Young entrepreneurs in Niagara will reap the rewards of provincial funding for BioLinc, Brock University’s incubation facility run by the Goodman School of Business.

Support provided by the Government of Ontario’s Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships (YEP) program will allow BioLinc to launch the Niagara Youth Entrepreneurship Network (NYEN), which will bring various organizations in Niagara together to deliver a more focused approach to programming for entrepreneurs between the ages of 12 and 29.

“To ensure a strong, competitive and vibrant economy in the future, Ontario must act now to nurture the entrepreneurs and business leaders of tomorrow,” says Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure.

“The YEP actively encourages the development of an entrepreneurial culture among Ontario’s youth. Through the NYEN, we are promoting a culture of entrepreneurship among Niagara youth as part of our ongoing support of young entrepreneurs, and strengthening the youth entrepreneurship network in the region.”

The ongoing efforts of various organizations in Niagara to provide youth with entrepreneurial programming and services will be improved by the collaborative nature of NYEN.

This initiative is led by BioLinc, which is dedicated to promoting and enhancing the growth of new businesses and the commercialization of new products and services. BioLinc is part of Innovate Niagara’s network of incubators.

Through a series of capacity building activities, NYEN will co-ordinate a forum to encourage knowledge exchange within and across organizations, leading to a stronger, more sustainable model for the delivery of services offered to entrepreneurs in Niagara.

Supporting tomorrow’s entrepreneurs by assisting them with skill development is important to the Niagara region.

The network will allow partners to reach more young entrepreneurs and foster a more collaborative entrepreneurial culture in Niagara by delivering more focused services. NYEN partners will benefit from the network by finding synergies, achieving efficiencies and becoming more effective in program delivery.

NYEN is committed to collaborating with local communities to show entrepreneurship as a viable career option for young people in their search for employment.

“Supporting tomorrow’s entrepreneurs by assisting them with skill development is important to the Niagara region,” says Dan Lynch, manager of BioLinc. “This will lead to the creation of successful local businesses and generate job opportunities necessary for future economic prosperity.”

NYEN project partners include Innovate Niagara, Venture Niagara, Brock Innovation Group at Goodman, Niagara Economic Development, Niagara Falls Small Business Enterprise Centre, District School Board of Niagara, Niagara Angel Network and the Niagara Community Observatory.

For more information about becoming involved with NYEN, contact Alexis Kleiman, Program Administrator, at akleiman@brocku.ca

Brock University is a comprehensive university located in Ontario’s Niagara region, just an hour from the GTA. With nearly 600 full-time faculty members and researchers, Brock’s robust academic scope offers more than 72 undergraduate degree programs and nearly 50 master’s and PhD programs. Brock’s student experience is enriched by an emphasis on experiential learning, as illustrated by community partnerships, volunteerism and one of Ontario’s largest and most successful co-op programs. Visit us at brocku.ca