The opportunity and appetite for establishing an innovation hub in Durham Region were enthusiastically confirmed by participants, including Durham College (DC), at Durham Idea Summit 2.0. The event was held on October 16 at the Deer Creek Golf Club.

“The time for action is now,” said DC president Don Lovisa, acting as a representative of the Idea Summit cabinet. “We heard that from our keynote speaker, Avvey Peters, from our innovation industry panelists and other stakeholders.”

Peters is the vice-president of partnerships for Communitech, an industry-led innovation centre that supports, fosters and celebrates a community of nearly 1,000 tech companies in the Waterloo Region.

“What Waterloo has created with Communitech is the type of hub that can help drive new innovation and jobs in Durham Region,” said Carla Carmichael, vice-president, Ontario Power Generation (OPG). “As Avvey shared, it will take time to build so we have to be in it for the long game.”

Two more important steps towards establishing an innovation hub in Durham Region were taken during the day-long event that was attended by more than 120 representatives from local business, academia, and government.

First, a newly developed innovative tech asset map was shared publicly for the first time by Kathy Weiss, director of economic development for the Region of Durham. The map highlights the cluster of innovative tech businesses, start-ups and support organizations across the region. The asset map, which is a collaborative project between Durham Region, Idea Summit, and Spark Centre, is a living document with additions to be made as they are identified. The map is available for viewing at www.ditp.ca.

Second, an Idea Summit discussion paper, Building a Durham Innovation Hub, was also shared publicly for the first time. The paper outlines the Idea Summit’s vision and proposed approach for establishing an innovation hub in Durham Region.

Leaders of the conference are eager to maintain the momentum coming out of Idea Summit 2.0.

“We’ve taken to heart what we heard today and what we have consistently heard over the past 18 months,” said Jason Atkins, founder and CEO of 360insights. “The time to build an innovation hub in Durham Region is now and collaboration with all sectors of the community is key.”

The Durham Idea Summit is led by 10 of the region’s largest and more innovative employers including DC, University of Institute of Technology, 360insights, AECOM, GM Canada, Lakeridge Health, OPG, Search Engine People, Spark Centre and Veridian.