(Cobourg, ON) May 21, 2019 - 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., Google and LinkedIn. 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 has provided 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 27^th, 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 an economic impact of $2.4 million in 2018 within Northumberland County. The one-year anniversary concluded with a special keynote address by Cobourg 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.

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