Photo: Contributed

A local Okanagan company has received up to $200,000  to deliver new programming services that will support the growth of early to mid stage technology companies.

The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) presented Accelerate Okanagan with the grant for their  "Traction Program", which targets companies that have validated their products or services, are generating revenue and are committed to high growth. 

With participation in the program, companies will receive access to executive level expertise through the embedded executive service, workshops and training opportunities with a particular focus on highly scalable business model development.

Jeff Keen, CEO of Accelerate Okanagan believes that the majority of high-tech SMEs are significantly challenged with the creation and execution of scalable business model strategies and preparing their businesses for significant growth.

"The Traction Program will provide a new set of expert services targeted to meet these needs," he claims, " Once accepted into the program, an Executive in Residence (EiR) will be assigned to the company to identify major gaps and pain points within the organization, create and deploy single focus action plans to move the company forward and provide ongoing assessment and accountability to ensure the company is meeting mutually agreed milestones.”

Program Director for Accelerate Okanagan Braden Messenger says core components of the program will centre on entrepreneurial development and education with a particular focus on scalable business model development, sales & marketing strategies and strategic planning. 

“We are very pleased to benefit from the support of NRC IRAP on this exciting initiative because of the significant impact it will have on the participating organizations, job creation and the continued diversification of the local economy," Messenger says.

Accelerate Okanagan is a technology focused not-for-profit, formed in December of 2010 which helps to increase the numbers of technology companies that start and grow in the Okanagan.