XCEEi and iF Foster Co-Creation on the Factory Floor
The Don Pether Incubation Centre to encourage collaboration by housing students and startups
Hamilton, ON (May 1, 2012) – McMaster Universityʼs Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation (XCEEi) and Hamiltonʼs Regional Innovation Centre, Innovation Factory (iF), have come together to increase activities in the Don Pether Incubation Centre at McMaster Innovation Park. Recognizing that innovation and entrepreneurship are instrumental to Hamilton’s prosperity, the partnership aims to provide the space needed to grow an entrepreneurial ecosystem with a new initiative: Factory Floor.
The Don Pether Incubation Centre was designed to bring XCEEi graduates together in an interactive and open environment that promotes collaboration and success. Through this partnership, users (both students and iF startup clients) will be exposed to the full range of innovation support services available through Innovation Factory and experience networking opportunities essential to the collaborative process.
McMaster’s XCEEi students will now have access to Innovation Factory’s programming, staff, and expertise to assist with business plan refinement, market research, and investment pitching,” explains Rafik Loutfy, Director of XCEEi. “This initiative is part of our commitment to support our graduates. We believe it takes a community to raise an entrepreneur; this partnership with Innovation Factory creates that.”
Since officially launching in November 2010, Innovation Factory has engaged over 250 start-ups across a variety of sectors. The piece of the puzzle that has been missing, however, is a space for these clients to work on-site and connect. Partnering with the Xerox Centre in utilizing the Don Pether Incubation space is a natural fit for the organization and reflects Innovation Factory’s continued growth and engagement with the innovation community.
By leveraging the existing space in the building through the Factory Floor initiative, iF clients not only have the opportunity to collaborate with graduates of a world-class university, but iF can begin to generate hype and lay the ground work for eventual true incubation space in Hamilton.
“We are delighted to partner with XCEEi on this initiative,” says Innovation Factoryʼs Executive Director Ron Neumann. “A collaborative work environment provides a fantastic opportunity for students and young entrepreneurs alike to work on advancing their start-ups and innovative ideas while interacting with one another and benefiting from expert mentorship.”
To celebrate Factory Floor’s official opening on May 1st, Innovation Factory will host a series of open houses each Wednesday in May from 1-3pm at The Don Pether Incubation Centre, McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Road South, Hamilton. For more details about Factory Floor, visit innovationfactory.ca.
About McMaster University’s Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation was created in 2004 to lead the development and deployment of a Master of Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation program. The primary goal of the program is to create a flow of engineering and science entrepreneurs capable of creating wealth from forefront disruptive technology. XCEEi brings together the experience, opportunity and resources necessary for aspiring entrepreneurs to become business catalysts. xceei.mcmaster.ca
About Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory is a not-for-profit Regional Innovation Centre, located in Hamilton, ON committed to connecting and enabling active collaboration between the city’s communities of science, business, government, academia and finance to accelerate the innovation process and amplify the economic and social impact of key new ideas and discoveries. Funded by the Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE), we are focused on strengthening the next generation of wealth and jobs generators. innovationfactory.ca
Media Contact
For more information, contact Leah MacCharles, iF Outreach Coordinator, leah.maccharles@innovationfactory.ca, 905.667.2611 x.231
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