MICA Newsletter – December 2022

MICA’s 1st Annual Conference and Innovation Showcase (Nov. 15 & 16, 2022) was a tremendous success. MICA was able to announce the award of almost $12M in project funding to 16 SMEs and open the second Call for Proposals (CFP2) for up to $18M in project funding to close in early 2023. The highlight of the first day of the Showcase was the presentation by eleven of the award-winning SMEs – demonstrating the geographic range and technological breadth of the successful applications. MICA’s six Main Partner organizations across Canada presented their perspectives, while MICA announced changes to the Network membership model and the invitation to SMEs innovators from outside Canada to join MICA and collaborate with Canadian SME solution providers. MICA also recognized important new members such as TECK Resources and Rogers, and M. Giguère from the Canadian Space Agency described how their focus on the Canadarm and the International Space Station is expanding to include infrastructure for the lunar surface using techniques from the resource extraction sectors. The Showcase scheduled presentations from organizations that can support SMEs through the commercialization journey faster and cheaper by overcoming operational inertia, accessing Private Equity and addressing IP, ESG, Clean-Tech, future employment and workforce diversity. Many of the participants remarked on the value offered by diversity of ideas and solutions presented during the Showcase, something we aim to repeat next year.