Innovation PEI

🌟 What a week! 🌟 Thank you to everyone who celebrated Small Business Week 2024 with us, and to all of our incredible small business clients who inspire us all year round! 💡

⏰ TIME IS RUNNING OUT! ⏰ 🎨 Applications for the Fall 2024 round of Arts Grants are due on Monday, October 21st, 2024 at 4PM ADT! Learn more about each of the three grant streams and submit your application through the link below! https://lnkd.in/eGU9pxv4

🔔 REMINDER 🔔⠀ ⠀ Applications for the Fall 2024 round of the Ignition Fund are due this Monday, October 21st at 1 PM ADT!! 🔥⠀ ⠀ Visit the link below to see if you qualify and how much support is available to help your business soar 🚀 https://lnkd.in/dezHhWHV

We hope everyone has a safe and happy long weekend! 🍂 Please note our office will be closed Monday October 14, 2024 for Thanksgiving. We will reopen with normal winter hours from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM on October 15, 2024.

We're hiring an Information Technology (IT) Business Development Officer! 🖥️ The IT Business Development Officer works directly with new and existing PEI-based businesses to support growth opportunities and source innovative solutions in the IT field. Submit your application through the link below by Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 5:00pm. https://lnkd.in/eVDfY2C2

📣 Interested in making a difference in arts and culture on PEI?🎨 🌟 The Cultural Development division is looking for members of the arts community and the general public to get involved in the grant distribution process! We are seeking passionate individuals to join our Peer Assessment Committees (PACs) to select successful projects and award funding amounts. 🍁 Our PACs, guided by the standards of the Canada Council for the Arts, consist of a Chairperson and a diverse group of peer assessors. Peer assessment provides the best possible means of identifying outstanding ability and artistic merit in the arts and culture sector. 📝 You must submit your completed nomination form before October 21st, 2024 in order to be considered for the Fall 2024 PEI Arts Grants PAC. Learn more about the selection process through the link below! https://lnkd.in/eiw66_tu 🖌️ Whether you nominate yourself or someone else, this is your chance to contribute to the vibrant arts and culture landscape on the island!

The season change is here, and with that our winter office hours! 🍂 ⠀ Starting today, Oct 7th, 2024, our office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.⠀

🌐 Let's welcome our newest member of the Global Trade team, Shelby McDonald! 💼 Shelby McDonald serves as a Trade Officer at Innovation PEI. Originally from Kensington, Prince Edward Island, Shelby now resides in Kingston, PEI. Though the names of these towns are similar, they are approximately 45 minutes apart. 💡 Shelby finds immense joy in her role as a trade officer, as it allows her to support entrepreneurs to reach their global potential. She delights in collaborating closely with business owners, guiding them through the complexities of export readiness. She finds great satisfaction in witnessing these businesses flourish in regional, national, and international markets. 🛍️ Outside of her professional life, Shelby is passionate about thrifting and interior decorating. She delights in the thrill of searching for unique treasures in thrift stores or antique shops, likening the experience to a fun treasure hunt. When she’s not on the lookout for hidden gems, she loves spending quality time with family and friends, often chasing her young daughter around their cottage in Darnley, PEI. And if she manages to find a little free time, she enjoys a round of golf — nine holes though, never the full 18! 🤔 Shelby's life motto, "Everything is figureoutable," embodies her resilient and adaptable mindset. This phrase serves as a reminder that no matter how daunting a challenge may appear, there is always a way to address it. Shelby applies this belief when working with entrepreneurs, encouraging them to creatively tackle obstacles in their business growth. 👍 Among the best advice Shelby has received is the "let them" theory, which emphasizes the importance of accepting that not everything can be controlled. This perspective has taught her to trust others and allow them to manage their own challenges, whether in professional or personal settings. By doing so, she fosters an environment of growth and learning for everyone involved. She feels this approach reduces stress and promotes healthier, more supportive relationships, ultimately allowing everyone to thrive. Get in touch with our Global Trade team today through our website!

André Dumas was one of the Spring 2024 recipients of the Ignition Fund with his company Atlantic Barley Products 🌾! Atlantic Barley Products will extract three co-products from PEI barley with commercial applications in manufacturing, food production, and animal nutrition. After a successful pilot, they seek to test the extraction process at scale, pursue USDA licensing, and open a commercial processing plant. 🚀 Ready to learn how you can turn your business ideas into reality? Applications for the Fall 2024 round of the Ignition Fund are currently open! Learn more through the link below! https://lnkd.in/dezHhWHV

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation signifies an important time in the history of Canadians and Island residents.⠀ ⠀ We not only celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ immeasurable contribution to Canada and Prince Edward Island, but also, their resilience, determination, courage, and rich cultural heritage.⠀ ⠀ On this day, we also commemorate Orange Shirt Day, a time to reflect on the history of residential schools, and the intergenerational impacts on First Nations and Indigenous People, honor the healing journey of residential school survivors and their families, and remember the children who never reunited with loved ones.⠀ ⠀ We encourage everyone to take time to reflect on what it means to decolonize, to learn about the rich history of the Mi'kmaq First Nations, to participate in events happening across Epekwitk, to donate to organizations supporting survivors of residential schools, and to wear orange to show support for residential school survivors and their families while acknowledging the legacy of residential schools.⠀ ⠀ A reminder that the Innovation PEI office will be closed on September 30th, 2024 to observe The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Normal hours will resume on October 1, 2024.