February 22, 2017

WEtech Alliance is graduating out of the Downtown Windsor Business Accelerator.

The Regional Innovation Centre for Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent has spent five years at the Accelerator supporting the growth of tech companies as well as cultivating a community of innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.

“Like many startups, WEtech Alliance found its strength and built its network of partnerships at the Downtown Windsor Business Accelerator,” says Yvonne Pilon, President and CEO of WEtech Alliance. “It is time to yield that space to other startups that can benefit from such support”.

Arthur Barbut, Manager Director at the Downtown Windsor Business Accelerator, says there are companies lining up to enter the Accelerator, which is a sign the local economy is gaining strength and that the Accelerator’s services are in demand.

“At its heart, the mission of the Accelerator is to incubate businesses, so in a way we are returning to our core mandate,” says Barbut. “But the partnership with WEtech will remain strong, and we remain proud of our role incubating a key business support organization for our region.”

As of March 1st, 2017, WEtech Alliance is moving their office to the Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre – EPICentre – at the University of Windsor (2455 Wyandotte St W. Windsor, Ontario), which is an on-campus entrepreneurship centre and business incubator for student start-ups.

WEtech will continue to work with tech and innovation businesses of all ages, all sectors and stages across our entire region, says Pilon, who looks forward to new possibilities.

“We are excited about the opportunity to strengthen WEtech’s partnership with the EPIcentre, the University of Windsor and the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation just next door”, she says.

The EPICentre – home to 9 incubator members and 17 discovery members – has engaged with more than 1,100 students in the past 6 months. EPICentre’s mission is more about engaging faculty and students and developing an entrepreneurial culture/skillsets on campus.

“We have collaborated with WEtech Alliance on a number of initiatives and events, and we often support the same startups along their journey to commercialization,” says Executive Director Dr. Francine Schlosser. “Our strengths and resources complement each other nicely and that benefits companies in our region”.

WEtech Alliance works with over 125 clients representing sectors such as manufacturing, clean tech, advanced health, agriculture and digital media and ICT.