It is an exciting time for current and aspiring entrepreneurs in the western region of Newfoundland, and I’m going to tell you why.
Through the ongoing success of the Navigate: Guiding Entrepreneurs centre at both Grenfell Campus and College of the North Atlantic (CNA), two additional spaces will be offered to support entrepreneurs in new ways for the region: a makerspace, and a business incubator. This is made possible by provincial and federal government funding of more than $1.4 million over the next two years. I am happy to say that I will be starting as the manager of the new business incubator located at CNA, Corner Brook Campus.
At this point, I should take one step back to acknowledge the splendid work of the Navigate centre to date. Navigate operates primarily as a business counseling service to students and alumni by fostering a local entrepreneurial spirit, and by directly helping them start businesses. The centre manager, Sean St. George, has done a wonderful job in promoting this spirit through many events and activities, and has helped students start over 54 local businesses over the last seven years.
The new makerspace will be a workshop that features everything you will need to make a prototype of a product. Equipment includes 3D printers, robotics equipment, and other tools for electronics. The business incubator will be a working space for businesses who are just starting, and who need a supportive environment which includes meeting rooms, phones, video conferencing services, and printers.
However, the “secret sauce” of these services is to offer programming to develop practical business-management skills, to host events that connect business owners with each other, and to build a community that helps one another during the challenging entrepreneurial journey. Having the new spaces means that we can help entrepreneurs through this entire journey, from when they have an initial idea, to after they have started making sales.
So now you know, and I hope you share our excitement! We have many initiatives planned, and we are really looking forward to engaging with entrepreneurs, and aspiring entrepreneurs in the area.
Navigate website: www.navigatesmallbusiness.ca
William Newell is a professor in the Faculty of Business Administration at Grenfell Campus.
