As Manager, Business Development for Niagara College’s Research and Innovation division, I have a front-row seat to the way our region pulls together to support entrepreneurs, startups, and established companies. What sets Niagara apart is our shared commitment to helping businesses or community partners succeed, and the ways in which we work together to make that happen.

Their success is our success. That’s the spirit of our ecosystem.

Within our own Innovation Ecosystem, as we call it, we’re constantly working together to ensure our shared partners are best served.  Whether you’re connecting with Innovate Niagara, Brock University, the St. Catharines Enterprise Centre, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, or Niagara College Research and Innovation, you’ll find a network that’s aligned in purpose.

Rather than working in silos, we connect regularly, refer clients to one another, co-host events, and collaborate on funding opportunities. There’s no competition, just a mutual understanding that when a business or community partner receives what they need, it’s a win for all of us.

This concept was recently put into practice at an event hosted by the St. Catharines and Niagara Falls Small Business Enterprise Centres, called “Funding Your Small Business.” Several ecosystem members had the opportunity to display a booth and make a 2-to-5-minute pitch about our services and how we assist small businesses. On paper, you might have thought we had competing services, but what organically happened is that each presenter spoke about how closely we work together. The complementarity speaks as a true indication of the team approach.

If a business or community partner comes to us and we know that Innovate Niagara, Brock University, or Vineland Research would be a better fit for their needs, we make that connection without hesitation. The priority is always finding the best path forward for the client, even if that path doesn’t go through our own doors.

There have been several times when an industry partner will tap into the services of multiple ecosystem partners at different points in their business journey; the close connection and open communication that we have ensures that this process happens seamlessly. As a collective, we have also been working on an online tool that allows partners to “pick their own adventure”, outlining the services we offer and how we’re interconnected. Watch for this coming soon!

At Niagara College, our Research and Innovation division has just launched its fifth Innovation Centre, the Healthy Aging and Wellness Innovation Centre, and together with the rest of our network, we’re finding ways to connect with industry to offer even more community-relevant, cutting-edge research services.

Our Innovation Ecosystem meets regularly to discuss funding opportunities, new projects, opportunities for collaboration, and how we can continue to effectively and efficiently serve our business community. We are committed to working together to achieve the best outcomes.

Because in Niagara, innovation doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens together. Below are some of the resources and partners mentioned, as well as others with whom we work closely! Feel free to contact me anytime to learn more; I’m happy to talk all things innovation in Niagara. Reach me at [email protected].

• Innovate Niagara
  https://www.innovateniagara.com
• St.Catharines Enterprise Centre
  https://www.investinstc.ca/site/st-catharines-enterprise-centre
• Brock LINC
  https://brocku.ca/linc/
• Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
  www.gncc.ca
• Vineland Research
  https://www.vinelandresearch.com/
• South Niagara Chambers of Commerce
  https://southniagaracc.com/
• Niagara College Research and Innovation
  https://www.ncinnovation.ca
• Innovation Factory
  https://innovationfactory.ca/