Article Date: February 17, 2014
KEDCO Media Release, Kingston, ON – The Kingston Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) in partnership with Thales Canada, Launch Lab and Innovation Park at Queen’s University are pleased to announce the launch of GrindSpace XL Powered by Thales Canada, a cohort-based development program that accelerates the growth of high-potential technology ventures from prototype to product to revenue.
The ten-week program, which officially kicked-off on Wednesday, January 22, offers targeted and intensive entrepreneurship training using relevant, real-world examples; one-on-one mentorship from world-class entrepreneurs; specialized advisors who will help companies become sales-driven and investor-ready; connections with representatives from Thales Canada; an opportunity to compete for project funding; introductions to qualified investors; and, access to office space at Innovation Park.
GrindSpace XL is made possible through the collaborative efforts of Innovation Park, Thales, Launch Lab, Invest Ottawa and KEDCO and is supported by funding through the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). Collaborations develop easily at Innovation Park which houses more than 50 organizations and companies including KEDCO, Thales Canada, Launch Lab, Queen’s University, IRAP and numerous start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Co-location of the partners enables informal discussion, brainstorming and planning which, combined with the flexible resources available at the Park, sparked the development and launch of GrindSpace XL Powered by Thales Canada in Kingston.
“The GrindSpace XL pilot is an example of the many exciting collaborations that are contributing to the strengthening of the Kingston innovation ecosystem. This initiative takes advantage of the Innovation Park model which provides entrepreneurs and innovators with access to numerous resources,” says Steven Liss, VP Research at Queen’s University. “We are pleased to help bring this new initiative to Kingston and are delighted that it has attracted SMEs from the Toronto and Ottawa areas.”
The pilot model has been developed to deliver two cohorts per year at Innovation Park. “This pilot initiative allows Thales Canada to create closer ties with start-ups and SMEs and serves as an extension to our cooperation with academia in research and product development,” says Liam Porter, Manager Thales Canada Defense and Security Centre Kingston.
Jeff Garrah, Chief Executive Officer of the Kingston Economic Development Corporation notes, “We are pleased to partner with Innovation Park, Thales Canada and Launch Lab to foster relationships between local businesses and emerging companies in the information and communication technologies sector.”
“We are thrilled to be working with our partners to bring the GrindSpace program to Innovation Park,” says Michael Mann, CEO of Launch Lab. “We are very impressed by the calibre of companies participating and we look forward to seeing the opportunities that develop through the program’s partnership with Thales Canada.”
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For more information please contact:
Donna Gillespie
Chief Executive Officer
Kingston Economic Development Corporation
Tel: 613-544-2725 ext. 7270
Email: gillespie@kingstoncanada.com
Web: kingstonecdev.com
Scott Runte
Business Advisor
Launch lab
Tel: 613-540-3770
Email: scott.runte@launchlab.ca
Web: launchlab.ca
About Innovation Park
Innovation Park at Queen’s University is a community of innovators and specialists where start-ups, SMEs, MNCs, students, faculty, industry, government and not-for-profits work together to cultivate ideas, identify and transform important technological discoveries, and propel innovations into the marketplace. Innovation Park fosters interaction and collaboration among participants in the innovation ecosystem and thus stimulates commercialization and economic development in the South Eastern Ontario region.
About Thales Canada
Thales Canada, Defence & Security is the prime contractor for the Canadian Army’s Land Command Support System (LCSS), providing long-term software design, development and support of the Army’s core command and control (C2) system.
GrindSpace XL Powered by Thales Canada Participants:
- Regulus Solutions - www.regulussolutions.com
- Regulus Solutions is an Ottawa based start-up company which is developing technology to enable the rise of the Smart City with efficient and cost-effective solutions.
- Archeoptix - www.archeoptix.com
- Archeoptix is a start-up biomedical device company targeting Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and is developing the first handheld medical device for rapid, non-ionizing, point-of-care detection of intracranial hematomas.
- New Wave Oceanics
- Bringing the capability of high-end defense sonar design to commercial industries.
- Per Vices - www.pervices.com
- Per Vices builds low cost hardware that allows software applications to transparently communicate with any wireless signal.
- EBAs mission is to introduce new and innovative green technologies to achieve sustainable communities.
- MDSP Tech – www.mdsptech.com
- MDSP Tech congregates academic expertise and the latest technologies in digital signal processing to provide innovative solutions for a wide range of industrial applications.