Investors, How to Find Them?

I stumbled upon this thread accidentally and rather late in the game, but I can offer a few insights.

My experience is from the Canadian polytechnic perspective, so it may not be applicable in your context.  Over the last decade or so provincial and federal governments have been looking to polytechnic institutes and colleges to help foster innovation and economic growth.  The idea is that there is a lot of useful capital infrastructure and human resource capacity within colleges and polytechnic institutes that could be directed toward moving innovation toward commercialization.  Governments in Canada are now assisting the innovation process by providing targeted applied research funding to colleges and polytechnic institutes.

Small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) that have an innovation need, or have an innovation that directly addresses a problem in industry, can partner with colleges/polytechnics to advance their innovation, or have it characterized.  Funding can be obtained by the college/polytechnic that leverages funding provided by the SME.  This funding and collaboration model can be of great help to small companies as they move toward market readiness.

The idea or innovation has to have a solid business plan behind it as suggested by michaelkellett, and it must address a specific industry pinch point.  If the business plan is non-existent or weak, the innovator is directed toward mentoring and business development services.

In my experience, about 9 out of 10 ideas we evaluate are missing some crucial component of a solid business plan.  However, the 1 out of 10 ideas that are well aligned with specific industry innovation needs can enjoy the benefit of leveraged funding and move forward through the innovation support system currently available in Canada.  On that basis, I support the advice of jamesbenson and recommend you investigate your local government's economic development office as they may be aware of similar innovation support programs linked to your regional polytechnic/college system.

Mark

I stumbled upon this thread accidentally and rather late in the game, but I can offer a few insights.

My experience is from the Canadian polytechnic perspective, so it may not be applicable in your context.  Over the last decade or so provincial and federal governments have been looking to polytechnic institutes and colleges to help foster innovation and economic growth.  The idea is that there is a lot of useful capital infrastructure and human resource capacity within colleges and polytechnic institutes that could be directed toward moving innovation toward commercialization.  Governments in Canada are now assisting the innovation process by providing targeted applied research funding to colleges and polytechnic institutes.

Small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) that have an innovation need, or have an innovation that directly addresses a problem in industry, can partner with colleges/polytechnics to advance their innovation, or have it characterized.  Funding can be obtained by the college/polytechnic that leverages funding provided by the SME.  This funding and collaboration model can be of great help to small companies as they move toward market readiness.

The idea or innovation has to have a solid business plan behind it as suggested by michaelkellett, and it must address a specific industry pinch point.  If the business plan is non-existent or weak, the innovator is directed toward mentoring and business development services.

In my experience, about 9 out of 10 ideas we evaluate are missing some crucial component of a solid business plan.  However, the 1 out of 10 ideas that are well aligned with specific industry innovation needs can enjoy the benefit of leveraged funding and move forward through the innovation support system currently available in Canada.  On that basis, I support the advice of jamesbenson and recommend you investigate your local government's economic development office as they may be aware of similar innovation support programs linked to your regional polytechnic/college system.

Mark