Toronto Mayor John Tory to Officially Open Sci Innovation Centre
The Sino-Canada International Innovation Centre (Sci Innovation Centre) will open its first location in Canada with a ribbon cutting followed by a time capsule sealing ceremony with City of Toronto Mayor John Tory on October 13, 2018 at 9:30am.
As part of the inauguration of Sci Innovation Centre, Mayor Tory and Wang Gang the Deputy-Secretary General of Shenzhen Municipal Government will place letters to the future and holograms of themselves into a time capsule to be unsealed in 40 years in 2058, symbolizing the 40 years since China’s reform, and marking the opening-up of lines of communication with the West. The opening of the Sci Innovation Centre will also launch the Sci Innovation Festival 2018.
Jointly supported by China’s Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government and the City of Toronto, the Sci Innovation Centre fosters innovation to support collaboration between Chinese and Canadian entrepreneurs and companies. It was established in 2017 as a co-venture by the Canada Confederation of Shenzhen Associations (CCSA) and Shenzhen Flat Panel Display Industry Association (SDIA), in partnership with University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, MaRS Discovery District the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) and University of Western Ontario.
“The Sci Innovation Centre will showcase the breadth in innovation that exists in both Toronto and Shenzhen,” says Leo Liu, CEO of Sci Innovation Centre. “With ongoing Canada China trade discussions, the Centre is representative of incredible accomplishments the two countries can achieve through friendship and collaboration.”
The Sci Innovation Centre provides an opportunity to increase cooperation in the areas of innovation, high-tech, commerce and international trade between Toronto and Shenzhen. The Centre incubates and accelerates support to Canadian start-ups by providing funding, mentoring, training and legal services, as well as co-working spaces and other programs. It focuses on targeting Electronic Technology, Information and Communications Technology, Biological Technology, Clean Technology and Advanced Manufacturing. The Centre has invested in several Canadian companies through its Sci Innovation Competitions, including Tapplock (First prize Canada, 2017) and Conavi Medical (Second prize Worldwide 2018).
At the Sci Innovation Festival 2018, the Sci Innovation Centre and the Canada Confederation of Shenzhen Associations (CCSA) will announce the launch of 2019 Sci Innovation Competition, also known as the 3rd China (Shenzhen) Innovation & Entrepreneurship International Competition, Canada Division.
The 2019 Sci Innovation Competition is composed of four preliminary competitions in Waterloo, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. The final competition will be held on March 23, 2019 in Toronto.
The October 13th inauguration Sci Innovation Centre inauguration ceremony at 9:30am at 1 Concorde Gate, North York, precedes the afternoon segment of Sci Innovation Festival 2018 at the Westin Harbour Castle, 1 Harbour Square Toronto beginning at 4pm. Jointly hosted by Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government and the City of Toronto, The Festival will celebrate the best and the brightest in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship from Canada and China. This year’s Festival’s theme is “Past, Present and Future”, presenting Shenzhen’s accomplishments of the past 40 years, opening cooperation between Shenzhen and Toronto, and looking forward to Canada’s and China’s common development in culture, art and science and beyond.
The Sci Innovation Festival will feature guests such as well as the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto Tao Han and City of Toronto Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong, who will speak on the friendship between Toronto and Shenzhen and the significance of innovation exchange.
“Once again we are privileged and honoured to host the Sci Innovation Festival in the City of Toronto. We are also proud that Toronto was chosen as the first location for the Sci innovation Centre in Canada. These two initiatives are symbolic of the depth of the relationship between Toronto and Shenzhen and our mutual commitment to nurturing innovation,” said Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong.
Renowned pianist and superstar in the world of classical music, Lang Lang will make an appearance at this year’s festival as well, performing “Melody of Shenzhen: Lang Lang and His City” and delivering an address to delegates and guests in his official capacity as Ambassador of Shenzhen. Also, in attendance is Order of Canada recipient and acclaimed comedian Dashan, who has been labelled by Time Magazine as one of the leaders of 21st Century.
The Sci Innovation Festival 2018 will also boast an impressive line-up of entrepreneurs and thought leaders in artificial intelligence, clean energy and biomedical technology from both China and Canada. Wang Gang, the Deputy Secretary-General, will lead the Shenzhen delegation. Officials of the Federal Government of Canada, the Provincial Government of Ontario, the Municipal Governments of the Greater Toronto Area, as well as leaders in industry, will be honoured guests and speakers
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