On May 2nd, 2023, celebrations were in order for the grand opening of Mississauga’s new anchor innovation location – IDEA Square One Entrepreneur and Innovation Hub.

Located in Square One Shopping Centre in downtown Mississauga, IDEA Square One is an important physical anchor for Mississauga’s broader innovation district – IDEA Mississauga. It will bring together a network of supports to help entrepreneurs grow, scale and commercialize their ideas and businesses.

“Today, Mississauga marks an exciting milestone as we celebrate the grand opening of IDEA Square One – our anchor innovation location and one-stop shop for entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses looking to grow and scale in Mississauga,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “Mississauga is the second-largest employment hub in the Greater Toronto Area and the second-largest economy in Ontario. IDEA Square One reinforces our position as a major innovation centre that supports the commercialization of products and technologies across our key sectors including Information Technology, Life Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing. Thank you to our partner, Oxford Realty Properties, as well as IDEA Square One official sponsors MNP, KMB Law, and Bereskin & Parr, for joining the City of Mississauga in helping advance our innovation journey.”

The city’s innovation ecosystem is made up of industry, government, education and providers of space and programs that support innovation. With its central location, IDEA Square One is a key component to the system, providing a 4,300 square-foot connected space that will be a collaborative hub for entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups in Mississauga. It houses a team of business experts who support clients in a bright and creative space, providing the opportunity to connect with IDEA partners and mentors who will guide entrepreneurs through their business growth and success.

IDEA Square One offers the following services and amenities for members:

• Co-working areas

• Dedicated offices

• Bookable boardrooms

• Access to IDEA events and networking

• Business advisory services

• Mentorship and training

Three monthly membership levels are available for the innovation hub, each providing different services and amenities. Day passes are also available to give members access to flexible co-working space, free Wi-Fi, and common area amenities.

“IDEA Square One is open for business! We are committed to supporting our entrepreneurs and we’re excited to invite them to come and see what we have to offer,” said Christina Kakaflikas, Director, Economic Development Office. “Our valued partnerships have enabled us to provide enhanced collaborative programming for our entrepreneur community in a bright, connected space. The IDEA Square One Innovation Hub will further strengthen Mississauga’s profile as a robust and competitive centre for business and innovation locally, nationally and globally.”

Mississauga’s entrepreneurs can also access the City’s Virtual Innovation Hub at ideamississauga.ca for regional supports, resources, tools and assets to grow their business.

ABOUT IDEA SQUARE ONE

IDEA Square One advances the Council-endorsed goals of The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Study (2019) and Economic Development Strategy (2020-25) to strengthen Mississauga’s innovation performance and Mississauga’s Strategic Plan (2009) goal to be a ‘global city for creativity and innovation’ by cultivating creative and innovative businesses.