The Wood Buffalo Regional Innovation Network (WBRIN) was born of a need to connect business support organizations in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo to each other, as well as entrepreneurs in the region and Alberta. It is a network of six organizations in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo, who occupy the roles of co-chairs and a steering committee. These organizations are; Keyano College, Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism (FMWBEDT), Community Futures Wood Buffalo, The Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce, Alberta Innovates, and Startup YMM.
Unlike other networks and programs in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo, the WBRIN is funded by Alberta Innovates to specifically connect and grow the technology and knowledge-based businesses in Alberta. The WBRIN is also different from our other local FMWB initiatives because it is part of an Alberta-wide group of networks. Through the WBRIN, they can connect the community to the rest of the province’s innovation network, and adopt and contribute to a wider set of best practices.
The purpose is to increase and capture innovation on the front lines, attract technologies and talent to the community, and inspire a whole new generation of entrepreneurs across Fort McMurray and the entire Wood Buffalo region.
The WBRIN’s main goal is to support entrepreneurs in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo. They encourage entrepreneurs to engage with them through the programs they support and by sharing their viewpoints on gaps and challenges existing in the entrepreneurial ecosystem that they can tackle together.
One of the WBRIN’s main strengths is in how they conceptualized and supported Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism (FMWBEDT) to provide entrepreneurs access to skills, space, and mentorship to turn their ideas into scalable businesses through Startup YMM. The concept of Startup YMM is an initiative that follows best practices in other regions across the country. One entrepreneur (Pawel) says, “I have worked on a number of startups previously some more and others less successful. What Startup YMM is providing for my current startup is a systematic way of advancing by providing numerous courses
and being a part of networking opportunities.” Another one of their entrepreneurs’ shares, “Startup YMM has opened so many doors for me. I have had the pleasure of meeting and conversing with bright, successful and influential people. It’s a community we desperately needed in our region. I am grateful for the support and connections made through Startup YMM.”
Startup YMM through support of the WBRIN hosts the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Venture Mentor Services Program in a partnership with the Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal Business Association. This program was developed by MIT in Boston and has been adopted by over 100 chapters around the world. The unique team approach matches groups of 3 to 4 mentors with entrepreneurs to provide practical day-to-day advice and coaching that helps build resilient entrepreneurs.
Startup YMM also houses the region’s first and only technology maker space. This is a community operated workspace for people with interests in machining, computing science, and digital and electronic art to meet, experiment and collaborate. The Startup YMM Makerspace is the perfect place to turn an idea into something tangible. But you don’t need to be an expert to be part of
this community.
Learn more about the Wood Buffalo Regional Innovation Network and Startup YMM today- The best place to start something is here and now.
