MIT REAP Focus Nova Scotia

The REAP team set out to determine the state of IDE activity in the region, and the results of the exercise did conclude there was a thriving innovation sector in the Cape Breton Strait region, and that discipline segmentation was occurring, with representation from information technology, advanced manufacturing, marine, cleantech-greentech, and medtech-biotech sectors.

Regional IDE Directory:

To help build a Regional Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship (IDE) Directory, the team enlisted the expertise of Shawn Green from VMP Group to help identify how many startups reside on the Island and where they are located. This project uncovered that the voice of rural IDEs have largely been missing for some time in the region, particularly as it relates to considerations for policies and programs. To help address this, the creation of a regional

IDE contact database was created as a tool to achieve the following:

• Better understand the history and mix of IDEs operating in the region,

• Identify IDE trends, sectors, and industry clusters, and

• Discover opportunities for improved outreach and communication with regional IDEs.

The team recognized that to build IDE capacity in the Cape Breton Strait region, there is a need to have a physical location that serves as an Innovation hub for IDE and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and entrepreneurs where they can access on-site or satellite programming/services to assist with their research, product development, or testing. Creating this workspace will also provide those working in the space and industry with a collision space to collaborate with other IDE and SME entrepreneurs.

Some milestones that have been reached to date are:

• A’paqt Place - Mi’kmaq word for “ocean” - was chosen to reflect a desire to forge a strong relationship with this innovation space and First Nation stakeholders, and to ensure that the concept of “two-eyed seeing” continues as one of the guiding principles of the design and programming of the innovation space.

• An initial focus group session held with First Nations, post-secondary, Municipal, venture capital, corporate, entrepreneurs, and innovation stakeholders at the Strait of Canso Yacht Club in 2019, with a site visit to the “Creamery” Building, now known as A’paqt Place/ Ocean Innovation Centre.

• A’paqt Place received an infusion of $1 Million in renovations, and Nova Scotia Community College Nautical Institute has become an anchor tenant.

The Rising tIDE fund is an opportunity for the Province of Nova Scotia to grow an Innovation Ecosystem with private investors, entrepreneurship and other stakeholders. The Province as a limited partner with private equity can fill the regional gap in venture capital to grow Nova Scotia based innovation-driven enterprises.

IDE Focus Sessions / Retreats

Using the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) model, deeper ongoing engagement with regional IDEs represents a critical step in ensuring that a supportive IDE community is created and maintained. An annual retreat, focus session, or series of similar engagement activities has been identified as an important exercise in supporting this model.

Building on Offshore Wind as an emerging sector, the team identified the need for an Offshore Wind Research Centre for Nova Scotia. Step one will be to create a Business Plan to establish the Centre in the Cape Breton Strait region. This is a necessary step to attract and support rural IDEs seeking to capitalize on the region's combination of wind resources, and abundant comparative advantages. The establishment of a physical research centre in the newly created A'paqt Place/Marine Innovation Centre will help the industry grow while using the ample supply of industrial and waterfront space and infrastructure throughout the Strait of Canso.

Strait of Canso Offshore Wind Taskforce

In Nova Scotia, Offshore Wind is being pursued as a renewable resource capable of producing green energy at the scale required to meet market demands, while helping reduce Canada’s carbon footprint. The Strait of Canso Offshore Wind Taskforce was formed to help ready the region and its stakeholders for an emerging industry by working alongside industry partners and experts to ensure the responsible, sustainable, and inclusive development of the offshore wind industry across the province.

The work of the Task Force aligns with the Government of Canada's Federal Sustainable Development Strategy 2022-2026 and Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan. Development of five-gigawatts of offshore wind in Nova Scotia by 2030 will be the starting point to increase access to clean energy for Canadians, reduce GHG emissions, and create clean fuel exports to stimulate economic growth and provide Canada's international partners with reliable and secure energy.