Media releases

• Niagara entrepreneurs to get business boost from Brock

  Wednesday, March 15, 2023 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 15 March 2023 – R0022

  New Niagara startups looking for guidance and expert support can now apply for the upcoming cohort of Brock University’s business incubation program, the LINCubator.

  The 12-week program is open to early-stage startups in the region that have launched their business, have customers and are looking to grow. Entrepreneurs selected for the LINCubator will review their business and business growth goals, and develop an actionable growth roadmap.

  The program will also include one-on-one mentorship, coaching sessions and opportunities to make connections with different funders and startup support organizations, such as Innovate Niagara, Haltech and the Niagara Angel Network.

  “There is a lot that happens in those first few years when you’re getting your business off the ground,” says Farzana Crocco, Executive Director of the Brock LINC. “This free, hands-on program is designed to help early-stage businesses focus on planning and growth goals. It’s the shift from working ‘in’ your business to working ‘on’ your business.”

  Participants will actively work on their business challenges each week with Brock LINC staff, external mentors and other entrepreneurs.

  Adam Henderson and his business partner, Agusia Krzywinska, recently completed the second cohort of the LINCubator. The pair are co-founders of Adjective Noun Studios, a mobile game studio in St. Catharines.

  “The LINCubator program helped us grow our business from a two-person side project to a full-fledged business of five. The expert mentors, diverse workshops and collaborative discussions with other cohort members helped us work through the many challenges faced when getting your startup off the ground,” says Henderson.

  “The ongoing connections with the LINC and the mentors in the program continue to help us with the challenges we face to this day.”

  Participants will have access to resources at the Brock LINC, including desk space, meeting rooms, the Library Makerspace, business services, coaching and advisory services, and also be connected to Brock LINC’s Entrepreneurs in Residence.

  The incubation services remain available to the cohort for a full year, ensuring that support continues beyond the formal program sessions.

  There is no cost to participate, and Brock LINC does not take equity or share in the intellectual property of participating businesses.

  The program is open to businesses in the Niagara area that are incorporated, generating revenue and have at least one founder working on the business full time.

  The LINCubator will run from Tuesday, June 6 to Tuesday, Aug. 22, with weekly in-person sessions from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Brock LINC at Brock University’s main campus.

  Applications are open until Thursday, April 27 and can be accessed on the LINCubator website.

  The interview and selection process will be completed by mid-May to prepare for the start of the program in June.

  For questions about the LINCubator, please contact Cassie Conte, Program Manager, Brock LINC, at cconte@brocku.ca

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Doug Hunt, Communications and Media Relations Specialist, Brock University dhunt2@brocku.ca or 905-941-6209

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  Categories: Media releases

• Brock University working with community to encourage safe, responsible St. Patrick’s Day

  Tuesday, March 14, 2023 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 13 March 2023 – R0021

  Brock has proudly served as Niagara’s public university for nearly 60 years, and its students have played a meaningful role in building its relationship with the local community every step of the way.

  As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, the University is reminding students of the positive impact they can have by taking their role as respectful, responsible community members seriously.

  To widely share this message, the University and Brock University Students’ Union have again partnered with the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) and local municipalities to visit local neighbourhoods with large student populations in the days leading up to March 17.

  Last week, Brock staff and NRPS began going door to door to promote safe and responsible celebrations as part of the Don’t Put the Bad in Badger campaign. The initiative sees printed materials handed out that not only encourage appropriate behaviour, but also educate students on the possible fines that can be incurred if municipal bylaws are violated. The neighbourhood visits come in addition to resources being handed out on Brock’s campus to raise awareness.

  “We recognize that St. Patrick’s Day is a time of celebration for many, but also ask that our students mark the occasion in a safe and responsible way,” said Brad Clarke, the University’s Associate Vice-President, Students, and Interim Associate Vice-President, Equity. “Whether students call Niagara home during their studies or beyond the school terms, we expect that they will treat their community with respect and consideration, regardless of the time of year.”

  Along with outreach beforehand, Brock has funded additional NRPS officers to assist with neighbourhood patrols on St. Patrick’s Day and the weekend that follows. During those times, police and city bylaw officers are taking a zero-tolerance approach and will have high visibility in near-campus neighbourhoods.

  Various Brock departments will also be offering a series of events and programs to provide compelling on- and off-campus options for students to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day safely and responsibly. Related health and safety awareness campaigns and alternative events begin this week, including a movie night, a board game café, a ball hockey tournament, and various recreational activities, among others.

  With awareness campaigns underway, BUSU Vice-President, Student Services Yasmine Hejazi says she looks forward to marking St. Patrick’s Day alongside her fellow Badgers “in a safe and considerate manner.”

  “Remember to take good care of yourselves and your peers, and to be mindful of your neighbours,” she says.

  Clarke encourages any students who choose to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day to do so safely and to remember that they have responsibilities to uphold as citizens and under the Brock Student Code of Conduct.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Doug Hunt, Communications and Media Relations Specialist, Brock University dhunt2@brocku.ca or 905-941-6209

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  Categories: Media releases