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Pat Arbuckle Chronicle Staft Paul Wilson, a 16 yearâ€"old Bluevale student thought he had found an ideal way to simplify indoor putting practice for golfers with his Puttacup. But before proceeding any further with the idea, Wilson and his father Brian took the idea to the Canadian Industrial Innovation Centre in Waterloo for evaluation. Turning goodâ€"ideas into profitable venâ€" tures is the goal of the Canadian Industrial Innovation Centre. And with every Canaâ€" dian a potential inventor, the centre‘s futureâ€"has never looked more promising to Cummer. ‘"They thought they had a good idea. We gave them the confidence to go forward," said Gordon Cummer, marketing manager at the centre. He described the Puttacup, which is currently being stocked in local sports stores and has received orders from as far away as Alaska, as a "good clean invention." "We are not even scratching the surface of potential inventors out there," he said. He described the innovation centre as a group of people with the experience to help inventors and entreâ€"preneurs move forâ€" ward or become successful with their good ideas." Established in 1976 at the University of Waterloo as a project of the Waterloo Research Institute, the purpose of the Inventor‘s Assistance program was to analyze and evaluate the ideas of invenâ€" tors across Canada both for their technical merit and commercial potential. Today, Invention services is only one of many departments at the Innovation Centre on Phillip Street in Waterloo. The centre which opened in 1981 is a separate, nonâ€"profit corporation funded by the Fedâ€" eral Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce. _â€"â€"Wâ€"H. FURNITURE SERVICE_~~~ A superb quality seldom found in kitchen cabinets. Only the finest materials and craftsmanship enters your home. Only perfection is allowed to leave our showâ€" room. Every unit is exquisitely beautiful and very funcâ€" tional. We‘re experts in superbly styled furniture and spaceâ€"saving design systems. For practical solutions call W.H. Furniture Service. â€"â€"W.H. FURNITURE SERVICEâ€"~â€"â€" OPEN TUES., WED., THURS. 10â€"4: 30, CX RoT RURIRS., TIS,, LHURD. T9 3. 29 FRI. & SAT. 10â€"5 OTHER TIMES BY APPOINTMENT NIEBURG® KITCHENS . . . for quality and functional design Innovation Centre aids inventors 550 PARKSIDE DRIVE o WATERLOO 0 888â€"7630 e AMPLE FREE PARKING in pulling those ideas together "By 1978 we had recognized that it was not enough to tell an inventor that he had a good idea. He needed more than that," explained Cummer. Many inventors lack the business experâ€" tise to transfer their good ideas into successful business enterprises but until the establishment of the centre they had no one place to go for advice or information on patenting, financing, setting up a business or marketing their product. "We can pull it all together in an innovation centre," said Cummer. ‘"An inventor can come in with an idea and if it is a good one, we can do everything for him to get it on the market, except manufacâ€" ture it." s In such close proximity to the university, the centre also has several programs to help and encourage the student inventors. Regular presentations to student groups are designed to make them aware of the services available at the centre and under the Waterloo Enterprise program, the centre provides students with "seed fundâ€" ing" so that they can explore an idea further, either an invention or a business idea, explained Cummer. And as an innovation of its own, the centre is employing three coâ€"op engineerâ€" ing students in its invention and marketing departments. The experiment is an atâ€" tempt to assist the university in finding placements for students in the coâ€"op programs, Cummer explained. Until reâ€" cently only one coâ€"op student from UW had been hired in addition to two other students in graduate business administraâ€" tion courses. "We have always found it worthwhile, (employing coâ€"op students)," he said. It is a question of how many we can afford to hire. It just happens that this year we had the need and it fit in with the problem the university is having." The students are involved in evaluating inventions, assessing their marketability Featuring beautiful handmade Arts and Crafts created by some of the finest artists and craftspeople in the area. DEMONSTRATIONS e PRIZE DRAWS REFRESHMENTS e FREF ADMISSION FREF PARKING THIS SUNDAY FARMERS‘ MARKET Located on the Upper Level at Kitchener‘s 12 Noon to 5 p.m. (enter corner of Duke & Scott Sts ) 49 Frederick Street, Kitchener Phone: 885â€"7215 and a third is conducting a study of the best way to advertise the services availâ€" able at the centre to potential inventors. So far the experiment seems to be working well both for the students and the centre. Don Metzger a fourthâ€"year meâ€" chanical engineering student whose coâ€"op placements have been limited to industrial settings enjoys the opportunity for ‘"comâ€" munication and outside ‘contact with the public‘‘ he has in working in the centre‘s invention service. To date, approximately 1500 inventions from across Canada have been evaluated at the centre, up to 50 per month and the number is expected to increase steadily. The centre has also assisted in setting up lan Hart (left}, a secondâ€"year chemical engineering student at the University of Waterioo is studying and assessing the marketing potential for new inventions at the Canadian Industrial Innovation Centre. Looking over some of the results with lan is marketing manager Gordon Cummer (right). WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1983 â€" PAGE 5 as Ag your child 7«( changes Also Available Instant Passport Monday, March 14 thru Saturday, March 19 Studios in most larger Sears retail stores. Sears studios specialize in photographic portraits of babres. children. adults and family groups No appointment is necessary There is a 95¢ charge for each additional subject in a portrait package. but no limit to the number of packages you may purchase We present only finighed portraits of the best poses. 2â€"8x10 C 3â€"bx7 i 15â€"wallet size t includes 95¢ deposit 14 new companies, 12 of them in the Waterloo region. Some small businesses, according to Kummer even choose to use office space at the Innovation centre until they are firmly established. Make a special tradition of keeping the memories with professional portraits taken at Sears. With the fees it charges for its services and with its active participation on an equity or royalty basis in setting up new businesses, the centre will eventually become â€" financially selfâ€"sufficient. But selfâ€"sufficiency is not the only goal. For in stimulating new ideas and in helping to establish successful businesses the centre hopes to act as a catalyst for increased industrial and commercial activity in Canada, a prerequisite for jobs and greater economic prosperity. Offer good for portraits taken BAB *S + CHILOREN » ADULTS * FAMIL Y GAOUPS Portrait Studio s#\ Sears| your money‘s worth . .. and more 1292 Pat Arbuckie photo