Mississauga Ignites Innovation with Announcement of IDEA Square One – the City’s Anchor Innovation Hub

Today, Mayor Crombie and Councillors, in partnership with Oxford Realty Properties and joined by Mississauga’s Economic Development Office and others, officially announced Mississauga’s anchor innovation location – IDEA Square One Entrepreneur and Innovation Hub.

IDEA Square One provides an opportunity to anchor Mississauga’s entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem within its newly-revealed innovation identity – IDEA Mississauga. It will also advance Mississauga’s position as a scaling and commercialization global leader. Located in downtown Mississauga’s Square One Shopping Centre, IDEA Square One will open in fall 2022.

“Today, Mississauga marks an exciting milestone as we officially announce the upcoming opening of our anchor innovation location – IDEA Square One. This innovation hub will be a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses looking to grow and scale in Mississauga,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “As the second-largest employment hub in the GTA and home to over 98,000 businesses, Mississauga is already an economic powerhouse within Canada. Today’s announcement will add over 4,000 square feet of working space and a ‘concierge-style’ method of providing support to start-ups, encouraging innovation and incentivizing businesses to build and grow in Mississauga and cementing our position within the Toronto-Waterloo tech corridor. Innovation lives in Mississauga.”

IDEA Square One will be a critical part of the city’s innovation ecosystem which is made up of industry, government, education and providers of space and programs that support innovation. With its central location, IDEA Square One will provide a 4,300 square-foot connected space that will be a collaborative core for entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups in Mississauga.

The Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre (MBEC) will play an important role as an anchor tenant at IDEA Square One by acting as a lead coordinator of innovation activity, offering the following support start-up activities:

• Coordinating collaborative programming by providing a ‘concierge-style’ service for Mississauga’s entrepreneurs.
• Developing collaborative supports for business start up and growth by working with Mississauga’s key providers of entrepreneurship.
• Creating an accessible space that drives innovation and entrepreneurship in the city through collaborative programming, mentorship, networking events and co-working space.
• Creating awareness of IDEA Mississauga as a recognizable innovation district that delivers entrepreneurial programming, supports and services.
• Incentivizing innovative growth companies to stay in Mississauga in collaboration with key entrepreneurial support providers to create a funnel for companies that ensures they find the right supports at the right time for their venture.

“We are committed to supporting our entrepreneurs and nurturing ideas and innovation. IDEA Square One will be a key component of our innovation journey,” said Bonnie Brown, Director, Economic Development Office. “Through our valued partnerships and enhanced and collaborative programming, IDEA Square One will provide a connected space that will become the core for Mississauga’s entrepreneur community, offering an open and inclusive atmosphere. It will also raise our profile as a key player in the innovation ecosystem locally, nationally and globally.”

IDEA Mississauga will have a strong presence at Collision 2022, where staff will showcase some of Mississauga’s growing tech ventures.

Mississauga’s entrepreneurs can also access the City’s Virtual Innovation Hub, IDEAmississauga.ca for regional supports, resources, tools and assets to grow their business.

IDEA Square One advances the Council-endorsed goals of The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Study (2019) and Economic Development Strategy (2020-25) to strengthen Mississauga’s innovation performance and Mississauga’s Strategic Plan (2009) goal to be a ‘global city for creativity and innovation’ by cultivating creative and innovative businesses.

Learn more about IDEA Mississauga and access the Virtual Innovation Hub at ideamississauga.ca.

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