General News

November 2, 2020

Burlington Economic Development Receives a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award from International Economic Council

Washington, DC— Nov 2, 2020 — Burlington Economic Development won a gold award for TechPlace, a project in the Entrepreneurship category of the 2020 Excellence in Economic Development Awards Program.  The honour was presented last week at a virtual awards ceremony during the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Annual Conference.   

“Burlington Economic Development is thrilled to be receiving international recognition for TechPlace. Over the last three years our team has worked tirelessly to make sure TechPlace is a premier destination for new and growing technology companies and we are very proud of this recognition by IEDC,” said Anita Cassidy, Executive Director of Burlington Economic Development. “I would like to recognize the staff who worked hard to bring this space to life and create a physical space in Burlington where ideas and innovation can thrive,” she said.  

IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. 35 award categories honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers from around the world, following a nomination process held earlier this year. IEDC received over 500 submissions from 4 countries. 

As a part of The City of Burlington Strategic Plan 2015-2040, Burlington Economic Development was tasked to “create and invest in a system that supports the start-up and growth of businesses and entrepreneurship.” This led to the launch of TechPlace, a one-stop innovation centre for new and growing technology companies. It is 100% led by Burlington Economic Development and opened in 2017. The modern 8,600 square foot space features dynamic collaboration spaces, private meeting rooms, event space and offices designed to encourage peer-to-peer learning and company growth. 

TechPlace provides new and growing technology companies with access to space, resources, programming, and mentorship through a growing partnership network and by creating an environment that is focused on generating opportunities for growth. TechPlace is also home to Haltech, Halton’s Regional Innovation Centre that delivers education and advisory services to over 300 Halton Region start-ups and Angel One, a not-for-profit angel investing organization that has invested over $25M into over 130 early stage companies. Since opening in 2017, the space has welcomed over 15,000 users, directly supporting over 385 innovative businesses and more than 20 companies have utilized the LaunchPad program to take their business to the next level. In 2019, businesses supported by TechPlace generated over $35M in revenue and over 257 jobs were created for the Burlington community.   

“The winners of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the very best of economic development and exemplify the ingenuity, integrity, and leadership that our profession strives for each and every day”, said 2020 IEDC Board Chair and One Columbus CEO Kenny McDonald. “We’re honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing campaigns, projects and partnerships have measurably improved regional quality of life.” 

About the International Economic Development Council 

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at iedconline.org. 

About Burlington Economic Development   

Burlington Economic Development has a mandate to enhance the growth prospects of existing companies and bring new high-value firms to the community. Our focus is on growing the economic base to sustain Burlington’s competitive and prosperous community. Burlington Economic Development is the first point of contact for companies looking to expand, start-up or locate in Burlington.