Quinte News would like to clarify a story we told you about Monday in regards to business development in the region.
Monday night, Quintevation chair Ryan Williams announced to council three companies have qualified for their accelerator program called RevUp. They are existing companies not new ones coming to the region as previously reported. One is in Quinte West and two are in Belleville. RevUP is a six month program and will end in December.
The RevUp program will help these companies scale which Williams said means ‘jobs.’
Williams told Quinte News he will be releasing more details in a day or so.
He said each company will be paired with entrepreneurs in residence from launch lab, and provided other resources that will help them grow revenue and become bigger, greater companies.
Quintevation launched last June with the purpose of uniting the Bay of Quinte region as a hub of entrepreneurial spirit, thinking, and action. It focuses on community building, facilitating and marketing to help entrepreneurs flourish in the Quinte region.
“We are looking for industries on the leading edge,” said Williams during his presentation Monday night. “I want there to be jobs here in the Quinte region for our children and build a community around innovation.”
Williams and his fellow board member Mary Doyle pointed to how Quintevation has been a strong voice for the Quinte region at national conferences, has brought entrepreneurs together to pool resources and market together such as Quinte Craft and from June 2 to 4 hosted a Startup Weekend to entice youth to become entrepreneurs.
Statistics presented by Quintevation show over 80% of the Canadian population lives in urban centres with 18.35% residing in urban areas.
“Youth are 40% more likely than the older generation to move to the cities,” said Doyle. “I want something here for my children to come back to.”
Williams told council there needs to be more help for businesses that have been out there for a year or two to help take them to the next step as well as help small businesses get larger.
“That’s what we are here to do,” he added.
“We have a great region and we are going to be greater if we work together,” Williams said.