Resources for the Canadian Space Entrepreneur

US investors have known for the last few years of the money to be made from space technology. This makes the recently announced plans of Ohio based Alphaport to commercialize technology developed through the NASA Glenn Research Center (as outlined in the July 7th, 2013 Cleveland Business News article "Nonprofit is near liftoff to commercialize NASA Glenn technology") essentially nothing new.

But where do you go if you're looking to start or grow a space (or NewSpace) focused start-up in Canada?

Here's some suggestions for places to collect the documents and information you'll need to begin the process.

• The Alberta Space Program - A listing of Alberta space imaging, science and business activities "attracting international investment."

• The Alliance for Commercialization of Canadian Technologies (ACCT) – An advocacy group for technology transfer and commercialization. Membership includes "more than 110 academic-based research organizations including universities, hospitals, colleges and polytechnics" according to the website.

• The Canadian Association of Business Incubators (CABI) – Dedicated to the development of new enterprise.

• The Canadian Space Commerce Association (CSCA) - A registered Canadian not-for-profit industry organization existing to advance the economic, legal and political environment for space and aerospace focused companies.

• The Canadian Venture Capital Association (CVCA) – Venture capital and private equity.

• The Commercial SpaceFlight Federation (CSF) - Although not a Canadian example, the 40 businesses and organizations who are members of the CSF are a comprehensive snapshot of the emerging international newspace industry. Canadian members include MacDonald Dettwiler (MDA).  

• The European Space Agency (ESA) European Space Incubator (ESI) and Business Incubation Centre (BIS) – The work done by the ESA through these two organizations are useful and well worth looking at for lessons learned. 

• The Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPEC) - A national association comprised of over 1,700 members from Canada and abroad composed of patent agents, trade-mark agents and lawyers specializing in intellectual property.

• Kentucky Space - Ambitious, US based non-profit consortium between the University of Kentucky, Morehead State University; the NASA Kentucky Space Grant Consortium and EPSCoR Programs and Belcan Corporation focused on research and development of small entrepreneurial and commercial space solutions. Managed by the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation.

• The MaRS Discovery District – A Toronto business incubator focused on the medical and IT industries but open to new ideas. Maintains the MaRS Funding Sources Directory, a listing of provincial, national and international funding sources suitable for Ontario companies in both the public and private sectors.

• The National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) – An organization of Canadian angel capital investors. 

• NewSpace Global - An information services provider that provides timely, accurate and critical information regarding the commercial space (or "NewSpace") industry for their subscribers who include Fortune 500s, investors, universities, government agencies, small and large corporations, and investors. NSG publishes a monthly market tracking report (Thruster) and NewSpace Watch. US based, but often includes Canadian focused articles from a variety of sources and runs a monthly column focused on Canadian commercial space activities.

• The Northern Centre for Advanced Technology (NORCAT) - A not-for-profit, non-share incorporated company located in Sudbury, Ontario, which provides specialized mine training, occupational health and safety services and develops mining technology for space missions. 

• The Space Angels Network – an American based network of angel investors that also accepts investors and clients from Canadian and Europe, focused on the aviation and aerospace markets, but includes space-themed business (such as entertainment / media projects).

• The Space Business Blog -Useful case studies of the economics of space based businesses, written by a Lockheed Martin financial analyst. 

• Space Works Commercial - A US based aerospace engineering and design incubator focused on next-generation space transportation systems, future technologies, human and robotic exploration of space, and emerging space markets and applications

• Space Canada - A not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of solar energy from space. Organized a 2009 Symposium on Solar Energy from Space.

• The Space Tourism Society Canadian Chapter - Promotes space tourism and "providing space experiences for all."

• Start-Up Canada - Entrepreneur led, national movement to enhance the nation’s competitiveness and prosperity by supporting and celebrating Canadian entrepreneurship.

• TheFunded.com - An online community of over 17,000 CEOs, Founders and entrepreneurs to discuss fundraising, review investors and comparing strategies to grow a start-up business.

• The United States Office of Space Commercialization - Documentation from the US Department of Commerce relating to commercial space activities, including general policy activities affecting all areas of space commerce and documents related to the US National Space Policy.