Ignition Café is Kingston’s go-to monthly meet-up for  anyone looking to meet like-minded change-makers, share ideas & collaborate.

For October, the theme is Rural Health! Registration opening soon!

If you are interested in learning and supporting the rural health innovation ecosystem in the KFLA region, join us!

The City of Kingston in collaboration with 7 partners is leading an initiative, Health Innovation Kingston (HI YGK), to encourage health focused start-ups to access resources to develop and grow in Kingston. Our health sector is rich in talent and resources, and has often been referred to as a “living lab”. Learn more about our partners here.

DDQIC developed a program called Build2Scale Health to support teams interested in developing an entrepreneurial venture in health innovation. In 2022, our team launched a new stream titled GrowRural Health. This stream specifically looks for teams with innovative ideas and solutions to improve the health landscape in rural communities. This stream will follow the same application as Build2Scale house and program founders will also be given mentorship, financial support and a network of people that will guide your venture to success. 

This was done in an effort to better capture the whole of the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington (KFLA) region, to narrow in on the specific opportunities and challenges of health in the rural sector. Over 80 percent of Kingston is considered rural, and the sector has specific needs and opportunities.To start the conversation, our team interviewed several key stakeholders and community members of the KFL&A region. Then we held some workshops and committee meetings to further collaborate.

January 19, 2022: Rural Health Innovation in the KFL&A Region: Challenges and Opportunities

March 29, 2022, Rural Health Innovation In the KFLA Region: Continuing the Conversation

May 24, 2022 Innovating Together for Better Health with the FLA-OHT

December 6 2022 Rural Health Innovation Ecosystem Mapping Meeting

We convened around 20 community members from the KFLA region, including innovators and rural community and healthcare leaders. The main objective of this session with stakeholders was to develop a Rural Health Innovation Ecosystem Map solely focused on Transportation. Together, we mapped physical assets, initiatives, working groups, and institutions across the region.

January 31, 2023: Rural Health Transportation Solutions Exploration Meeting

DDQIC and community participants gathered again to assess the Rural Health Transportation Ecosystem Map created on December 6th. Several groups were identified as actively working on impactful solutions in this area, with PORCH (Portable Outreach Care Hub) being a key player. PORCH is a repurposed RV designed to deliver mental and physical health services to vulnerable individuals in need of care. The group held an initial discussion with PORCH, who expressed interest in attending future meetings to showcase their initiative and explore potential collaborative opportunities. This partnership promises to be highly advantageous, as it can bring diverse perspectives and contribute to the ongoing dialogue.

March 3 & April 21, 2023: PORCH Collaboration Discussion Meetings

The Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre (DDQIC) & community partners convened to hear PORCH present their initiative and engage in a dialogue about potential support and collaboration opportunities. PORCH has operated since June 2022 in Kingston, primarily serving marginalized communities and demonstrating numerous success stories.

It has been great to work on the Rural Health Innovation Project! The virtual meetings we’ve had the past years have been very productive, and we are hoping to finally have a chance to meet everyone in person!

Ignition Café is Kingston’s go-to monthly meet-up for anyone looking to meet like-minded change-makers, share ideas, collaborate and foster meaningful connections.

To celebrate Impact Week, this Ignition Café will bring together students, leaders, and community partners around the theme of social impact and innovation. Select ventures with a social mission will deliver elevator pitches, alongside a keynote lightening talk from social entrepreneur and Business Development Manager, Norman Musengimana. Networking over light refreshments to follow.

The Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre (DDQIC) has partnered with the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Social Impact (CEISI) at Smith School of Business and Kingston Economic Development Corporation on this event.

All are welcome! 

Register here

The Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship (JL MCF) program is for African students and recent graduates who want to solve pressing problems and bring entrepreneurial ideas to life.

This year over 1500 students joined the first of the program, 82 made it to the third and final phase, and a select few will have the opportunity to pitch and win non-dilutive seed funding at the final pitch competition!

This event will be available virtually, with watch parties at different african institutions, as well as in Kingson in the Mitchell Hall building!

Register here