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Alliance Between iPark and TRLabs will Benefit Korean and Canadian Companies

Senior officials from the MIC and the Government of Alberta were on hand to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and further discuss details of the agreement.

Collaborative research and development (R&D) projects, business incubation activities, and joint seminars that build bridges between Korean and Canadian companies looking to build new partnerships, presence, and growth opportunities in each other's respective countries are all envisioned in the alliance. The agreement also provides iPark clients with access to TRLabs research and test infrastructure, participation in joint research activity, technology visits, advanced training opportunities, and assistance with securing of office space, lab facilities and technical guidance for companies wanting to do business in Canada.

The MOU will also explore the potential for implementation of government and private sector technology Pilot Programs with a specific focus on promotion of Digital Media Broadcasting (DMB) and Wireless Broadband (WiBro). R&D areas of mutual interest and capability that will be explored include:

• Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) and other streaming media;
• Wireless Broadband (WiBro) and other Wireless Technologies;
• Networking, Telecommunications and Internet Technologies;
• Digital Content Development and Delivery;
• Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS); and
• Security Hardware and Software

TRLabs President and CEO Roger Pederson said western Canadian companies will benefit from the ability to partner and interact with Korean companies. "The convergence of Korea's global ICT leadership, the strong innovation record of Korean companies, and iPark's presence in Silicon Valley provides our member companies with powerful contacts in Korea and the United States. Not only do global partnerships, exemplified by iPark Silicon Valley, leverage our respective strengths to accelerate business growth, they provide us with new perspectives and research challenges at TRLabs."

"We are very excited to begin our strategic relationship with TRLabs. This occasion marks the important beginning of a true win-win partnership between Korea and Canada," said Sang Jin Lee, Director-in-Chief, International Policy Division, MIC of Korea. "With the world's first DMB and WiBro product and service offerings, we hope to further stimulate Canada's already robust ICT sector and provide a wide array of business opportunities for both Korean and Canadian companies."

"This collaborative agreement builds on the growing relationship between Alberta and Korea in the area of ICT research," said Victor Doerksen, Minister of Alberta Innovation and Science. "By signing this agreement, both TRLabs and iPark Silicon Valley are creating a strong partnership that will benefit emerging technology companies in Alberta and Korea."

Though Alberta was a point of first contact for iPark Silicon Valley, the benefits of the relationship will extend to 49 TRLabs members spanning Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. "Any TRLabs member company in the prairies has an equal ability to access the productive results of this new partnership," said Pederson.

Korea is emerging as a digital powerhouse in the global market, ranking fourth in the world for information technology-based manufacturing. The country is a global leader in broadband connectivity - with 60% of its population (27 million people) connected to broadband Internet. Korea is Canada's 8th largest trading partner.

Canada's information and communications technology (ICT) sector* employs 570,000 people (3.6% of all Canadian workers). The ICT sector contributed $57.5 billion to Canadian GDP (in 1997 constant dollars) in 2004, representing 5.5% of Canadian economic output. Total economic activity in the sector has grown at twice the rate of the broader Canadian economy since 1997. In 2004, Canada exported $20.7 billion in manufactured ICT products (5% of total Canadian exports). Shipments to the Asia-Pacific region totaled $2.3 billion or 11.3% of all ICT exports in 2004, more than doubling since 2000. $5.2 billion will be spent on ICT R&D in Canada in 2005, representing 38% of total Canadian private sector R&D expenditures.

About TRLabs

TRLabs creates innovative technologies and trains students to enhance ICT expertise and improve Canada's global competitiveness. Labs in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg employ 250. With 49 partner members representing a unique synergy of industry, government, and university, research focuses on future network needs and demands: data networking, digital media, ehealth, home technologies, network systems, photonics, and wireless communications. In its 19-year existence, TRLabs has trained 810 highly skilled university graduates, created 290 technologies adopted for use by companies, and generated 157 patents issued or filed. The Government of Alberta is the founding government member of TRLabs (1986), and the Government of Canada, through the Ministry of Western Economic Diversification, has been instrumental in providing investment and support to facilitate development of TRLabs as a pan-western consortium.

About iPark Silicon Valley (www.iparksv.com)

iPark Silicon Valley is one of eight global IT Korea promotion and SME support organizations operated by Korea IT Promotion Agency (KIPA) under the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) of the Republic of Korea. Over the years, iPark Silicon Valley has earned its reputation from the emerging IT venture companies in Korea as their most reliable resource in establishing U.S. operations and building successful market presence in the U.S. Since its inception in 2000, iPark Silicon Valley has been a trend-setter in information technology venture incubation by producing nearly 100 iPark campus graduate firms with sustainable presence in the U.S. market.

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