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Cobourg Police Service partners to launch Policetech Accelerator

This policetech initiative will establish Cobourg as a “test bed for small to mid-sized police force innovation in community safety by driving the adoption of next generation applications in predictive analytics, evidence-based policing, distributed sensing/virtual patrols, community relations optimization and other smart policing technologies.”

February 21, 2020  By Staff


Photo: Northumberland CFDC

Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) has launched the Venture13 Policetech Accelerator in partnership with Cobourg Police Service (CPS).

The accelerator will offer research and development partnership opportunities, technology pilots (demonstration and validation) and investments through two streams (Policetech Start-Ups and Policetech Scale-Ups).

“Innovation is a core value of our police service. And so, we are excited to see this partnership evolve to position our service and Venture13 as a policetech test bed and best-in-class for rural and small-town communities dedicated to adopting new technologies and new solutions for enhanced community safety and overall operational excellence,” said Chief of Police Paul VandeGraaf. “We look forward to the opportunity to partner with the best and brightest up-and-coming technology entrepreneurs and innovators on key demonstration projects, with the support of Northumberland CFDC and our Eastern Ontario innovation corridor partners.”

The project is supported by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) through the Rural Innovation Initiative Eastern Ontario (RIIEO). The Accelerator will receive $100,000 in RIIEO funding, matched by a further $150,000 investment by the Cobourg Police Service, to enable the development of transformative police technologies, resulting in the creation of up to 10 new full-time jobs.

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The Northumberland CFDC will provide additional investment of up to $150,000 through a competitive intake process—along with V13 VentureZone co-working space and strategic project support. Demonstration projects will leverage technology to impact CPS operational excellence, create efficiencies, and help put more officers on the street.

“Northumberland CFDC is excited to support collaborative innovation between emerging technology startups and the Cobourg Police Service with dedicated programming support out of Venture13,” added Wendy Curtis, executive director, Northumberland CFDC. “We now have the ability in-house to connect, create, augment and accelerate new concepts for innovation in community safety and smart policing. Together with partners like Durham College, Spark Centre and Ontario Centres of Excellence, we are leveraging the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem for local impact and local economic development and diversification.”

Venture13 is an “innovation and entrepreneurship centre” that opened its doors in May 2018 in Cobourg, Ont. The 30,000-square-foot facility includes a VentureZone co-working space, 24/7 secure access, fibre connection, hardware MakerLab, solar microgrid, EV charging station, demo hall, in-house Angel sidecar fund and startup competition.

This V13 Policetech Accelerator evolved out of the successful “Pitch to Chief” challenge at Venture13, 2018-2019.


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