Science and Research committee  In fact, open research can also be protected. So we should be careful with definitions. Open research is collaborative research in which you make intellectual property available to partners. So there can also be patents in open research. That said, it’s not limited to patents. I was just talking about third-party open intellectual property.

Science and Research committee  Intellectual property is never assigned.

Science and Research committee  That’s a good question. I would say that Quebec’s model of research enhancement corporations is interesting. Having people with a critical mass of skills to handle cases in a single entity allows for more appropriate management of intellectual property. Intellectual property falls under federal jurisdiction.

Science and Research committee  That’s a very good question. Stanford University began its technology transfer activities nearly 40 years ago, so, for quite a while now. One must be patient when it comes to transferring orphaned intellectual property, as I mentioned. It’s a lengthy process, and obtaining substantial royalties is time consuming.

Science and Research committee  First, Aligo Innovation ceased doing business in 2021 when Axelys was created. In Quebec, at present, there is only one commercialization company, which combines the staff from the three companies that existed before. My team at Aligo is now with Axelys. My excellent team has joined the staff of Axelys.

Science and Research committee  That is an excellent question. In Quebec, for example, we invest over $2.5 billion in research, most of that from public funds. A large portion of the intellectual property generated is considered to be orphan IP, since it was created using public funds with no commercial partner involved.

Science and Research committee  That is another excellent question. There are various structures inside and outside Canada's universities. In Quebec, there is a commercialization company that does the work now. For eight years, I was the president and CEO of a commercialization company with precisely that mandate.

Science and Research committee  Hello everyone, members of the Standing Committee on Science and Research. I am delighted to meet with you this morning to discuss a subject I am passionate about and a sector in which I have worked concretely and actively over the past 20 years: support for the commercialization of intellectual property, or IP, that is the product of public research.