Flintbox started as a knowledge transfer tool for universities to use through their technology transfer offices. Since then it has become an innovation database with over 1000 technologies posted from more than 70 Canadian research institutions. Flintbox has also facilitated over 6300 online licenses.
Since we launched Flintbox 2.0 last year we have been trying to make the application work more like a social networking tool with bidirectional exchanges and collaborative connections. Today there are over 4300 industry accounts that have Pro account functionality which means that they are either actively looking for licensing or collaborative opportunities using Flintbox.
The next step that we are really excited about is Flintbox launching at 100 trade offices through the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. We are in a pilot phase and hope to start rolling this out in the second quarter of this year. Through our pilot with this group there are many in licensing requests that we hope to be able to match to both the tech transfer inventories and Canadian industry.
So while Flintbox can still be used as a knowledge transfer tool, it has expanded into an innovation database with a strong, connected network behind it. This past year we have grown more than the two previous years combined, and we look forward to working with our current members, and bringing on new members to continue expanding Flintbox as a tool for licensing, marketing, commercialization and collaboration.
