Toronto's new innovation district and how you can take Fridays off and still be productive

Theglobeandmail.com
April 13, 2017
By The Globe and Mail

Oxford Properties and startup incubator team up to create a new Toronto innovation district

Oxford Properties Group and technology startup accelerator OneEleven are aiming to turn Toronto into the next San Francisco with Union Park, a long-term redevelopment of Front Street meant to transform it into a downtown innovation cluster.

The linchpin in the plan is the official reopening in May of 325 Front Street West, a cavernous 250,000-square-foot space that used to serve as an RBC data centre. The five-storey building, currently in the midst of renovations, will eventually house hundreds of high-growth startups and development labs for blue-chip companies.

“It’s a catalyst for the innovation community,” said Oxford Properties executive vice-president Michael Turner. “We think we can bring all of it together to do something that is totally unique to this city.” Full story.

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Maker of helmet sensors finds a buyer, and running room

Danny Crossman didn’t exactly get the response he was hoping for when he went to market with his Shockbox wireless helmet sensor in 2010. Helmet manufacturers, particularly those in contact sports such as football and hockey, warned that using such a device, which informs coaches and parents via an app when a player receives a hard hit, would invalidate the helmet’s warranty. Full story.

Canada’s top entrepreneurs to gather at the 2017 Globe and Mail Small Business Summit

Many of the top entrepreneurs in the country will gather at The 2017 Globe and Mail Small Business Summit on May 9th in Toronto. The annual event brings together hundreds of entrepreneurs to talk about growing their businesses. The keynote speakers are Michael Serbinis, founder of book technology company Kobo and benefits platform League, and Matthew Corrin, founder of the healthy restaurant chain Freshii. Full story.

How to take Fridays off (and still be insanely productive)

Let’s be honest. For most people, Fridays are a wasted day. Think of your typical workday on a Friday. It likely involves (quite a bit of) goofing off mixed in with some busy work. You’re mentally checked out and exhausted from the week, and e-mails start to pile up. Getting quality work done becomes harder and harder. Full story.

Program helps new immigrants find their footing in Canadian tech sector

When Rohum Azarmgin immigrated to Canada in April, 2015, he wasn’t fully prepared for the job hunt he would encounter. As an established and educated IT professional in Iran, he never had an issue finding work. But his new home was different, and he didn’t fully understand how the recruitment process worked. Full story.

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Ontario manufacturers’ group says hydro bill cuts won’t help them

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