Stage-Gate International Anchors Canadian Collaboration to Unlock Commercialization Performance and Strengthen Global Innovation Competitiveness

TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Three of Canada’s leading innovation experts have joined forces to advance a groundbreaking framework designed to help Canadian businesses convert research into market-ready products and compete globally. Michelle Jones, a leading innovation strategist and Senior Partner at Stage-Gate International, has teamed up with Dr. Robert Cooper, world-renowned innovation scholar and creator of the acclaimed Stage-Gate^® Methodology, and Brian Hartman, successful entrepreneur and a top authority on Canada’s R&D incentive programs. Together, they’ve introduced the concept of Canada’s Innovation Multiplier.

Despite generous public subsidies and a highly educated workforce, Canada continues to lag global peers in converting research into market-ready products.

Dr. Robert Cooper, top innovation scholar and Professor Emeritus, McMaster University, warns: “If Canada isn’t getting enough of a bang for its buck on its innovation spending, this could indicate insufficient support, resources, and capability for commercialization and scaling.” Dr. Cooper notes: “The stakes couldn't be higher—innovation and new products are the engines of growth and prosperity. When innovation investment fails to deliver results, businesses don't just stagnate; they lose their competitive edge, revenues plummet, and their capacity to reinvest and expand crumbles. This isn't just an economic concern—it's a threat to Canada's future competitiveness on the global stage."

The trio propose a uniquely ‘made-in-Canada’ solution: a coordinated and integrated framework comprised of three proven enablers of innovation success, powered by AI:

1. Canada’s 100+ Incentive Programs to de-risk the innovation
2. The proven Stage-Gate® Governance Model to de-risk the investment
3. AI PRISM to de-risk commercialization and pick winners before development begins.
   

The framework draws inspiration from the U.S., and other global best practices, and adapts them to Canada’s decentralized innovation ecosystem.

Designed to bridge the gap between R&D investment and commercial success, the Innovation Multiplier aims to transform Canada’s innovation performance by aligning incentives, governance, and commercialization pathways, while leveraging artificial intelligence to improve fund matching and streamline documentation. “By embedding proven Stage-Gate^® practices, government incentive requirements and the commercial predictability analytics of the AI PRISM Model,” added Michelle Jones, “we’re giving companies a smarter, faster, and more effective way to innovate whether they manage one new product project at a time, or a diverse portfolio of projects.”

Brian Hartman noted, “Too many companies miss out on valuable funding because of incomplete or non-compliant documentation. An AI-based tool integrated with Stage-Gate pathways will bridge that gap and ensure innovators can fully leverage Canada’s generous R&D support programs.”

The team behind the concept is now exploring how to pilot the framework in partnership with Canadian firms, research institutions, and government agencies. NRC-IRAP has previously integrated Stage-Gate principles into select projects in Ontario and Quebec. AI PRISM has been tested with Penn State’s Institute for the Study of Business Markets and in IRAP-supported projects. Stage-Gate^® remains the dominant commercialization process used in the U.S. and is used in 54% of businesses world-wide. The building blocks are proven - the next step is integration into a uniquely Canadian tool to help businesses compete and win.

For additional information, view the full article here.

Call to Action – 
From concept to coalition: advancing the Innovation Multiplier in Canada.

Should this framework move forward, we’ll be seeking collaborators across industry, academia, and government. If you’d like to be part of that conversation, please get in touch. Together, we can turn Canada’s innovation potential into measurable economic impact.

Contact:
Michelle Jones
Senior Partner, Innovation Management
Stage-Gate International
michelle.jones@stage-gate.com
www.stage-gate.com

Stage-Gate is a registered trademark of Stage-Gate, Inc.

The Team

Dr. Robert G. Cooper is recognized globally as one of the world’s top innovation scholars. His groundbreaking benchmarking studies, AI research, widely implemented Stage-Gate® model, and industry leadership have influenced millions of business leaders to pursue innovation with success, contributing to billions of dollars in wealth creation. A prolific author, Bob, has published 12 business books, including the best seller Winning at New Products, and 170 articles in top journals. Bob is an ISBM Distinguished Research Fellow with Penn State Smeal College of Business, a Professor Emeritus with DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, and a Crawford Fellow of the Product Development and Management Association. Bob also co-founded Stage-Gate International, a consultancy devoted to supporting business leaders who pursue innovation excellence. Connect on LinkedIn

Michelle Jones is a Senior Partner at Stage-Gate International and is the world’s leading expert in designing innovation management frameworks for businesses and organizations across all industries. She specializes in designing hybrid models grounded in evidence-based practices that are reflective of the organization’s unique strategy and culture. She has implemented Stage-Gate into 500+ organizations, more than anyone in the world. She is an author, consultant to industry and advisor to business leaders driving transformational business change and growth, through innovation. Michelle has an MBA in International Business from Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western. She is NPDP certified with Product Development & Management Association and PMP certified with McGill University. LinkedIn.

 Brian Hartman is one of Canada’s top experts in the National and Provincial Incentives Program and Innovation Ecosystem. His involvement has spanned 30 years, including representing Ontario and Biotech Canada in advocating for changes to the SR&ED program. He has earned one of industry’s highest success rates for matching much needed resources to his hundreds of business clients to support their mission-critical technology, product and process innovations. He founded and successfully led one of Canada’s fastest growing national incentives consulting practices and is recognized for the innovative operations technology he developed to improve program eligibility and matchmaking. Brian is also a high-tech entrepreneur and innovator, with several patents filed. He studied Computer Technology at Mohawk College, spent a decade as VP, Technology at an international logistics powerhouse and CIO implementing cutting-edge technology systems in Ontario Hospitals.

About Stage-Gate International
Stage-Gate International is a leading full-service provider of innovation management solutions. As the originators of the Stage-Gate® Model, they help organizations accelerate new product success through consulting, training, and software. Their proven methodologies enable companies to improve innovation performance, reduce risk, and drive top-line growth. Stage-Gate International serves clients across many industries and geographies, supporting their strategic innovation initiatives to success. Learn more at www.stage-gate.com.

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