I think we are facing similar challenges. I mentioned the creation of Axelys, but there's still work to do. Creating the organization is only the beginning. We have to rethink the flow of IP, from the lab to the market, and encourage more researchers to become entrepreneurs and start their own companies.
The funding model for accelerators and incubators is being transformed. It's important to take less of a project-based approach, while giving organizations an opportunity to grow in the long term. There are still questions around performance criteria, which we would like to see for the benefit of accelerators and incubators and the support ecosystem as a whole. There are also questions about how to standardize those criteria across Canada and build a start‑up continuum.
I work in Quebec, but I would like to see those criteria in place across Canada. That way, we could look at the needs of a Quebec-based start‑up and determine that the best resource person to help that start‑up was in Alberta. Those connections need to be made as early as possible. We need to adopt a holistic view that takes into account the gamut of start-ups we have in Quebec. We have to be able to manage our start-ups. If, as a country, we can't learn to manage a start‑up pipeline, our chances of success are lower. After all, we can't improve what we can't measure.