Brampton moving to be the next Sillicon centre
The City of Brampton is building an Innovation District in the heart of downtown Brampton that will cultivate a dynamic start-up community, develop local talent and support entrepreneurs. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Innovation District is a key initiative in the City’s Economic Recovery Strategy and will continue to develop over the coming months and years.
Invest Brampton announced this initiative at the Collision 2021 conference here and also introduced new businesses and ecosystem partners to this exciting momentum in the heart of Brampton.
Located in the middle of Canada’s Innovation Corridor, Brampton is the 9th largest and 2nd-fastest- growing city in Canada. It is home to 70,000 businesses, close to 700,000 people, large immigrant community and 234 cultures speaking 115 languages. As a central hub for innovation and technology development, existing Partners in Brampton’s Innovation District.
A number of entrepreneurial, business incubation and accelerator spaces have joined Brampton’s Innovation District, including the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre (BEC), the Ryerson Venture Zone, and a Cyber Security Accelerator, led by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and Ryerson’s DMZ, moving Brampton toward its goal of being a national centre of excellence in collaboration and cybersecurity.
Earlier this year, the Research Innovation Commercialization (RIC) Centre, a technology incubator specializing in clean-tech, advanced manufacturing, hardware, and software startups, also joined the Innovation District. The Brampton Board of Trade and the Downtown Brampton Business Improvement Area (BIA) are also key partners in building the Innovation District.
The City of Brampton has been working with business and community partners to further unlock the Innovation District’s economic development potential on an international scale. Most recently, Brampton partnered with The Founder Institute, the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator, to offer Brampton entrepreneurs the opportunity to participate in their virtual 2020 program at no cost. Brampton is also proud to be a partner in the Start-Up Visa program with the Government of Canada and is actively looking to support international companies who are considering locating in Brampton.
Brampton is home to over 275 diverse tech companies such as Canon, Medtronic, MDA and Rogers. It’s tech sector is well positioned and has the capacity to house large tech firms, rapidly scale small to mid-sized companies, and nurture innovative start-ups. The Innovation District also offers education and training opportunities to upskill or reskill talent from the around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). From Ryerson University Chang School of Continuing Education and Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst to Sheridan College and Algoma University, the Innovation District is a growing hub for talent development.
Clare Barnett, Director, Invest Brampton
Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton applauded this great initiative. David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton, said the City is moving quickly to build a robust Innovation District. We are excited for the opportunity to collaborate with leaders in Innovation and Technology at Collision from Home and to tell the world about the great work we have been doing in this sector. We are on the way to becoming a leader in innovation and creating jobs of the future”
Paul Vicente, Regional Councillor, Wards 1&5; Co-Chair, Mayor’s COVID-19 Economic Support Task Force, added that, “As we emerge from this pandemic, we want to welcome entrepreneurs and potential investors to join us in our developing Innovation District. There are many reasons why Brampton is an ideal location for setting up a business, and we look forward to engaging with stakeholders to be part of this exciting initiative.
Michael Palleschi, Regional Councillor, Wards 2&6; Co-Chair, Mayor’s COVID-19 Economic Support Task Force, also noted: “With our prime location in the middle of the Innovation Corridor, Brampton is growing its innovation ecosystem with the goal of becoming a global leader in this space. Our staff are committed to building partnerships and putting the necessary conditions in place to make Brampton an optimal location for entrepreneurs and businesses.”
Learn more about the innovation opportunities in the City here
