Contact:
Ian Hand, 778.782.3843; ihand@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.9017; Marianne_Meadahl@sfu.ca

Photo: http://at.sfu.ca/CcWluP

The expansion of the BC Technology Industry Association’s Centre4Growth acceleration program into Surrey will mean new opportunities for Simon Fraser University to collaborate with both the city and industry.

At a launch today held at SFU Surrey, Ian Hand, of the university’s Innovation Office, said the Centre4Growth’s Surrey node would further enhance SFU’s collaborative role in Surrey’s growth and diversification by supporting entrepreneurship, alongside technology company formation and company growth.

“This partnership between SFU, the City of Surrey and the BC Technology Industry Association will expand opportunities as we work together to better support the continuum of knowledge creation, dissemination, mobilization and commercialization,” says Hand.

“Through this collaboration we’ll be able to identify new opportunities for SFU researchers, students and staff to engage with Surrey-based technology businesses, and with the City of Surrey, to share their expertise, talents and energy,” he adds. “Inter-organizational partnering, such as this, is well aligned with SFU's mission as the leading 'engaged' university.”

The Centre4Growth was launched two years ago and has since proven to be a successful delivery model in growing and accelerating B.C. tech companies. Nearly 300 companies have received coaching from its CEO-in-Residence program, resulting in employee, revenue and investment growth. Increasing populations in both Maple Ridge and Surrey precipitated the program’s expansion to these cities.

City of Surrey representatives, the centre’s team and members of the SFU Surrey campus community attended the launch.

Simon Fraser University is Canada's top-ranked comprehensive university and one of the top 50 universities in the world under 50 years old. With campuses in Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey, B.C., SFU engages actively with the community in its research and teaching, delivers almost 150 programs to more than 30,000 students, and has more than 120,000 alumni in 130 countries.

-30-

Simon Fraser University: Engaging Students. Engaging Research. Engaging Communities.