ACAMP offers essential tools and services for Alberta's emerging nanotech sector

The Alberta Centre for Advanced MNT Products (ACAMP) has secured its third investment from Western Economic Diversification (WD) in as many years, helping the fee-for-service organization establish itself as a key commercialization agent in the province's nascent microelectronics and nanotechnology (MNT) sector. The $2-million investment (announced in person on October 8th by prime minister Stephen Harper) brings WD's support to $9 million, augmented by $8 million from the Alberta government through Alberta Tech Futures.

As part of a network of service centres established in support of the province's various value-added industries, ACAMP is positioned between MNT R&D and the marketplace, offering a suite of services through its two locations in Edmonton and Calgary.

Created in 2007 and operational since 2008, it has a staff of 24 offering business and marketing expertise and several one-of-a-kind pieces of equipment allowing researchers, entrepreneurs and large and small firms to develop their products for the marketplace. WD provides funding for capital expenditures while the province supports operations.

"We're the feet on the street …Our systems are set up for volume manufacturing. There's no ‘R', just ‘D'," says ACAMP CEO Ken Brizel. "We were formed after a meeting in 2006 between local industry and the provincial and federal governments to see what is required to bridge the gap between R&D and commercial activity ... Our equipment is mostly one-of-a-kind to support technologies coming out of academia and from young entrepreneurs."

ACAMP offers commercialization services in three areas: marketing and business development, product development and packaging and assembly. It initially dealt with firms engaged in microelectronics assembly but more recently has expanded into microfluidics for point-of-care health diagnostics and geomatics.

The broadening of its scope has necessitated the purchase of additional equipment, much of which is unique in Canada and even North America. ACAMP now has 60 firms that it counts as clients (including Micralyne Inc and Boreal Laser Inc) and is in discussions with nearly 50 more. Small firms receive a 65% subsidy to purchases services while large firms pay full freight, generating $600,000 in annual fees this year or about one third of ACAMP's annual operating expenditures.

The most recent WD investment supports the purchase of an inertial test system for gyros and accelerometers for use in navigational products aimed at the oil and gas sector, as well as a German-made tool for embossing large pieces of plastic required for microfluidics.

"Embossing is the technology of choice for lab-on-chip. The universities have desk-top embossing tools for one-off products but this equipment allows for volume of up to 100,000 pieces," says Brizel.

part of larger strategy

ACAMP was approved in 2007 as part of the Alberta government's $130-million investment in "the science of small" — a three-pillar nanotechnology strategy aimed at securing $20 billion of the global nano-tech market by 2020. The strategy covers the spectrum of research and innovation from securing university talent to encouraging collaboration in areas considered key to diversifying the province's economy.

In addition to ACAMP, the strategy also saw $15 million for a new Industrial Applied Research Partnership Program and $5.5 million for the creation of nanoAlberta. More recently, Alberta has realigned its S&T assets, with nanoAlberta now under the Alberta Innovates: Tech Futures banner.

For its part, ACAMP remains strongly focused on industry needs with linkages to other provincial organizations like TEC Edmonton, Calgary Technologies Inc and University Technologies Inc.

"ACAMP is unique in Canada. Most other groups are much earlier stage. We're open innovation and market agnostic. We assist companies in many sectors but we're technology specific to the micro-nano space," says Brizel. "The re-alignment (of provincial S&T resources) is working well."

In the coming months, ACMAP officials will hold discussions with the Alberta government on continuing support for operations beyond the initial five-year funding period ending December/12.

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