Our role
Sustainable
Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is a not-for-profit foundation
that finances and supports the development and demonstration of clean
technologies which provide solutions to issues of climate change, clean
air, water quality and soil, and which deliver economic, environmental
and health benefits to Canadians. To do so, the Foundation draws from
an investment fund of $550 million.
Our mission and mandate
SDTC
was established by the Government of Canada in 2001 and commenced
operation in November of that year. SDTC’s mission is to act as the
primary catalyst in building a sustainable development technology
infrastructure in Canada. The Foundation reports to Parliament through
the Minister of Natural Resources Canada. We do much more than simply fund
groundbreaking technologies. We work closely with an ever-growing
network of stakeholders and partners to build the capacity of Canadian
clean-technology entrepreneurs, helping them form strategic
relationships, formalize their business plans, and build a critical
mass of sustainable development capability in Canada.
Bridging the gap
There
are many links in the innovation chain between research and
commercialization. Two of the most critical—but traditionally
undersupported—are development and demonstration. These are the
critical stages at which technologies exit the laboratory and prove
themselves in full-scale, real-world test situations. SDTC bridges the
gap in the innovation chain by fast-tracking groundbreaking clean
technologies through development and demonstration, in preparation for
commercialization. We foster and encourage innovation and collaboration
among private, academic and public-sector partners, and strive to
ensure the dispersion of clean technologies in relevant market sectors
throughout Canada.
Reducing the risk
One
of SDTC’s chief aims is to de-risk clean technologies in a way that
will ultimately attract downstream private-sector investment and open
up opportunities for commercial success. We do this by employing a
stringent due diligence process when selecting technologies to support,
and by actively strengthening project consortia—requiring every project
to involve representatives from the entire supply chain: researchers,
product developers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and end
customers. In all, 80 percent of our consortia are industry-led.
Building capacity
By
assembling consortia of partners who strengthen one another’s
go-to-market capabilities, SDTC helps build the capacity for innovation
and success of Canada’s clean-technology entrepreneurs. Through our
process we help innovators sharpen their market savvy, increase their
ability to identify the economic and environmental strengths of
sustainable development projects, and define the investment potential
that their clean technologies ultimately represent to venture capital
financiers.
Defining sustainable development
Sustainability is about doing all that we do today as societies and economies with three considerations in mind:
- Environmentally—ensuring that resources are not consumed faster than they can be replenished;
- Economically—supporting prosperity and growth; and
- Socially—respecting the values, culture and human needs of communities.
All of the projects funded by SDTC support these goals.
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SDTC at a glance
Projects and funding
To date, SDTC has completed seven funding rounds and allocated a total of $169 million to 75 projects.
That amount has been leveraged with an additional $446 million in
funding from other project partners for a total project value of $615
million.
Market response
Since
April 2002, SDTC has conducted eight calls for statements of interest
(SOIs) and received 1084 SOIs from across the country — representing
some $9.2 billion in project potential from more than 2,600 companies
and institutions.
Leveraged financing
The
ratio of industry-partner contributions to SDTC investment:
approximately 2:1. Of those contributions, some 60 percent come from
private sources.
Economic sectors of activity
SDTC-funded projects are active in all major Canadian economic sectors, including:
- energy exploration and production
- power generation
- energy utilization
- transportation
- agriculture, forestry and mining
- waste management
Technology areas
- SDTC-funded projects are relevant to some 57 technology areas.
Website: http://www.sdtc.ca/en/index.htm
I was wondering: is there an equivalent in the U.S.A.? [Vlad]