As many Canadian entrepreneurs have had to close their doors if not postpone their vision during the pandemic, some good news has arrived.
Tech-AdaptiKa, an eLearning, conferences, and training service provider that offers immersive virtual solutions, announced that it has launched an avatar-based business incubator, called IDENO, in northern Ontario. The program is being offered in partnership with Voilà Community Help and is supported by the Government of Canada’s economic development organization for Northern Ontario, FedNor.
The program will run for one year and aims to connect with as many as 1,200 entrepreneurs on a weekly basis. As well, participants will have the ability to use Tech-AdaptiKa’s technology to power their own events, conferences, and workshops free of charge.
Hosni Zaouali, founder, Tech-AdaptiKa
“The IDENO Virtual Business Incubator is a program co-funded by FedNor and the Government of Canada to help entrepreneurs and startup founders from Northern and rural Ontario to connect with service providers, incubators like The DMZ, Velocity, MaRS, and VCs from all over Canada to train/support these entrepreneurs with market intelligence, opportunities, workshops and mentorship programs,” began Hosni Zaouali, founder, Tech-AdaptiKa. “This is for both Francophone and Anglophone communities.”
Zaouali explained, “The immediate benefit is these entrepreneurs will get:
- the required training and support from the service providers for free to help them turn their business idea into a viable business
- lots of workshops/market intelligence to set up and expand their business, HR, tax, government grants, etc.
- saves time for entrepreneurs by helping them connect with many service providers and Incubators in one single platform
- develop a strong network and valuable connections with the Incubators and other fellow entrepreneurs
- shared service/platform from Tech-AdaptiKa that service providers and incubators can use for free and provide the workshops and connect with entrepreneurs.”
“In the long run, this program will benefit by promoting entrepreneurship in Northern Ontario (and bring revenue), establish great companies, generate employability, [and] socio-economic development of Northern Ontario that will generate a ripple effect across Canada,” concluded Zaouali.
IDENO is entirely avatar-based and takes place in the “LiVE Open Campus platform that is equipped with an Auditorium, Exhibition Area with booths, breakout rooms, Lounge, and Cafe for speed mentoring and networking sessions. Every participant, be it the Entrepreneur or the Service Provider can download this platform for free and personalize their Avatars.”
“Unlike the traditional video-conferencing tool,” explained Zaouali, “the LiVe Open Campus allows each participant with their own virtual avatar to go beyond and immerse fully in a gamified 3D environment. The participants’ introductions through their profiles allow people to learn about them and foster connections. It promotes natural spontaneous interactions, facilitates networking, and even allows private meetings to discuss valuable ideas.”
Mentorship is being solicited for IDENO, another aspect that is open for entrepreneurs.
“We reach out to service providers/incubators via direct mail campaigns who would then join the program and run different workshops/training or provide mentorship. Any individual who provides similar service (mentorships) to entrepreneurs can also register for the program and provide their service to the Northern Ontario entrepreneurs for free.”
Participants are being recruited through direct mail campaigns as well as a paid social media campaign.
To learn more about the IDENO Virtual Incubation Program, visit here.
Related: Canadian Innovation
