Digital Media Zone

Fall 2009
 Ryerson University: Support Toronto
in Becoming Next Digital Powerhouse
• Ryerson Board-of-Governors
invested in supporting Toronto via:
– Bold Academic Plan:
• High quality, societally-relevant
undergrad and grad programs
• Student engagement and success
• Learning & teaching excellence
• Scholarly, research and creative
intensity
• Reputation
– Research Plan:
• Digital Media
• Information Communications
Technology
• Energy, Sustainability, and the
Environment
• Health and Well Being
• Cultural Prosperity
• Technological Innovation
• Management, Competitiveness and
Entrepreneurship
• Learning and Teaching Effectiveness
A New Reality: Building Universities &
Cities for the Digital Age
• Strategic direction culminated by
Ryerson’s Master Plan (2006), Shaping our
Future: Academic Plan (2008-2013), and
ambitious research agenda
– Becoming “city-builder”—responsibility to
contribute to the growth of Toronto’s
economy
– Revitalize campus and surrounding
neighborhood
• Yonge Street Gateway
• Ryerson Gallery and Research Centre
• Digital Media Zone
• Practical approach to attracting Ontario’s
strongest researchers and innovators on
an international-scale
– Support the design of “made-in-Toronto”
solutions
– Creation of graduate program centered on
training
The Digital Media Zone
 DMZ: Vision & Values
• Vision
– Provide Canada’s best
environment for innovation and
collaboration where students
can explore, design and
showcase ideas using digital
media.
• Values
– Expose students to hands-on
entrepreneurial practices,
teaming and mentoring
– Forge strong linkages with
industry, government and other
academic institutions
– Enhance Ryerson’s reputation by
helping to enable highly
desirable graduates and results
 DMZ: Facilities & Membership
• Provide members with an open, flexible
workspace area, team spaces (10-12), exhibit
space, a conference/thinktank area, leisure
space, reception area, and lockers
• Project participants will gain entrance to the
DMZ space through the StartMeUp Ryerson
process.
– The StartMeUp process helps teams develop their
ideas and prepare a proposal
– Following a team’s successful idea development
and proposal presentation, they are accepted into
the space as DMZ Members.
 StartMeUp Process
CUSTOMIZED
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM
•Team Recruitment &
PROGRAM Development
•Resources & Education
ORIENTATION
•Business/Non-Profit Plan
•Motivational Events Development
•Program Introduction •Industry Mentor Assigned
•One-on-one Orientation •Regular Progress Reviews

IDEA FUNDING
CONSULTATION •Entry to Business Plan
•Expert Panel Feedback Competitions
•Social / Community
•Personalized
Recommendations Assistance Funding
•Coordinator Introduction •Access to Grants & Loans
•Introduction to Angel
Investors & VCs
DMZ: Entrepreneurship Hub

Student
Ideas

Student
Ideas with RAN / REI
Grants

Faculty
Research Industry &
with Partners
Students
Ryerson
Mobile /
Web apps
Experiential Components
• Face-to-face collaboration
– Students sharing ideas
• Presenting / listening / sharing
– Students able to showcase they work
and developments
• Learning
– Inter-disciplinary knowledge-share
and learning
• App development and testing
– Creating and testing applications in
variety of use-cases
• Team building
– Building and successful teams for
successful ventures
• New relationships
– Innovative students, industry
participants and faculty meet and
form new partnerships
DMZ: Execution Components
Multidisciplinary student
engagement and
involvement

Students learn the key

Unique commercial
elements of idea
products developed
development

Reputation: Ryerson Reputation: Ryerson

produces Ontario’s most Supports student digital
desired graduates idea development
 DMZ: Stakeholders & Participants
Collaborators and Skilled Participants Project Teams
• Highly skilled • Proposal Process Completed
• Assigned to project teams • Innovative ideas & entrepreneurial mindset
• Includes buffer of individuals on waiting list for project • Passion for creating and working on projects
work • Highly motivated & collaborative
• In competition for projects • Self-initiated

Collaboration &
Innovation

Special event spectators and participants, Support

including: • Mentors (Faculty and Industry)
• Students • Corporate Partners
• Faculty & Staff • Administrative
• Researchers
• Industry & government leaders
DMZ: The Digital Innovation Triangle
Ryerson
University

Digital Media
Development

Industry Government

Innovation Triangle adapted from Sabato’s Triangle (1996)

 DMZ: Industry Integration
• Successful industry and
professional integration
will enable great
developments within the
DMZ through :
– Expertise:
• Validating market relevance
• Quality assurance and
testing
• Credible insight on
developments
– Resources:
• Technology Hardware
• Technology Software
• Marketing, business
development, and sales
DMZ: Industry Benefits
• Consult in and involvement
on cutting edge products
and services
• Access to top students and
graduates
• New student knowledge
creation
• Facilitate development of
competencies in future
industry leaders
• Brand capital and mindshare
• Reputation and satisfaction
• Promotional and advertising
opportunities
DMZ: Partnership Model

Strategic
Sponsorship Partner
•Executive
•DMZ Sponsorship
Sponsorship
Support •Undergraduate
•Joint Partnership
Research Program
•Project Support •Business
Consultancy Development
•Graduate
Involvement •Hardware Grants Fellowships
•Curriculum Dev •Collaborative
•Industry Affiliate
•Workshops / Research Program
•Advisory
Seminars •New Program
Program
•StartMeUp Development
Awareness •Research Grants
Ryerson •Outreach
•Career Fairs •Internships Co- Sponsorship
ops
•Events •Guest Speaking /
•Software Grants Lectures
•Podcasts
THANK YOU