Microsoft Canada announces CAN>WIN: Advancing Innovation, a development program to advance innovation in Canadian schools and advance capital and alliances to emerging software companies
MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 3, 2004 — Microsoft Canada expanded its commitment to innovation today by unveiling a multi-level program to drive Canadian innovation throughout its life stages. CAN>WIN: Advancing Innovation will advance the training of teachers and students in primary and secondary schools, advance groundbreaking research at Canadian universities and advance capital to emerging software development companies.
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Microsoft president Frank Clegg made the announcements today during a speech at the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.
CAN>WIN: Advancing Innovation consists of three stages:
| • | Microsoft Partners In Learning – a $300 million cash and software grants program delivered over five years to kindergarten to grade 12 education to address issues like the digital divide, teacher training and student achievement |
| • | Microsoft Canada Academic Innovation Alliance – a $10 million fund to foster research, development, technology innovation and industry relationships at Canadian Universities |
| • | Covington Strategic Capital Fund – a labour sponsored investment fund, with current investment resources of $20 million plus, which will invest in and collaborate with key strategic alliances to actively help accelerate the growth of select Canadian companies focused on providing application software products or services to a wide range of industries |
“To ensure a competitive Canada in the 21st century, Microsoft Canada is working with strategic partners to feed a strong innovation lifecycle,” said Frank Clegg, President of Microsoft Canada. “Our commitment to innovation starts with young Canadian students, supplying them with the technology, tools and resources they need throughout their academic careers, and carries through to young entrepreneurs’ entrance to the workforce and beyond.”
Partners in Learning
Partners in Learning strives to empower teachers, students and lifelong learners to achieve their fullest potential by providing greater access to the latest computer technologies and training.
Partners in Learning is composed of three elements: 1) Grants, including a Teacher Innovation Program to help train teachers so that they feel more confident with computers and technology, as well as creating opportunities for curriculum development and learning repositories; 2) Partners in Learning School Agreement, which offers upgrades for Microsoft® Windows® operating system for free and Office software for no more than $4.00 per year, per desktop to Canadian schools considered disadvantaged, and; 3) Fresh Start for Donated Computers Program, which helps remove the licensing barriers that often prevent schools from using or receiving donated computers.
The Province of Manitoba is the first Canadian province to participate in the program. All Manitoba students – including aboriginal students in remote areas – and more than 1,000 of the province’s teachers will directly benefit from training and software.
Academic Innovation Alliance Fund (AIA)
The Academic Innovation Alliance (AIA) encourages collaboration within the academic community and outreach to the business community. It grants funds to Canadian Universities for academic research, education solutions, curriculum integration and industry outreach.
To date, five academic institutions have received funding under the Academic Innovation Alliance.
A brief overview of each project:
| • | Ryerson University – To develop a network-enabled powered wheelchair adaptor kit, providing video, audio and robotic control via the web |
| • | University of Saskatchewan – To improve connectivity for thin, wireless mobile clients |
| • | University of Victoria – To study and develop smart personal object technologies |
| • | University of Waterloo – To develop a mathematical recognition engine for the Tablet PC, enabling mathematicians to enter and compute complex formulas using pen-based input. The University is also developing complex online learning labs for university students which the students can learn anywhere they have web access. A further outreach of the online courses is to develop an online course for high school students so they can assess their skill base before entering university to see if they are ready to meet the expectations of university education |
| • | University of Windsor – To improve the development environment for distributed image processing |
Covington Strategic Capital Fund
The Covington Strategic Capital Fund is a labour sponsored investment fund (LSIF) created by Microsoft Canada in collaboration with alliance partners The D Group, Covington Capital and Hewlett-Packard Canada. The fund focuses on promising mid-stage, privately-owned Canadian software and services companies whose growth potential can be significantly advanced through a collaborative strategic alliance and partnership approach. The fund was established in February 2004 and now has current investment resources of over $20 million.
About Microsoft Canada Co.
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT"), the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has regional offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montréal, Québec and Halifax dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Visit Microsoft Canada's web site at www.microsoft.ca.
