THECIS is a not for profit research company celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026!

THECIS started as thoughts on a napkin from a few very innovative minds. Through the last 25 years THECIS has accomplished a great deal. 

Projects are our main focus. Over this time, we have carried out many projects on innovation and entrepreneurship, mostly for the governments of most provinces, the federal government and its agencies. These projects include: Innovation Scorecards for Alberta and Saskatchewan, The Alberta Technology report,  a foresight report for AAFD, embedding a student in Statistics Canada to develop better innovation metrics, projects on high growth firms, medium sized companies and special economic zones, several projects on nanotechnology in Alberta, a project for the Standard Council of Canada on interprovincial regulatory barriers, developing a life science building in the Edmonton Research Park and many more.

Education and Communication through numerous workshops to educate high potential graduate students about the basics of innovation and entrepreneurship, and a workshop on health research translation. As well as breakfast meetings in Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon. Webinars and regular blogs.

Conferences with organized several InnoWest, western Canadian innovation conferences, as well as two Banff Innovation Summits

Entrepreneurship as the lead for the Canadian team for the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, the largest study or entrepreneurship in the world, since 2013, and produced over forty reports on entrepreneurship in Canada for most provinces.

THECIS has an Executive Team that coordinates and ensures continued projects and high quality of work, backed by a dedicated Board of Directors.

THECIS carries out this work through two separate teams. THECIS Fellows are individuals with extensive knowledge of innovation across the country. The GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) Canada Team, a group of nineteen individual, in all ten provinces, who are experts in entrepreneurship.

Peter Josty

Executive Director