Accelerator to help companies grow

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce has launched a first-of-itskind business accelerator aimed at helping established companies grow during the economic downturn.

The initiative, dubbed the Ignite Innovation Accelerator, is a three-month program that offers mentoring, networking and education to local companies that have been in business for a while, but are looking to develop or take to market a new product or service.

Spokesperson Scott Crockatt said the Chamber started the accelerator after speaking to a number of business owners who said that, while they have mastered the model that made their business successful in the first place, new and fresh ideas have proved more difficult to come up with.

“With the world changing rapidly around them and a new market in Calgary, particularly with depressed energy prices, businesses are saying we really want to inject innovation back into our business,” Crockatt said.

Don O’Dwyer — CEO of management, consulting, and analytics firm Raven Bay — said there are several incubators and accelerators in Calgary, but they are all aimed at startup or early-stage companies, not companies like his, which has been in business for 11 years.

“I think once you’re an established company, people think you’ve got the answer. And being an entrepreneur, you don’t,” he said.

Kevin Lanuke — president and CEO of printing services company Blitzprint Inc. — said after 27 years of experience running his business, he is now trying to launch a software program for his new offshoot marketing company, Blitmark. He added he is hoping that by participating in the accelerator, he will meet people with expertise in this area.