VERNON – As the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the North Okanagan continues to grow, Accelerate Okanagan and Community Futures of the North Okanagan prepare to open The VIEW (Vernon Innovation & Entrepreneur Workspace) — an innovation center designed to bring together the community of innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who call the North Okanagan home.
Starting September 1, 2020, The VIEW will offer flexible office space where tenants & community members can access mentorship, support services, and collaborate with other members of the community. Tech-enabled businesses in the North Okanagan can get direct access to Accelerate Okanagan’s resources and accelerator programs—such as VAP, RevUP and W Venture. Those who are interested can connect to through The VIEW’s website, www.vernoninnovation.com.
Brea Lake is CEO of Accelerate Okanagan
In addition to programming, The VIEW will act as a conduit to the greater business community. “In order to fully serve entrepreneurs and community members, we need to create more connection opportunities to the broader innovation ecosystem,” says Brea Lake, CEO of Accelerate Okanagan. “By leveraging the existing organizations in our networks, we can help to accelerate economic growth in the North Okanagan”.
Mindful of opportunities unique to Vernon, Community Futures & Accelerate Okanagan have leveraged community feedback to understand what the needs were to support local businesses and drive the future of the region forward. The VIEW is supported by funding that Community Futures secured through Western Economic Diversification Canada.
Leigha Horsfield is General Manager of Community Futures North Okanagan
There is also an opportunity to see how increased traffic to the city’s core will benefit Vernon’s downtown. “Something that has been front-of-mind for us is the positive impact we’re hoping to see on surrounding businesses,” says, Leigha Horsfield, General Manager, Community Futures North Okanagan. “Our hope is that we’ll see more organizations benefit from the increased activity around the VIEW.”
The VIEW will be located in the heart of downtown Vernon, attached to Marten Brewing on the corner of 30th Ave and 30th Street. The space will feature coworking desks, private offices, meeting rooms, lounge space and kitchen. With several collision points in the building, Accelerate Okanagan and Community Futures are excited to see how tenants and community members will connect, utilize the space, and collaborate on new opportunities.
The VIEW looks to complete renovations and open its doors to tenants September 1st, 2020. A waitlist is currently available for the shared workspace.