The Venture13
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre’s (Venture13) Board of
Partners are celebrating its one-year anniversary in Cobourg, Ontario,
today and sharing news with the community about three landmark projects
that will help drive the centre’s growth and development through 2019
and beyond.
1. VentureKids TECHimmersiveE Program
A first of its
kind in Canada, the new VentureKids TECHimmersivE
program supports rural youth aged 15-18 years old who have vocational
aspirations in technology or entrepreneurship. The purpose of the
program is to help close the digital skills and opportunity gap for
rural youth and to promote rural-urban connectivity.
Led by VentureKids
Canada and powered by Northeastern
University Toronto and Venture13, youth from Northumberland County
will travel to Toronto over three separate days in the summer (all
expenses paid) to visit the corporate headquarters of major technology
companies like Microsoft Canada Inc. Youth will meet with business
leaders and take part in onsite experiential learning including coding
and web development.
Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini expressed his
support of the program and spoke of his visit in 2018 where he had
introduced Northeastern University Toronto to the Venture13 Board of
Partners.
For more information on the VentureKids TECHimmersivE program visit venture13.ca.
2. Microfactory Co-operative Inc.
Another Canadian
first, and hot on the heels of the Government of Canada’s M-100
consultations which highlighted the national economic significance and
innovation-orientation of co-operatives, the Microfactory Co-operative
Inc. launched at Venture13 with seed funding and support from Northumberland
CFDC and FedDev
Ontario.
The Microfactory Co-operative consists of an alliance of hardware
startups dedicated to providing small-scale custom manufacturing, rapid
prototyping and design services for entrepreneurs and innovators. The
co-operative provides a structure for startups by leveraging collective
talent, sharing resources and advanced equipment in order to help bring
concepts to reality.
Working out of the Venture13 MakerLab, current projects include a
partnership with CrossWing
and the Cobourg
Police Service to develop robotics applications in an on-site
customer demonstration project.
For more information about the Microfactory Co-operative Inc. visit microfactorycoop.com.
3. Government of Canada Innovation Funding
The
Government of Canada is providing an additional $4.5 million to the
Northumberland CFDC under the Rural Innovation Initiative-Eastern
Ontario project to fund both local and regional innovation initiatives.
Northumberland CFDC will launch two project streams: one for local
Northumberland County that will focus on transitioning SMEs and
communities into the new rural economy. A second stream will support
rural Eastern Ontario focusing on accelerating the growth of existing
innovation-driven SMEs.
As a follow-up to the February
27th, 2019 announcement from the Honourable Navdeep
Bains, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
(ISED)
and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, MP for Northumberland
Peterborough-South Kim Rudd spoke about the importance of investment in
innovation and the “Rural Renaissance”.
For more details and to learn how to apply visit financingandstrategy.com.
Since opening its doors in May 2018, Venture13 now hosts 24 active
companies in the VentureZone co-working space, has held over 292 events
including AI in Manufacturing and Innovating in Customer
Acquisition with Durham
College’s AI Hub, and has reported a 2018 economic impact of $2.4
million within Northumberland County. The one-year anniversary concluded
with a special keynote address by Northumberland County native and
VentureKids Founder and CEO Takara Small who illustrated the continuing
momentum building across the innovation sector.
With a full slate of upcoming summer programming by Northumberland
Makers and many more exciting partner and community-led events,
projects and partnerships on the horizon, Venture13 is strategically
positioned to continue to strengthen the chain of innovation along
Eastern Ontario’s emerging technology corridor.
Quotes
“We celebrate both the important milestone of Venture13’s one-year
anniversary, as well as the Government of Canada’s $4.5 million
commitment to the Northumberland CFDC in funding both local and regional
innovation initiatives. For the last three-and-a-half years I have
spoken about the undeniable ‘Rural Renaissance’ that is taking place
every day across Eastern Ontario. From advancements in 3D
technologies, aviation technologies, surgical, plastics, and advance
manufacturing, there are companies that are making world-class
advancements right here in our own backyard. My sincere congratulations
to both Venture13 and the Northumberland CFDC for leading the way in
creating the jobs of tomorrow here today.”
– Kim Rudd, MP for
Northumberland−Peterborough South
“This innovative partnership between Venture13 Innovation Centre and
Northeastern University will help develop the skill sets needed to
develop the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Venture13 Innovation Centre
continues to promote economic growth and job opportunities in
Northumberland. Through initiatives such as TECHimmersivE and the
Microfactory Co-operative Inc., innovation and entrepreneurship in
Northumberland County is stronger than ever.” – David Piccini, MPP
for Northumberland−Peterborough South
“It’s been an extraordinary year. Momentum is clearly building in
leveraging each partner’s strengths and energies in building a welcoming
hotspot for innovation. Innovation required for creation of good jobs
and economic growth. We thank FedDev Ontario and the Government of
Canada through MP Kim Rudd for their ongoing support and attention to
such important economic drivers.” – Wendy Curtis, Executive
Director, Northumberland CFDC – Director, Venture13 Board of Partners
“Venture13 from conception to implementation and now in one year has
achieved significant milestones. As Mayor of the Town of Cobourg, we
continue to champion and applaud the economic impact Venture13 has
created within our community and outward within the region.” – John
Henderson, Mayor Town of Cobourg.
“We are pleased to work with our partners in providing a policing
“testbed” where entrepreneurs can continue to commercialize their
discoveries. This allows the service to stay abreast of innovations that
may help us increase the quality of our policing while remaining
responsive to community needs and being fiscally responsible. It’s a
win-win.” – Kai Liu, Chief of Police, Cobourg Police Service,
Director-Venture 13 Board of Partners.
About Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre
Venture13
is an innovation and entrepreneurship centre that opened its doors in
May of 2018 in Cobourg, Ontario, located just over an hour east of
Toronto. The 30,000 square foot facility includes a VentureZone
co-working space, 24/7 secure access, fibre connection, hardware
MakerLab, solar microgrid , demo hall, in-house Angel sidecar fund and
$250,000 biennial N100 Startup Competition. The Venture13 Board of
Partners includes Northumberland CFDC, Town of Cobourg, Cobourg Police
Services, Northumberland Manufacturers’ Association and Northumberland
Makers. For more information visit www.venture13.ca.
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