(Windsor, Ontario, March 29, 2017) – Beginning April 1, the University of Windsor’s Entrepreneurship, Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) will extend its entrepreneurial outreach to St. Clair College.   The St. Clair Genesis Centre’s team will merge with EPICentre, creating a new location called EPIC Genesis.   This collaboration will build on synergies and expand the services available to college and university students in Windsor-Essex.   It will create opportunities to mix and connect the varying skill sets of these post-secondary students and graduates, and potentially enable highly innovative venture teams.

“Entrepreneurship often involves the collaboration of specialists, and that is certainly reflected in this development,” said St. Clair College President Patti France. “The opportunity for our students to work with the students and staff of the university – and their students and staff to work with the college’s – means that entrepreneurs will have access to the cutting-edge expertise of both institutions. When both schools share the ultimate goal of providing tools for student success, why duplicate efforts in this field? The university was well positioned to be the lead agency in this particular partnership, and we’ll continue to explore other opportunities to jointly assist the students of both institutions.”

EPICentre is the entrepreneurial hub at the University of Windsor created to encourage entrepreneurship on campus and to support students and graduates interested in launching their own businesses. EPICentre hosts more than 100 programs and activities each year.

“The University of Windsor is looking forwarding to strengthening its collaborative relationship with St. Clair College and furthering opportunities for entrepreneurship in our region,” said University President and Vice-Chancellor Alan Wildeman.

“St. Clair College faculty, students and alumni will add a new dimension to the innovative activities taking place in EPICentre, and expand opportunities to all post-secondary students and graduates in our region.”

EPICentre will now have three physical locations. At the University of Windsor, EPIC Innovation in the Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre provides incubation and co-working space, and the EPIC Industrial Hub in the Centre for Engineering Innovation (CEI) provides equipment and incubation space for startups and collaboration space for industry.

At St. Clair College, EPIC Genesis will continue to provide part-time co-working and event space.  Facilities and programs offered at any EPICentre location can be accessed by post-secondary students and recent alumni of either institution.  For more information, visit its website on http://www.epicentreuwindsor.ca/.

 

Contact:

Wen Teoh

Venture Start Director

Entrepreneurship Practice & Innovation Centre (EPICentre)

University of Windsor

2455 Wyandotte Street West, 2nd Floor

Windsor, ON N9B 0C1

Phone: 519.253.3000 ext. 3913

E-mail: wteoh@uwindsor.ca