Battle to become one of 5 federal ‘superclusters’ attracts 50 competitors
OTTAWA — The competition to become one of up to five government-designated technology “superclusters” and draw from a federal funding purse of $950 million has attracted more than 50 proposals.
The contest, a cornerstone of Ottawa’s so-called innovation agenda, is designed to encourage academia and businesses to work together on strategies to boost fast-growing sectors — everything from advanced manufacturing to clean technology.
The number of bids generated during the competition’s first phase, which ended late last month, exceeded federal expectations, said a senior government official who spoke on condition on anonymity because the information was not yet public.
The 50 letters of intent came from consortia representing a total of more than 200 companies and 20 post-secondary institutions, the official said.