Invest Durham Enews

Meet two Ontario Tech engineering students who helped build Canada’s first electric vehicle

Starter Company Plus Program

This program is available for existing market ready business owners—operating between one to three years—to expand (hire employees, contractors or purchase an on-site location) or buy a business in Durham Region.

The program provides:



• Three mandatory training days over two weeks, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., covering Business Concept, Organization, Operations and Customer Relations.
• The chance to receive up to $5,000 in seed funding to kick off a new business or expand your current business.
• The experience of running a successful business that may help you obtain more traditional financing, such as a bank loan if you so require in the future.



This program is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade and the next cohort is in October 2023.

Events and Partnerships

Tech Essentials for Launching and Scaling your Startup event - October 5

The Business Advisory Centre of Durham (BACD) is inviting you to learn about tech essentials—the tools and software that are essential for your business!

By the end of this free event, you’ll have a clear game plan for tech success, and setting your company up for growth, efficiency, and a strong edge in today’s competitive business landscape.

Ontario Tech University’s Women for STEM Summit - October 11

Mark your calendars for the fifth annual Women for STEM Summit! Ontario Tech University's Women for STEM program provides opportunities for female students to fulfil their potential in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-based fields.

Share your products and services at Durham’s virtual Business Showcase - October 16 to 18

Does your business have a product or service that would be a great fit for municipal government or the public sector?

The Region of Durham, in collaboration with local area municipalities, is hosting a virtual Business Showcase event from October 16 to 18 in search of products and/or service solutions for Regional and municipal program/service areas.



Businesses are invited to register for the Business Showcase by October 2 as space is limited. 

Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF) - October 19 to 21

Promoting arts, culture, creativity, and community, DRIFF showcases inspiring films that represent the distinctive voices of independent filmmakers. This fall festival will bring an exciting film festival experience to audiences in Durham Region—nurturing community connections with a peek at the behind-the-scenes of filmmaking, while supporting the development of local and international talent.

From the opening night and VIP gala reception to the final day that includes a free special DRIFF series, we welcome you to our three wonderfully unique locations: the Centennial Building in Whitby; St. Frances Centre in Ajax; and the Biltmore Theatre in Oshawa.

This event offers three days of thoughtful, curated, in-person programming from around the globe, with a focus on Canadian and Durham Region productions. In addition to screenings of short and feature-length films, check out the interactive film workshops and industry panels that were designed to engage a diverse network of audiences, filmmakers, and collaborators through a shared love of film.

Enjoy DRIFF’s 2023 selection of films as you learn about a filmmaker’s key responsibilities, challenges, and excitement while capturing their vision for the screen. Be part of the audience who determines the best film at the festival, while tasting delicious food and beverages at our local food and beverage showcase.

Come to DRIFF and let the films open your heart, transport you to a new world, educate you or inspire you!

Recent Business News

Durham College leads the way with grand opening of PROTO and Electric Vehicle Lab

PROTO provides clients, industry partners, student engineers and skilled trades faculty members and students an opportunity to collaborate and develop creative solutions and prototypes to address industry challenges. The EV Lab – which makes DC one of only a few Ontario colleges with a dedicated EV learning space – equips students with the specialized skills required in the evolving automotive industry. 

Learn how PROTO and the EV Lab are propelling Durham College forward as a leader in innovation and transformative education.

First Day of School for Inaugural Class of the Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program

Lakeridge Health has welcomed the inaugural class of 20 medical students as part of the new, first-of-its kind in Canada Queen's University-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program. Through the integration of classroom and workplace learning, students will begin to build relationships with the community from the start and will engage in urban centres and small communities across the Region.

Read about this program that holds tremendous promise to increase access to primary care in Durham Region.

From Durham Region to ears around the world: Adamson Systems Engineering is in Growth Mode.

Sound travels. Music moves around the globe, and helping to amplify it all is Adamson Systems Engineering from their base in Port Perry. Their loudspeaker systems can be heard in venues all over the world—at the Paradiso in Amsterdam; at the Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre in New Zealand; at Studio 104 in Paris, France; the Claude Debussy Theatre in Cannes, France; the Olavshallen Concert Hall in Trondheim, Norway and even at the Graceland Soundstage in Memphis.

Read the story from the Invest Durham blog.

Gamers unite! Durham Region has a growing gaming scene for your next night out.

Gamers unite! Durham Region has a growing gaming scene for your next night out. From trivia nights to gaming cafés, and arcades to escape rooms, there are endless opportunities in Durham Region to get your game on. Explore this list of game night hot spots to plan your next adventure in real life!

Read the story at the Durham Tourism blog.

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Toll-free: 1-800-706-9857

InvestDurham.ca 

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