Manitoba’s North Forge Technology Exchange joins Bioenterprise Canada
Guelph/Winnipeg, 9 March 2023 – North Forge Technology Exchange, a not-for-profit incubator accelerator focused on science, technology and advanced manufacturing innovation is joining Bioenterprise, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, as a collaborative partner to enhance agri-food sector innovation in Canada.
The partnership opens the opportunity for North Forge’s clients and members to connect to Bioenterprise Canada’s national network of food and agri-tech innovation mentorship, partnership and funding support. For Bioenterprise, the partnership means access to new collaborations, supports and resources for its members and partners through the North Forge network.
“By working together, North Forge and Bioenterprise can enhance the contributions that both of our organizations can make to the agriculture sector, including agri-tech, cleantech and innovation related to life science, food, environment, and commercial applications,” says Bioenterprise Canada CEO Dave Smardon. “The more connections we can build across Canada’s innovation ecosystem, the more ways we have to support businesses and entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector, so we welcome the opportunity to work with North Forge as the newest member of Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine.”
North Forge fuels Manitoba’s innovation economy by providing technology-enabled, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), and advanced manufacturing entrepreneurs and startups with subject matter experts, mentors, growth coaches, and entrepreneurs-in-residence, through their four-stage Founders Program. Armed with North America’s largest not-for-profit fabrication lab housing over $3 million of advanced manufacturing equipment, FabLab members have produced over 7,500 prototypes.
“We work with hundreds of tech startups, including many in food and agri-tech to provide them with a wide breadth of resources and the opportunity to make valuable connections across the industry,” says North Forge President and CEO Joelle Foster. “Bioenterprise is an expert in its field and we look forward to providing our startups with access to this vast network of resources.”
About Bioenterprise Canada
Bioenterprise is Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, a national agri-technology focused commercialization accelerator. Bioenterprise uses its 20 years of industry experience and a global network of experts, mentors, funders, researchers, and industry partners to help small and medium-sized agri-food businesses connect, innovate and grow.
About North Forge Technology Exchange
North Forge Technology Exchange is a non-profit incubator accelerator that works with startups across Canada in technology, STEM and advanced manufacturing from the ideation stages all the way through to acceleration. They fuel Manitoba’s innovation economy, providing founders with experienced mentors, entrepreneurs-in-residence, award winning growth coaches and a unique, online four-stage Founders program. They have worked with over 260 companies and have created over 1,300 jobs. Armed with North America’s largest non-profit publicly accessible fabrication lab (FabLab™), they operate out of 27,000 square feet across Innovation Drive and Innovation Alley in Winnipeg, Manitoba and a new location in Thompson, Manitoba.
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For more information:
Dave Smardon, CEO, Bioenterprise Canada
dave.smardon@bioenterprise.ca or (519) 821-2960
Whitney Moir, Program and Communications Director, North Forge Technology Exchange
wmoir@northforge.ca or (204) 761-7894
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