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Wavefront Joins BCIC Acceleration Network And Launches Venture Acceleration Program

wavefront [1]Wavefront [2], Canada’s Centre of Excellence for Wireless Commercialization and Research, has signed an agreement with the British Columbia Innovation Council [3] (BCIC) to deliver the Venture Acceleration Program [4], a BCIC Acceleration Network [5] program supported by the BC Innovation Council. The BCIC Acceleration Network is a province-wide alliance of regional partners collaborating in the delivery of a structured program – the Venture Acceleration Program – to accelerate the growth of early stage technology companies in BC.

“Wavefront is delighted to join the BCIC Acceleration Network, giving wireless entrepreneurs in BC access to valuable executive-level mentorship from tried and tested technology leaders,” said James Maynard, President and CEO, Wavefront. “The Venture Acceleration Program is one more way that Wavefront is accelerating the growth and success of wireless companies in BC by connecting them with the critical resources they need to effectively grow their business.”

“Through the BC Jobs Plan, we will continue to leverage the more than $1.8 billion we have already invested in research and innovation to develop the commercial opportunities of tomorrow,” said John Yap, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology. “The world knows that BC companies innovate, improve and deliver.”

Through this new agreement with BCIC, Wavefront will offer the Venture Acceleration Program at its 20,000 square foot Accelerator Centre in downtown Vancouver. The Program includes structured access to valuable one-on-one coaching opportunities with experienced Executives in Residence and mentors, comprehensive training sessions and business clinics, and access to other Wavefront services including international market linkages, wireless training programs and events, state of the art wireless product development and testing infrastructure, and a mobile device library with more than 400 handsets and tablets.

“Wavefront’s strong reputation as the national provider of acceleration and commercialization services to wireless technology companies in Canada makes them an invaluable addition to the network” said Dean Prelazzi, Managing Director of the BCIC Acceleration Network. “Adding the structure of the Venture Acceleration Program to their portfolio of services creates a program of unprecedented value to early stage companies in BC’s wireless sector. It also adds tremendous domain expertise to the provincial network benefitting all wireless startups in the Venture Acceleration Program throughout BC.”

At $200 per month, the Venture Acceleration Program offers exceptional value to startups giving them structured access to a highly experienced advisory team for hands-on advice while coaching them through a staged growth model that is based on growth methodologies from gurus such as Eric Ries and Steve Blank. The program can accommodate wireless companies working out of their own existing offices, or those who choose to work directly out of the Wavefront Accelerator Centre in flexible work spaces ranging from shared drop-in desk space to private offices. Applications to join the Program are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Wavefront also announced that, with support from the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), the organization has established a program that subsidizes access to wireless expertise and services that help accelerate the growth and commercialization of Ontario-based SMEs who are developing wireless products or services, including applications.

The Wavefront Acceleration Program [6] with NRC-IRAP allows SMEs to access an array of fundamental services including business advisory support from experienced wireless industry professionals, state of the art wireless product development and testing infrastructure, international market linkages, and wireless training programs and events.

Under the Wavefront Acceleration Program with NRC-IRAP, Ottawa based Flick Software was able to gain access to the funding, support and capabilities needed to create a complete mobile web solution for their clients.

“We were extremely impressed with Wavefront’s extensive partner network and their understanding of our unique needs. Wavefront was quickly able to engage the right expertise that helped to validate and accelerate the market readiness of our mobile web integration,” said Jason Flick, CEO, Flick Software.

Hélène Joncas, Vice President of Wavefront’s Eastern Region, adds, “Thanks to the NRC-IRAP, Wavefront has been able to subsidize fundamental services that are catalysts in accelerating the commercialization of small wireless companies across Ontario. As we have seen with Flick Software, this is already resulting in impressive growth.”

 

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1 Comment To "Wavefront Joins BCIC Acceleration Network And Launches Venture Acceleration Program"

#1 Comment By Tami Quiring (@VillageGamer) On Wednesday November 28, 2012 @ 4:22 am

.@WavefrontAC Joins @BCIC Acceleration Network And Launches Venture Acceleration Program [11]