Fleming College

OSHAWA, ONTARIO – The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), in conjunction with Durham College, Fleming College and Trent University shared today that the four organizations are working with Spark Centre and the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster (GPIC) to launch the FastStart program (FastStart), a powerful new resource designed to help university and college students acquire entrepreneurial skills and convert innovative business ideas into successful companies.

FastStart is an entrepreneurial training partnership designed to increase the entrepreneurship skills and awareness of university and college students and help them develop solid business plans and take products to market. It is being funded through an $800,000 Government of Ontario grant being shared equally among all four post-secondary institutions under the province’s $5 million On-Campus Entrepreneurship Activities (OCEA) program, managed by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).

“Fostering the entrepreneurial spirit among students is a key component of Ontario’s Youth Jobs Strategy, through programs that help transfer their ideas and skills to the marketplace while creating rewarding careers,” said Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation, and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “By partnering with colleges and universities to support entrepreneurship, we are ensuring our province’s business leaders of tomorrow are getting the support they need to succeed today.”

FastStart, designed to leverage existing synergies, educational approaches and the student needs of each university and college in their respective geographic market, reflects the commitment of the six partnering institutions to offer a program that enables students to apply what they learn to their future careers, whether they are in startups, established businesses, social innovation or public service.

FastStart features include:
– Available to students at all four institutions, in all fields of study, including youth in the community with an entrepreneurial spirit.
– Customized services to help participants refine their ideas, build teams and prepare solid business plans to deliver products to market.
– Programs such as boot camps and student incubators.
– Progressive, more focused programs to students with demonstrated interest and ability.
– Opportunities for students to transition through FastStart to the Spark Centre, GPIC or local business access development centres where they can access additional services to help them quickly advance and launch their businesses.

The OCEA program is part of Ontario’s Youth Jobs Strategy, which is seeing the province invest $295 million over two years to help 30,000 more youth from across the province connect with the tools, experiences and entrepreneurial support they need to find employment or start their own businesses.

“Ontario Centres of Excellence is pleased to be able to deliver this project as a trusted partner of the Government of Ontario,” said Dr. Tom Corr, president and chief executive officer, OCE. “I look forward to putting our years of experience in connecting academia and industry, and our ongoing support of young entrepreneurs to good use in making this initiative a tremendous success.”

Funded by the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE) is Ontario’s innovation system. The ONE is made up of regional and sector focused organizations designed to help Ontario-based entrepreneurs rapidly grow their companies, and create jobs. For more information visit http://www.oneinnovation.ca.

Please visit faststartfs.ca to find an online copy of this release. Further information will be posted as it becomes available.

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About the University of Ontario Institute of Technology
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) advances the discovery and application of knowledge through a technology-enriched learning environment and the delivery of innovative market-driven programs responsive to the needs of students and industry. With more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in 76 programs, UOIT promotes social engagement, fosters critical thinking and integrates outcomes-based learning experiences inside and outside the classroom. UOIT’s commitment to accelerating economic growth and social innovation is realized through faculty research collaborations with leading organizations such as Ontario Power Generation, IBM, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the Durham Regional Police Service. To find out more, please visit uoit.ca and faststart.uoit.ca. Follow us on Twitter: @FastStartUOIT.

About Durham College
At Durham College, the student experience comes first. In September 2014, the college welcomed more than 30,000 students to campus including more than 11,000 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students as well as part-time and continuing education students and online learners. The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs in a number of different disciplines including culinary, hospitality, tourism, horticulture, business, information technology, media, art, design, general arts, science, skilled trades, justice, emergency services, health and engineering technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market.
A three-phase expansion of the college’s Whitby campus was completed in 2013 when the 36,000-square-foot Centre for Food opened on the northwest corner of campus. Accommodating approximately 900 additional students studying in culinary, hospitality, event management, food science, and agricultural and horticultural programs, the CFF features Bistro ’67, a new, 70-seat, full-service, green-certified teaching-inspired restaurant and Pantry, a retail store featuring fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals created by students in the college’s culinary programs.
For more information, please visit durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.  For FastStart at Durham please visit: durhamcollege.ca/faststart and follow us on Twitter: @FastStartDC

About Fleming College
Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Science, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Development, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has 5,900 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and more than 68,000 alumni. For more information, please visit flemingcollege.ca and flemingcollege.ca/faststart and follow us on Twitter @FastStartFC.

About Trent University
One of Canada’s top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that’s personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. As the University celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2014/15, Trent’s unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration. In a learning environment that builds life-long passion for inclusion, leadership and social change, Trent’s students, alumni, faculty and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues. Trent’s Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while Trent University Durham delivers a distinct mix of programming in the GTA.  For more information please visit trentu.ca and trentu.ca/faststart and follow us on Twitter @FastStartTrent.

About Spark Centre
Spark Centre is one of fourteen not-for-profit Regional Innovation Centres (RICs) that form part of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE). The centre works to improve competitiveness and visibility of Durham Region and Northumberland County as a world-class innovation cluster. Spark Centre runs many programs for local entrepreneurs and are the organizers of the annual Ignite Startup Competition, where they award two startup companies $25,000 to use towards their business. For more information on Spark Centre, please visit sparkcentre.org.

About Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster
The mission of the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster is to drive 21st century technology-based, innovation-driven, and entrepreneurship-led economic growth and high-tech job creation by supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, commercialization and new company formation & growth. The Cluster brings together talent, knowledge, and investment and partners with academia and industry and provides support to start-up technology companies and entrepreneurs to help take innovative ideas and processes to market in order to foster an environment fuelled by innovation. Core Funding for the Cluster is provided by Ontario Centres of Excellence, Trent University, Fleming College and the Peterborough Region Angel Network. For more information visit innovationcluster.ca or follow us on Twitter @InnovationPtbo.
Media contacts:

University of Ontario
Institute of Technology
Bryan Oliver
905.721.8668 ext. 6709
bryan.oliver@uoit.ca

Durham College
Chris Yeo
905.721.2000 ext. 2290
chris.yeo@durhamcollege.ca

Fleming College
Drew Van Parys
705-749-5520 ext. 1696
drew.vanparys@flemingcollege.ca

Trent University
Marilyn Burns
(705) 748-1011 ext. 6184
mburns@trentu.ca

Spark Centre
Amanda Reynolds
905-432-3999 ext. 122
areynolds@sparkcentre.org

Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster
Martin Yuill
705.748.1011 x 7005 (office)
705.875.8188 (cell)
myuill@innovationcluster.ca