Executive Council
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
November 8, 2017

Provincial Government Launches Business Innovation Agenda

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today launched the Provincial Government’s Business Innovation Agenda, which can be found online at www.nlinnovationagenda.ca external link icon.

The Premier was joined at the launch by the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation; Mark Dobbin, Chair, NL Innovation Council and member, Private Sector Advisory Committee; Adam Keating, COO and Co-Founder of CoLab Software Incorporated and a member of the Memorial University Paradigm Hyperloop team; and Marilyn Bown, Chief Financial Officer of Quorum Information Technologies.

The Business Innovation Agenda reflects input from business, industry and academia – the drivers of the provincial economy. It focuses on four priority areas:

  • Product development and commercialization;
  • Productivity;
  • Growth and internationalization; and
  • Workforce skills and talent.

The goal of the agenda is to expand the pool and capacity of innovation and growth-focused businesses that compose Newfoundland and Labrador’s economic wealth generators. The agenda will play an important role in achieving the development targets outlined in The Way Forward Vision – one of which is to support the scaling of 20 firms in the technology sector per year.

After engaging with industry, there was a clear need for a one-stop point of entry for financial and non-financial supports and guidance. In response to this, in July the Provincial Government created InnovateNL – a single-window for a more efficient delivery of provincial innovation programs and services. Members of the NL Innovation Council will work with the Provincial Government and its partners on the implementation of the Business Innovation Agenda.

Quotes
“The Business Innovation Agenda is our plan to foster greater business innovation. It signals that we, as a government, are here to help local innovation and growth-focused firms accelerate business growth. We will do this by helping businesses identify and seize new opportunities, to enable them to be more productive, competitive, and international. The Business Innovation Agenda will play a major part in our government’s commitment to create economic opportunities in all regions of our province.”
Honourable Dwight Ball
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

“Through the agenda, we will create the conditions that will enable the province’s innovation-driven businesses to grow and diversify. We are providing access to financial support to entrepreneurs who may have challenges in securing initial financing through traditional lending agencies and we are supporting greater reach into new export markets. Supporting companies to develop and implement continuous improvement into their operations will ensure that they are maximizing their productivity and working as efficiently as possible.”
Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

“Creating and maintaining a climate where innovation can thrive is key to the future prosperity of our province. I am pleased that government has made it a priority and on behalf of the advisory council we look forward to working with the department to design and implement a process that delivers concrete, measurable support for innovation.”
Mark Dobbin
Chair, NL Innovation Council and Member of the Private Sector Advisory Committee

“Establishing a successful path forward that embraces the ever-evolving economy requires diversifying industries, embracing challenges and allowing people to innovate new technologies. Too often we turn to innovation out of necessity. Proactively creating a sustainable infrastructure to create new businesses will stabilize and grow Newfoundland and Labrador's economy. Creating an agenda that supports this vision will empower new ideas and ultimately create more leaders and globally competitive firms.”
Adam Keating
COO and Co-Founder, CoLab Software Incorporated and member of Paradigm Hyperloop

“Quorum established an office in St. John’s in back 2006 in order to hold on to talented native Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that had moved to Calgary and wanted to return home. The St. John's office has grown from a staff of five to 76 employees today and Quorum is keen to expand and hire more local talent. Part of Quorum’s success is due to our partnership with the Provincial Government. This support helped to make the St. John’s office Quorum’s largest office. The Business Innovation Agenda contains initiatives that support our businesses growth objectives, which gives us great confidence as we expand even further, accelerating our marketing, sales, customer service and development efforts.”
Marilyn Bown,
Chief Financial Officer, Quorum Information Technologies

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Learn More
Business Innovation Agenda - www.tcii.gov.nl.ca and www.nlinnovationagenda.ca external link icon

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL external link icon and @TCII_GovNL external link icon

Media contacts
Michelle Cannizzaro
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
Michellecannizzaro@gov.nl.ca

Eric Humber
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
709-729-4819, 725-9655
erichumber@gov.nl.ca

Mark Dobbin
NL Innovation Council and Private Sector Advisory Committee
mdobbin@killickcapital.com

Adam Keating
CoLab Software Incorporated and member of Paradigm Hyperloop
709-764-4179
adam@colabsoftware.com

Marilyn Bown
Quorum Information Technologies Inc.
709-758-1450
BownM@QuorumDMS.com

2017 11 08                              10:15 a.m.