AgTech Startups Booming: Innovation Cluster Partners With Peterborough Agriculture Society

Seeing the vast potential in the booming AgTech sector locally, The Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster (GPIC) has announced an innovative new partnership with the Peterborough Agricultural Society (PAS).

It was a perfect fit with the Innovation Cluster as The Peterborough Agriculture Society has outlined a new strategic plan which clearly identifies the desire to promote agriculture awareness with an emphasis on advanced agriculture processes and technology, something the Innovation Cluster has championed in the community.

Entomo Farms

Indeed, the Innovation Cluster has been working with companies to aid in the commercialization of agriculture research and in promoting innovation in the agriculture sector with companies such as Noble Tech Inc., Entomo Farms and Chimp Treats.

“There are a growing number of AgTech start-ups in the region and this partnership will be crucial to the development of our local agriculture sector and economy,” says Michael Skinner, Interim CEO of the Innovation Cluster.

Andrea Lacerda from Noble Tech

The Innovation Cluster will kick off this unique affiliation with PAS by hosting a demonstration area—coined "Innovation Agriculture Zone"—at the Peterborough Exhibition in August for Innovative Agriculture related companies, and Chimp Treats will be there launching a new product.

We're teaming up with local farmers to bring a healthy, frozen treat to the @ptboex 🍌 + 🍓 -> 🍦 #nicecream @InnovationPtbo @PtboCanada

— Chimp Treats (@chimptreats) June 9, 2016

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Downtown Peterborough To Have Free Outdoor Wi-Fi

**UPDATE (June 21st)** Free outdoor Wi-Fi is still definitely happening in downtown Peterborough but its launch has been delayed, the DBIA tells PTBOCanada. "We've hit a number of snags along the way that have slowed the project down, but it is still very much in the works and will launch this summer," Communications Manager Joel Wiebe tells PTBOCanada. No specific launch date is given, but they're aiming for July.

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ORIGINAL POST

Awesome news for Downtown Peterborough as free outdoor Wi-Fi is coming to the downtown core later this spring, likely in May.

"Wi-Fi and smartphones are becoming integral to the way people shop, dine, work, live and enjoy a night out," says DBIA Communications Manager Joel Wiebe. "Downtown continues to offer a rewarding local experience and modernizing with free Wi-Fi will add to that experience."

The free Wi-Fi will cover much of the main commercial area downtown with potential to expand it if it's a success.

"Wi-Fi is one more way for us to show value to our members and make downtown more competitive," adds DBIA Executive Director Terry Guiel.

This exciting venture is a partnership between the DBIA, Community Futures Development Corporation, Peterborough Utilities Group, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism, the City of Peterborough and other potential partners.

The Wi-Fi will be similar to most free networks in that you'll have to hit "agree" on a landing page but you won't need to have a password.

After you sign in, your can tweet and instagram away about our beautiful downtown!

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Noble Tech Inc. Announces $20-Million, 50,000-Square-Foot Clean Tech Algae Plant In Peterborough

Peterborough-based start-up Noble Tech, parent company to Noble Purification, has announced plans for a $20 million, 50,000-square-foot production facility, offering sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment, nutritional and pharmaceutical sectors while expanding Ontario’s green economy.

Noble Tech Inc. founder Adam Noble announced the plans for the company’s growth Monday (February 8th) at Trent University—with a goal to become the premier tenant of the new Trent Research and Innovation Park.

Adam Noble @NPurification to expand & ramp up production with goal to be 1st @TrentUniversity research park tenant pic.twitter.com/89t3TdCvlo

— Trent University (@TrentUniversity) February 8, 2016

“We see algae differently. We want to create a more sustainable future," Noble says. "We are going to change the way the world treats water and we want to do that right here in Peterborough."

Noble Tech Inc. is a next generation bioproducts company with a goal to create a more sustainable future. It researches, cultivates and markets unique microalgae strains and their derivatives for various market applications from wastewater treatment to nutritional products, and eventually, pharmaceuticals.

Adam Noble acknowledges support from @TrentUniversity researchers in leading to @NPurification success to date. pic.twitter.com/v1JZ9M2kbC

— Trent University (@TrentUniversity) February 8, 2016

Noble Tech plans to begin construction on its new facility in Spring 2017. The new facility will have a capacity to produce more than 10,000 tonnes of algae per year. The timing is dependent on the construction of servicing to the Trent Research and Innovation Park by the City of Peterborough and Trent University, and the City of Peterborough finalizing the management structure for the park.

Very proud to hear of @AdamN22 & @NPurification's plans at @TrentUniversity in the years ahead. #Ptbo pic.twitter.com/08Cr52CWt3

— Michael (@vanderherberg) February 8, 2016

Noble currently employs six people with plans to grow its team to 12 people in 2016. When Noble’s new research and production facility is completed, its workforce is projected to increase to 25 positions.

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Summit At Trent University To Explore Impact Of Technology On Delivery Of Health Care

The Peterborough Council on Aging's 2015 Seniors' Summit takes place Thursday, October 29th at Trent University's Gzowski College. The focus this year is on how technology is affecting our health care system and the aging population. Everyone is welcome but older adults and those who provide care and services to seniors will be particularly interested in this event.

“Technology is transforming our lives and the delivery of health care,” says Jenny Ingram, Co-Chair of the Peterborough Council on Aging. “This Summit has something for everyone. For seniors, it is an opportunity to bring in their tablets, smart phones and devices to learn how to make them work for you. For health care managers and businesses, the Summit will offer a glimpse into your future.”

The event begins at 9:30 a.m. October 29th with an Information Village. Attendees can visit exhibitors who display and demonstrate their technologies.

This is a hands-on event for people to experience technology and find out how they can use it.

In the afternoon, there are great speakers. For registration info, go here.
 

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Why Peterborough Could Emerge As One Of The Tech Cities In Canada

Peterborough has always been known as a city of innovation. It's in our DNA. The city now has the opportunity to emerge as one of the tech cities in Canada—or anywhere. Here are 15 reasons why... 

1. Peterborough has always been ahead of the curve, from being the first city in Canada with electric street lighting (1884) to constructing the highest hydraulic lock in the world (1904)—see more examples here.

2. Peterborough has tremendous talent from Trent University and Fleming College to feed from—students (aka digital natives) from all over the world who were raised with mobile devices and apps as a part of their lives, and some of whom are now starting tech-based businesses.

3. Peterborough is known for being tech-savvy, an early adopter that engages with new tech, digital media and social media platforms. Ideas get incubated and shared here in the "creative economy" by global citizens (digital natives and digital immigrants) sharing on mobile in real-time. (Our media company began as a Twitter handle.)

4. The spirit of innovation, adapting and evolving has emerged from manufacturing giants in Peterborough like Quaker Oats, the old Outboard Marine, and of course GE (whose "Electric City” moniker comes from GE's long association with the city).

5. Peterborough organizations have really begun to embrace the collaborative approach to city-, community-, business-, tech-building, allowing for start-up ideas to be incubated and get off the ground sooner—and from right here in Peterborough rather than another city. Less red tape, more Let's Just Do This.

6. High schools and elementary schools are adding to their curriculum exciting new ways of exploring and using technology in the classroom setting to teach, adapting to the real tech world children are raised in and inspired by. Some school boards are creating hashtags to share their findings. These students, and their ideas, are the future of this city.

Students in Gr. 6 set up and actively learning Math through play using the @ProdigyGame website in class #PVNClearns pic.twitter.com/VLZD2vwhhU

— St. John Ptbo (@StJohnPVNC) September 14, 2015

7. The city's history is rooted in creative people who experiment and push the envelope, from Sir Sandford Fleming (who lived here as a young engineer), to Erica Cherney, to Jim Balsillie (born and raised in Peterborough)—co-founder and former co-CEO of Research in Motion ("BlackBerry").

8. The likes of Peterborough Economic Development, Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, Peterborough Angels, DBIA, City of Peterborough, Bears' Lair and Startup Peterborough are exploring (and rewarding) how technology, digital and innovation can develop our city in the modern era—and most importantly, retain young, bright, innovative minds.

9. Peterborough—long known as a hub for beta testing products and ideas, many of which eventually hit national and international markets—is emerging as one of the "start-up" communities in Canada, fostering and mentoring young entrepreneurs at a grassroots level, giving them autonomy to build, learn, make mistakes, grow.

10. Peterborough is realizing the value of experimentation and testing out ideas on social media platforms and elsewhere to explore possibilities and kickstart businesses that could change the city—and world. The "Why the hell not?" attitude has caught on. 

11. Technology could be a game changer for Peterborough, and young entrepreneurs see that. In fact, the most powerful testimonials come from startups themselves: "This city is becoming a fast adapter of technology," startup Ribbet co-founder Sana Virji tells PTBOCanada. "With numerous startups growing in the region, we know Peterborough is the place to be."

12. If you look around you and see how people are consuming and sharing information, it's on mobile devices, iPads and laptops. It's not so much newspapers, magazines, phone and TV sets anymore. The world has changed. Gen Z, millennials, Gen Xers and, more and more, Baby Boomers, are staring at their iPhones screens because that's where they are reading, watching video, sharing info and fostering ideas. Leisure, play and work are there now. It's a new, exciting world.  

13. From seasoned local digital companies like OutdoorSmart (the successful company behind BoatSmart!) to start-ups like Noble Purification, the future of Peterborough is emerging as much on technology and startups as manufacturing and other traditional industries (which they themselves are re-thinking approaches in the modern era).

14. Hubs, think tanks, digital networking, pods, incubators, clusters, re-thinking work spaces are all being re-imagined in Peterborough, as "traditional" work—and its office notion of "9 to 5" in a cubicle—undergoes a transformative era. Nowadays, you can build a company from your dining room table. Or the café. Or wherever.  

15. Look at it this way, too: The more Peterborough becomes known as a tech city surrounded by beautiful water, restaurants, stores and people—with all the amenities of urban and rural—the more we'll see talented people drawn to study here, intern here, start up businesses here, be hired by tech companies here in need, and stay here. And raise families here.

Basically, all the ingredients and momentum are here to create an amazing tech ecosystem that becomes the talk of the town—and Canada. Hashtag that.

—Neil Morton

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Start-Up Noble Purification's State Of The Art Water Equipment Could Be A Game Changer

Noble Purification, a Peterborough-based start-up company and founder client of the Innovation Cluster's "The Cube" innovative technology incubator program, unveiled its new bio-filtration plant recently.

The new bio-filtration pilot plant has state-of the-art water purification equipment with filtration processes for converting algae blooms into feedstock for biofuels, while purifying wastewater.

Inventor Adam Noble

Adam Noble, CEO of Noble Purification, invented this amazing new filtration method. Here's how it works:
The Euglena BioFiltration System is a simple concept inspired by nature. The idea derives from algae blooms and their ability to extract nearly all nutrients from their surroundings. Noble took this one step further to employ a very unique alga that can be tricked into absorbing minerals, heavy metals and other pollutants from the environment. Though algae blooms wreak havoc on our ecosystems, Noble has applied the same philosophy for positive results.

Noble and his team have the motivation, resources, knowledge and support to make a difference in the world, and their goal is to implement their biofiltration system in municipalities in Canada.

Noble wants to create sustainable and life-changing development, and they're beta testing this out of their county road plant near Trent University.

Noble Purification and The Cube collaborating on this unique venture is another example of technology innovation and ingenuity happening right here in Peterborough.

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