Brad Gavan believes ICAMP was even ahead of its time 10 years ago.
The ICAMP director was one of more than 200 people who gathered late last week at the Canadore Commerce Court Campus to celebrate 10 years since the not-for-profit innovation centre opened its door.
"Looking at 3-D printers, there are not many in local businesses, so as I said before, George Burton took a risk but he listened to companies in North Bay and what do we need. We need technology, we need resources, we need a place to play to make that new product so that is why we have ICAMP," said Gavan.
Gavan says seeing 200 people coming to celebrate innovation makes him really proud.
"It is a place where we will help you create your new business, your new product. We are not going to say no we are going to say how can we do it. If we cannot do it we can pass it on to IION or pass you on to a machine shop in town and we are just proud of trying to make product for Northern Ontario," said Gavan.
"We have done a drill for the moon, we have done work for 14 different sectors. We are in arts, we are in mining, we are in transportation, aviation, there is nothing our team cannot do."
The celebration also included a funding announcement from Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli.
Fedeli announced that the Ontario government is investing $1.1 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) for Canadore College to expand the Innovation Centre for Advance Manufacturing and Prototyping (ICAMP) facility.
“Our government is proud to continue providing targeted investments that will support the manufacturing industry in Northern Ontario,” said MPP Vic Fedeli.
“The expansion of ICAMP at Canadore College will help businesses and students work together to conduct market research by using specialized equipment to design, develop and test innovative ideas.”
“Canadore College is committed to experiential learning and applied research. Concept Development Lab (CDL) client companies and Canadore students could be working in the lab at the same time on vastly different projects. Our students could also be involved in product development or testing for lab clients. The CDL will co-exist with the Entrepreneurship Academy at Canadore by providing technical support for the development of innovative products."
George Burton, Canadore president and CEO, says to date ICAMP has assisted 500 companies complete more than 1100 projects.
"Industry is telling ICamp what it wants to build and create and ICAMP and ICAMP is helping businesses test out their ideas," said Burton.
"The Entrepreneurship Academy will work with ecosystem partners to bring the products to market. We thank the Government of Ontario for its continued support, and the financial commitments towards these endeavours," he concluded.
— BayToday
