On September 29, Redeemer University celebrated the grand opening of its Innovation Centre. 

Redeemer’s Innovation Centre aims to inspire innovation, design thinking and creativity across campus. Open concept offices, design collaboration areas and a robust makerspace provide a dynamic setting for students to engage with all the Innovation Centre offers. As well, the centre offers networking opportunities with entrepreneurs, businesses and not-for-profit organizations, allowing students to apply learning to real-world challenges that require innovative problem solving.

“The Innovation Centre is an exciting addition to Redeemer’s academic program that will prepare students to think in innovative and entrepreneurial ways about challenges and opportunities,” says president Dr. David Zietsma. “We look forward to seeing the ways in which students will use their gifts of creativity, inventiveness and curiosity to redeem ideas, possibilities and things not yet imagined.”

President Dr. David Zietsma, board chair Denis St. Amour, board vice chair Gina Taylor-Lunshof, vice president, academic Dr. Peter Neumann, Innovation Centre director Harold DeVries and student senate president Sebastian Caldwell participated in an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, the ribbon being a 3D-printed chain created right in the centre’s makerspace. The event was attended by Redeemer faculty, staff, students and community members.

“As a hub of applied creativity, students will have access to state-of-the-art technology for prototyping to explore their ideas and an incubation lab to assist them with one-on-one coaching as they look to launch their innovations,” says Harold DeVries, inaugural director of the Innovation Centre. “They will also have the opportunity to participate in student-run ventures, beginning with a video production company. These programs, along with a variety of special events, will allow students to explore creativity and entrepreneurship as they seek to serve their community.”

The Innovation Centre is located near Redeemer’s Career Centre on the lower level of the Charis Live and Learn Centre, a new mixed-use facility that opened last year. The centre is able to offer a wide range of services thanks to Redeemer’s generous support community and has been operating with limited capacity since fall 2022.