ON -- A Regional Innovation Centre, ventureLab, has launched in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Serving companies in York Region, the centre will offer free services to qualified small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and hopes to become the go-to point for entrepreneurs looking to build world-class businesses.

Located in Markham, Ontario at the Markham Convergence Centre, the centre will have a particular focus on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Life Sciences.

Programs and services to be offered include:

• educational programs;
• industry events and networking opportunities for SMEs;
• market research and competitive intelligence;
• guidance with intellectual property and market strategy;
• assistance with funding;
• investment and financing pitches;
• introduction to investors;
• access to government resources and programs;
• academic research collaborations;
• sales direction and coaching, and
• support for market launches and exporting.

Currently the centre is running a number of Money Chase Pitch+ workshops with several events each week.

ventureLab is a member of the Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE), a collaborative network of organizations across Ontario designed to help companies bring new ideas to the marketplace, while fostering global excellence in innovation

Learn more about ventureLab at www.venturelab.ca

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