Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

(February 14, 2017) CORNWALL, ON — The Cornwall Innovation Centre (CIC), a joint project between the City of Cornwall, Carleton University, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, is one step closer to opening its doors after signing a lease at the NAV CENTRE in early January 2017.

“We are thrilled to move forward with this exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs of all ages and all stages of growth,” said Gerry Benson, spokesperson for the University Steering Committee, the group responsible for the initiative. “This is yet one more important catalyst for economic development in the region.”

The CIC, located in the NAV CENTRE, will serve to connect fledgling and established entrepreneurs with a global community of people who can support, mentor, partner and invest in their companies.

“One of our Council’s priorities is to support business and economic growth in Akwesasne,” said Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Grand Chief Abram Benedict. “We continue to explore new opportunities and partnerships for our community and the Cornwall Innovation Centre is one such positive venture that our Council supports. MCA staff and chiefs continue to be actively involved in the planning stages of this project, which allows us to offer insight as to what our community needs and envisions for the future. We look forward to the growth of the CIC and continued partnerships with them for the benefit of all Akwesasronon and the St. Lawrence Valley region.”

“We are very pleased that the CIC has chosen the NAV CENTRE for its headquarters,” said Kim Coe-Turner, General Manager, NAV CENTRE. “Our state-of-the-art technology and modern learning atmosphere makes this facility an excellent fit for the educational and entrepreneurial spirit the CIC embodies.”

The CIC will offer:

• Incubator activities including hackathons, workshops, keynote speaker presentations and learning opportunities for business growth.

• Accelerator services for startups powered by Carleton University’s Lead to Win program, one of the Top 10 business accelerator programs in North America. This elite opportunity is designed to propel qualified businesses into generating $1 million in revenue in a three-year timeframe.

• Shared workspaces and private offices.

• A Makerspace equipped with the latest technologies for design and prototyping.

The Cornwall Innovation Centre is just one area of co-operation between the University Steering Committee and Carleton University to foster regional and international growth through education in Cornwall and surrounding areas. The local committee, which is comprised of representatives from the City of Cornwall, Carleton University, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, has been working since 2014 on ways to deliver niche post-secondary programs in Cornwall that build on its economic and cultural profile.

Working with the Ontario Government, the University Steering Committee is also focused on investigating partnership and degree program opportunities in the areas of environmental science, management and stewardship, forging initiatives in First Nations governance and capacity building, and strengthening pathways for students between Carleton University and St. Lawrence College.

About the Cornwall Innovation Centre

Founded in January 2017, the Cornwall Innovation Centre (CIC) is a not-for-profit organization that helps local entrepreneurs spark, incubate and accelerate their business ideas. It is a joint partnership between the City of Cornwall, Carleton University, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.

The CIC will welcome innovators and doers who seek to follow their dreams in building better business solutions and making an impact on the local and global scene. The CIC offers a full range of content and programming, including classes designed to empower entrepreneurs, talks from leading captains of industry and inspiration sessions from leading business builders.