Innovation was thriving on Vancouver Island in 2017, judging by Innovation Island’s year-end review.
During the past year the venture acceleration organization held 121 events that drew more than 3,000 participants and involved 14 island communities.
On the entrepreneurial side, in 2017, Innovation Island aided in the development of businesses that produced:
- 15 jobs;
- 6.5 million in revenue;
- payrolls of 2 million; and
- more than $800,000 in new investment.
Since 2014, Innovation Island has generated:
- 104 jobs;
- $6.5 million in revenue;
- payrolls of 5.8 million; and
- $6.2 million in investment.
Innovation Island includes 79 municipalities, eight regional districts, and 13 school districts. The geographic area served by this business generating group covers Vancouver Island from the Malahat north and includes both the Sunshine Coast and the Gulf Islands.
For the holidays, the organization demonstrated the thriving technology on the island by releasing a free online game developed by Nanaimo-based Hypersurge Interactive Corp.