Sixteen research and development proposals have been offered funding through the Innovation PEI Pilot Fund, a program which provides seed money to entrepreneurs and scientists to test innovative and high-risk ideas with commercialization potential.
Allan Campbell, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, announced the recipients of round two of the Pilot Fund which was developed through the Island Prosperity Strategy, government’s innovation and economic strategy.
“This program marks the second round of Pilot Fund projects that will be funded through the Island Prosperity Strategy,” said Minister Campbell. “The Pilot Fund will assist researchers and businesses across Prince Edward Island continue work on their innovative projects.”
The Pilot Fund will offer up to $25,000 in grant funding for each of the 16 projects for further research and development efforts eventually leading to product commercialization.
A peer review committee was formed to assess 37 proposals requesting funding from the program. The Government of PEI contributed almost $400,000 towards the total cost of the 16 projects, leveraging a further $3.3 million investment from the private and public sector.
“Through the Pilot Fund we are encouraging innovative ideas in both industry and the academic research community,” said Minister Campbell. “We are pleased to see a strong response from the agriculture and fisheries sectors as well as the business community in rural PEI.”
The following projects will be offered funding by the Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning through the Island Prosperity Strategy;
1. Atlantic Canada Energy Corporation ~ Project Title: Optimization of bio-fuel production from a Flash Hydropyrolysis
Funding will assist in building, testing and optimization of a pilot scale Flash Hydropyrolysis Bio Mass Gasifier which will convert 1000 kg of cellulose into synthesis gas yielding 4100 kWh of energy.
2. Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI ~ Project Title: Innovative diagnostic tool for mussel health management.
This project will develop a diagnostic kit which will identify molecular biomarkers of mollusk health that will be used as a novel tool to diagnose the early stages of mollusk pathology development in order to administer treatment effectively.
3. iWave Information Systems Inc. ~ Project Title: An industry-specific relational philanthropic database for online service delivery.
Project is aimed to develop a proprietary technology and method that locates, isolates, and structures relevant nonprofit foundation data into an industry-specific relational database.
4. Malpeque Bay Area Developments Inc. ~ Project Title: Enhancements and improvements to the 50/50 software system.
Project will implement improvements to a wireless ticketing system for 50/50 draws. Scientifically approved and certified random generator methodology, Blackberry interface, and credit/debit card processing will be implemented as part of the project.
5. Moving Ideas Group Inc. ~ Project Title: Smart Phone Medical Tracking System.
Moving Ideas Group is using the funding to develop a Smart Phone application aimed at enabling physicians to quickly and efficiently capture patient encounter information. The advanced capabilities of the Smart Phone are able to provide information relating to the diagnosis, electronic medical records, time of day and current location. The application will allow physicians to use the technology to improve patient care and increase the efficiency of their practice.
6. Natures Crops International ~ Project Title: Development of a solventless and heatless method to separate rose hip seeds from pulp for production of high value seed oil products.
Funding will be used for the design and development of specialized equipment that separates seeds and flesh from whole rosehips for further processing. The separated components will be processed into rose hip oil, meal, and retentate, which will be further processed into various bioactive products.
7. NRC-Institute of Nutrisciences and Health ~ Project Title: Characterization of the bioCEPTA formulation for its immunomodulatory and antifungal activity against Trichophyton species.
Assistance will be used to address the immediate market demand for a safe and effective anti-fungal formulation that is specifically effective against Trichophyton species without causing cytotoxic effects to healthy human skin cells.
8. NRC-Institute of Nutrisciences and Health ~ Project Title: Early stage development of novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor lead compounds from a PEI-grown plant.
The proposed project continues the study of a novel class of AChE inhibitors from a plant grown in PEI. This project may lead to the development of cognitive-enhancing agents to combat mild memory impairment and potentially in the management of Alzheimer’s disease.
9. NRC – Institute of Nutrisciences and Health ~ Project Title: Evaluation of tunicate extracts/fractions for their ability to modulate allergy/asthma, wound-healing and obesity-related disorders.
This project aims to target different pathways for obesity-related disorders, e.g. cholesterol clearance for cholesterol reduction, insulin sensitization (glucose uptake and metabolism) for diabetes control, and inhibition of fat cell differentiation and adipogenesis for weight control using extracts from tunicate species.
10. NRC-Institute of Nutrisciences and Health ~ Project Title: Leukotriene modulation of toll-like receptor expression and activation.
This project will evaluate of the effect of CysLT on allergen-mediated mast cell responses and pathogen–mediated mast cell responses within the context of montelukast treatment profiles for asthma patients.
11. Prince Edward Aqua Farms Inc. ~ Project Title: Shell fish waste: its... transformation into an organic soil amendment.
The shellfish processing industry has attempted to identify waste treatment technologies that could reduce the environmental impacts of sediments. The system can separate tunicate wastes and other biofouling organisms and reduce the total suspended solids leaving the plant by more than 90 pre cent.
12. PEI Organic Fruit and Berries Ltd. ~ Project Title: High value berry purees and oil products.
PEI Organic Fruit and Berries Ltd. will use hydro-thermodynamical technology to produce stable shelf life blueberry purees with emphasis on creating methods for separation and isolation of the blueberry seeds.
13. Shared Solution Inc. ~ Project Title: NetLegal Index.
This program (NetLegal Index) will allow lawyers, support staff and law firm librarians to upload legal memos and briefs in bulk, categorizing them by practice area/issue and by author. Memos and briefs will be automatically linked based on the legal authorities cited in them. In addition to browsing by issue and author, there will be a search functionality allowing for full document searching.
14. Telos International Inc. ~ Project Title: Empirically validated prototype rating system for determining and communicating the cognitive benefits of video games.
The proposed project will develop a pilot version of an empirically validated rating system for determining and communicating the cognitive benefits of video games. The goal is to establish the technical feasibility of creating a cognitive benefits certification service enterprise for the video game industry.
15. University of Prince Edward Island ~ Project Title: New design for advanced battery technology.
This project aims to develop new procedures to design novel elements for lithium ion batteries. This will result in enhanced performance of lithium ion batteries due to the creation of novel cathode/electrolyte system.
16. University of Prince Edward Island & AvantiCell Science ~ Project Title: Accelerated cancer drug discovery from marine microbes.
This project will aim to rapidly identify novel anti-cancer therapeutics in extracts of marine microbes and prepare a library of extracts from a lab library of marine microbes, screen these extracts in innovative and newly developed cell-based assays measuring ability to kill or significantly reduce the growth of cancer cells.