Owen Sound is ready to help rural entrepreneurs take a leap to the next level while keeping innovation at the local level.
The Sydenham Campus Regional Skills Training, Trades and Innovation Centre received an $845,000 non-repayable Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) fund early in 2021 to host a small and medium-sized business accelerator and advisory programs.
The gamble is already paying off with the launch of Catapult Grey Bruce, a not-for-profit organization assisting entrepreneurs in scaling their business while accessing mentorship and acceleration through Fast Lane Plus, a project-based accelerator program licensed through Innovation Guelph.
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Why it matters: This is the first accelerator exclusively for businesses based in Grey and Bruce counties. It is designed to provide local support for business entrepreneurs.
In 2021 Catapult piloted a virtual mentorship program with the Grey County Business Enterprise Centre connecting 15 entrepreneurs from around the region with mentors. Since then, it has continued to build a roster of mentors to connect with entrepreneurs as the need arises.
“We have also heard from you and our business community that we need more opportunities for professionals to connect, collaborate and learn from one another,” said Jennifer Christie, Catapult Grey Bruce executive director. “The Catapult Crashpad (in the Sydenham Campus) will be a great place to do that. We are excited to share this space which will also be a hub for our newest initiative, the Catapult Tech Network.”
Catapult Tech Network (CTN) builds on the foundation laid by the Grey Bruce Technology Network to provide a formal way for tech founders, independent consultants and service providers to connect.
Technology threads through every sector and most entrepreneurs don’t have access to an IT department to troubleshoot website issues or inquire about cyber security software, said Christie.
“The tech network will deliver the means for entrepreneurs and local businesses to meet and learn from each other, making our communities richer and stronger,” said Christie.
Chris Herbert, CTN lead, local entrepreneur and founder of Silicon Halton, is optimistic the network will provide value to the agriculture sector as well.
“Agriculture is a very important industry here, and I think technology can play an even better and bigger role for them and with them,” said Herbert, adding farmers are the original entrepreneurs in terms of technology, the environment, carbon capture, growing food and their business.
Farmers realize there is an opportunity to monetize the information and data they collect through regenerative agriculture practices, said Herbert, especially regarding carbon capture. In addition, he said there’s potential for technology and agriculture to intersect in creating tools to amalgamate and mine farm data.
Philly Markowitz, Grey County Local Food economic development officer, said the Grey-Bruce region is rife with small agriculture and food-related startups.
“(They’ve) hit a place in their development where they have to go big or go home,” said Philly Markowitz. “The guidance and support they’re able to get through the (Catapult’s) Crashpad are going to help them make it through that important transition.”
Before, Markowitz would direct agri-food startups to Guelph, Toronto or Barrie to access the services now found at the Sydenham Campus in Owen Sound.
“We have people doing really interesting things and selling their products regionally, nationally and potentially internationally,” said Markowitz. “They want to be here. They want to stay here. So, anything we can do to help incubate those businesses and keep them at home is a win for us.”
Through Sydenham Campus and Catapult, small businesses and entrepreneurs can access training on leading-edge technology, metal and wood shops, a clean room, a wet lab, and a rapid prototyping and fabrication lab for prototype creation and experimentation to foster growth, innovation and a healthy rural economy.
“The agriculture community up here is very diverse. There’s a lot of different kinds of farmers. There’s a lot of different kinds of food entrepreneurs,” said Courtney Denard, Catapult board chair. “I think that it’s such a good time right now to talk about food and to create businesses about food.”
She added that the pandemic showed the importance of food security and local food.
“If we’ve got businesses here that have started and they’re struggling, Catapult will be able to help them go to that next step,” she said.
