British Columbia Innovation Council

This case acts as a vehicle for discussing the role of the University Industry Liaison Office (UILO) in the commercialization process of any new technology. Westport Innovations is a spin-off company from the University of British Columbia, and the original research underlying the company's technology dates back to 1982.

The case forces the student to think critically and discuss the challenges facing an entrepreneur. This includes how to evaluate options such as licensing and new product development, while paying attention to the problems of commercializing new technology and addressing the question of who should bear the risks and who should reap the rewards. This is particularly true in the case of Westport Innovations as the technology faces a new market with unproven demand. The case shows that navigating the waters from idea to design to commercialization and beyond is often fraught with many difficulties. The student is also reminded that this process is an iterated step for many successful R&D focused companies, and that commercialization is an ongoing conversation for any particular product or technology.

Downloads: Business Case Study (PDF) |  Request teaching notes | Westport Innovations Inc. website

Video

Download video as: Windows Media Video(wmv) for PCs | MPEG-4 for Macs
To download: Right click on the link above and select "Save Target/Link As..."