KITCHENER — Conestoga College has opened an innovation lab at Communitech in Kitchener.
The satellite location, part of the Conestoga Entrepreneurship Collective, will provide collaboration space for tech entrepreneurs from Conestoga’s Venture Lab program.
The Venture Lab is a business incubator providing free coaching and mentorship from established entrepreneurs and industry experts. Full- or part-time Conestoga students from any program and campus, and college alumni within five years of graduation are eligible for the Venture Lab program.
“Conestoga entrepreneurs reflect the diverse communities and programming offered by the college, pursuing ventures across a wide range of industries and business models, but approximately 40 per cent of the new businesses in our Venture Lab are tech-focused,” Conestoga Entrepreneurship Collective director Rose Mastnak said in a release.
“This new satellite location will connect our founders to the support and community they need to make their businesses a success.”
Communitech president and chief executive officer Chris Albinson said he’s thrilled to welcome Conestoga’s entrepreneurs to the Communitech Hub.
“Our innovation community is strengthened thanks to the support of academic partners like Conestoga who share in our passion for fostering the next generation of tech talent.”
Along with the Venture Lab, the Conestoga Entrepreneurship Collective also hosts the Gig Lab, Canada’s first business incubator for freelancers, and the Sales Lab, Canada’s first incubator for high-tech business-to-business (B2B) sales careers.
“The new Conestoga lab at Communitech will provide our student entrepreneurs with broader opportunities to participate in Waterloo Region’s entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem,” college president John Tibbits said in the release.
“By providing more access to the tools, knowledge and expertise that will assist in launching successful tech ventures, it will also contribute to future economic growth across our region.”