#HOTCS: John Winterbourne, Oslo

“An Alberta-based company started an R&D collaboration with a leading Arctic and harsh climate institute in late 2017.  This Canadian company is developing active biological countermeasures for responding to oil spills in northern waters that are ice-free or ice-affected (ice-covered) at different times of year. It believes marine microorganisms can be used to increase degradation and breakdown of crude oil and refined or processed products that have been spilled in these waters, and minimize or reduce environmental impacts in nearshore or offshore areas, depending on the location of the spill or accidental release.

Following initial services provided to this company, its President let us know they were very satisfied with the assistance received from the Trade Commissioner Service in Oslo. In fact, he told me that there was “little chance” it would have signed a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement with a well-known company in Norway, or previously, with three groups in Denmark, without the “paving the way” and “door opening” that we were able to do in Oslo. We also provided introductions to a potential petroleum industrial partner, as well as a research funding agency on two occasions. The President told me that he strongly believes this level of help is particularly important for an SME, like his company, that wants to become active overseas, and successful internationally. The project in question, with Danish, Norwegian and Canadian partners, is being funded by the National Research Council Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP).  Additional funding from organizations or agencies in Europe is being contemplated, and the company involved thinks it is likely to occur before end of 2018.”