the development of the Connector involve consultation? In July 2008, the Government of Alberta held a multi-stakeholder consultation as part of the roles and mandates framework for the provincially funded research and innovation system. During that consultation, government heard that although Alberta has a good research and innovation system, it was often challenging to navigate and people could not easily get the information and resources they needed. A concierge-type service was recommended as a way to provide value that supports increased commercialization, research, and innovation in Alberta.
20. What is the Government of Alberta doing to promote the Connector? The Government of Alberta will be working closely with its partners in the research and innovation system to promote the Connector. There will also be other communications activities to promote Connector services.
21. How is the information provided by the Connector different from other information services, such as Service Alberta's call centres and Finance and Enterprise's Alberta-Canada.ca? Other Alberta ministries offer information and help including Service Alberta and Finance and Enterprise. The Connector service offered by Advanced Education and Technology focuses on information and help relating to advanced technology, research, and innovation tailored to as much detail as the client may need.
22. Does the Connector connect people to other ministries within the Government of Alberta, federal government ministries and programs, private industry support, or other jurisdictions? The main focus of the connector is the provincially funded research and innovation system. This includes the five Alberta Innovates corporations, other innovation support organizations including Alberta Enterprise Corporation, innovation and technology commercialization service providers, and post-secondary institutions. In addition to these organizations, the Connector also aims to provide connections to: