A non-profit dedicated to empowering regional entrepreneurs has rebranded to reflect its expanding reach to businesses, municipalities and educational institutions beyond Kamloops.

In an event held at Sandman Centre on March 11, Kamloops Innovation staff and board unveiled the organization’s new name — Central Interior Business Accelerator.

Executive director Michael Andrews said the new name and brand identity reflects work the organization is doing in places further afield like Ashcroft, Merritt or Williams Lake.

“With the name Kamloops as part of our identity, it's not very inclusive. We were looking for something that was more inclusive, that really spoke to the where and the what,” Andrews said.

He said CIBA has expanded and offers support for a “gamut” of groups — including start-ups, mature businesses, non-profits, as well as municipal and regional corporations.

“I know that many of you have known us for 10 years as a business that really effectively works mostly with technology companies, but over that decade or so, technology is everywhere. It's in everything we do,” Andrews told the dozens gathered to celebrate the new launch.

As an example of the non-profit's expanded reach, Andrews said CIBA has taken on a pilot project with the Cariboo Regional District, looking at opportunities to integrate technology, find efficiencies and cost savings, and solve challenges at a different level than a smaller start-up might require.

He said CIBA is ready to help businesses of all types become more efficient, improve workflows and integrate technology.

“Our job is to continue to push the envelope in helping businesses integrate those technologies, support them in ways to learn how to use them, find efficiencies, increase productivity — and by doing so, make the ecosystem stronger and more attractive to other businesses to start and thrive in the Central Interior," Andrews said.