Oct 9, 2020   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Platform Calgary Innovation Centre Will Open With Familiar Faces in the Tech Startup Community

Today, Platform Calgary is announcing the latest organizations to join as community members in the Platform Innovation Centre. Opening spring 2021, the Centre will offer entrepreneurs and startup companies support from a host of dynamic partners, many already active with Platform Calgary. This 50,000 sq. foot space will be a one-stop-shop for Calgary’s innovation ecosystem.

“The success of tech startups requires collaboration with peers from all corners of the innovation ecosystem,” says Dr. Terry Rock, President and CEO of Platform Calgary. “Platform Calgary is based on this principle and the Platform Innovation Centre will have it on day one with now 17 Program Partners and Members available to any startup that walks in the door. That is the key step toward seriously growing our tech sector to be an engine for new economic growth, job creation and shared prosperity.”

The second group of Program Partners and Members include:

A100: A non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of experienced startup founders, executives, and board directors. Members give their time and insight to support the next generation of tech entrepreneurs in Alberta, helping to drive lasting diversification for Alberta’s economy.

The Alberta loT Association: The Alberta IoT Centre of Excellence is a nonprofit organization that exists to nurture and accelerate the success of Alberta’s Internet of Things economy. The Alberta IoT Centre of Excellence’s mission is to position Alberta as the world leader in Internet of Things and emerging technologies.

BDC is the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs. It provides access to financing, as well as advisory services to help Canadian businesses grow and succeed. Its investment arm, BDC Capital, offers a wide range of risk capital solutions. For more than 75 years, BDC’s only purpose has been to support entrepreneurs in all industries and at all stages of growth.

Beakerhead: A registered educational charity that smashes-up art, science and engineering to showcase human ingenuity. Beakerhead’s year-round education programs and annual festival events aim to engage, delight, surprise and entertain so completely that you don’t even realize you are learning too!

Canada Learning Code: Technology education grounded in the belief that digital skills are tools of empowerment, Canada Learning Code offers all people in Canada access to the knowledge needed to thrive in a digital world, with a particular focus on helping women, girls, people with disabilities, Indigenous youth and newcomers.

Energy Futures Lab: The Energy Futures Lab is a collaborative coalition of partners and innovators working together to create the future energy system.

Lighthouse Labs is an organization providing rapid digital and data skills training across Canada that matches the speed of changes in industry. With unprecedented job and in-work outcomes Lighthouse Labs is helping close the skills gap in Canada and ensuring that technology is providing an opportunity for all.

Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions.

Platform Calgary intends to triple Calgary’s tech startup sector over the next ten years. Through the Platform Innovation Centre, innovators will access the resources they need to grow their business and, in turn, create new jobs, economic growth, and shared prosperity for all Calgarians. Our Program Partners and Members will help make this happen.

“As an active supporter of more than 3500 Canadian tech entrepreneurs, it is important for BDC to partner with key regional initiatives such as the Platform Calgary Innovation Centre. It takes a community and a wide range of solutions and support for tech start-ups to scale and succeed and we are excited to contribute as a partner.” - Michael Selci, Senior Vice President, Prairies at BDC

“Alberta IoT is looking to build an IoT and Emerging Technology community through collaboration with partners such as Platform Calgary and the Innovation Centre. We value these partnerships as we establish Calgary and Alberta as an innovative hub for growth companies in IoT.” - Brenda Beckedorf, Executive Director, The Alberta IoT Association

"After three successful years as a resident of The Inc., the Calgary Chapter of Canada Learning Code is excited to continue our partnership with Platform at the Innovation Centre! Platform's support has enabled the Chapter to provide low to no-cost digital literacy programming to Calgarians, as well as build safe spaces for women-identifying tech professionals to network and receive peer support in Southern Alberta — we celebrate the opening of this new technology hub and look forward to working closer together to build a more diverse tech sector that reflects the city of Calgary and communities across the nation." - Melissa Sariffodeen, Co-Founder & CEO, Canada Learning Code

About Platform:

Platform Calgary builds and promotes Calgary's tech startup ecosystem to create shared prosperity that will benefit all Calgarians. Our programs connect startups, founders, enterprises, and industry with the resources they need to achieve success wherever they are in their entrepreneurial journey. We are the hub that inspires a generous community of innovators--an engine for new economic growth and job creation.

In 2019, Platform Calgary collaborated with more than 400 entrepreneurs over multiple programs and partnerships to grow Calgary’s tech sector. We aspire to triple this sector's size over the next ten years with more than 2000 startups and over 1000 thriving tech companies to create tens of thousands of new jobs and add billions to our GDP.

If you or your company want to join Platform Calgary and build this community of innovators, please visit platformcalgary.com.