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MIT REAP Focus Nova Scotia -
Annapolis Valley Team

 

Through the MIT REAP process Team Annapolis Valley worked to find a “must win battle” that would utilize the existing innovation and entrepreneurial capacity of the region, while further advancing it.  Early in the process it was clear that the Annapolis Valley has many comparative advantages in the agricultural space. The region has: an experienced existing agriculture sector, a micro-climate and unique cold climate, ‘champenoise’-like terroir and a quality local craft food and drink culture. Discovery work showed that agriculture technologies are a major source of growth and innovation for the agriculture and agri-food sectors in Canada. These technologies help farmers increase profits and production while reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions. These combined insights brought the team to a vision which is the basis for their MIT REAP strategy.

The aim is to establish an Agricultural Technology (Ag-Tech) Accelerator that will test, demonstrate, and advance technologies within our region and ultimately, through the geographic agricultural backbone of our province, resulting in an Ag-Tech Corridor. The purpose of the Ag-Tech Accelerator is to improve solutions for local producers through a solve for one, share with many community education model.

 
 
 

Meet the Team

 
 

Entrepreneur

Lisa Jenereaux
President Spurr Brothers Farm Ltd.

Dan Surette
President & CEO of Statera Spirits Inc. and Winemaker at Maison Meuse et Fils Winery

Risk Capital

Stephen Shaw, MBA
Executive Director, Hants Kings CBDC

Len Ells, MBA
President & CEO, Valley Credit Union

Government - Project Manager

Richelle Brown Redden
Economic Development Officer, Valley Regional Enterprise Network

Government

Mayor Sandra Snow
Town of Kentville

Jennifer Tufts
CEO, Valley Regional Enterprise Network

Corporate

Burnell Lyons
Retail Operations Manager, Glooscap Ventures

Andrew Schnare, B.Eng
Director of Operations North American Machine Clothing ANDRITZ

Post-Secondary

Dr. Dale Deefe
Provost & Vice-President Academic, Acadia University

Jason Clark
Principal, NSCC Kingstec

Post-Secondary Team Champion

Dr. Wayne St-Amour
Principal NSCC, Annapolis Valley Campus and COGS

 

 Local Strategy

Nova Scotia is in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq People, who have long been stewards of this land. People have been fostering agriculture in Nova Scotia for over 400 years. We have a history of people who are experienced in agricultural adaptations, essentially a history of innovators. Therefore, it is important that an Ag Tech Accelerator be open to all. It must be inclusive — informal, accessible, uniting resident knowledge and expertise, be easy to do business with, pay attention to both small and big operators, and provide ongoing updates with continuous information flow.

 

The Ag Tech Accelerator will:

  • Help agricultural technology entrepreneurs establish themselves in their target market

  • Demonstrate and advance relevant agricultural technologies in the Valley to help save costs and increase profits for local producers and eventually throughout a provincial Ag-Tech Corridor

  • Create export channels in high demand countries for Valley-developed technologies

  • Build a network made up of communities of practice, service resource navigators, producers, mentors/mentees, researchers, and entrepreneurs founded on the community education model

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 Vision for the Future

Team Annapolis Valley has received positive feedback on this release their MIT REAP strategy.  Broader engagement is underway within the region and with provincial entities. The core team is transitioning to a Strategy Implementation Group, who work toward developing a sustainable operational model and begin fundraising.

The Valley Regional Enterprise Network has been the backbone organization for the Annapolis Valley since the inception of the MIT REAP Focus Nova Scotia initiative.  It served as the project manager for Team Annapolis Valley and will continue to be a project facilitator with the Strategy Group Implement, to assist them in the development of an operational entity.

Team Annapolis Valley wishes to thank everyone who has supported them in their journey through the MIT REAP process and the development of the strategy.  The list of supporters is long, and includes from departments, organizations, and staff from all levels of government, sector organizations, post-secondary institutions, and community members in the agriculture sector or highly passionate about it.

Research Expertise

Entrepreneurs in the Annapolis Valley have access to 26 research facilities. There is ample opportunity through Acadia University, the three Nova Scotia Community College locations and the federal Kentville Research and Development Centre, which part of a national network of 20 research centres.

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