Virtual Business Innovation Centre is a Joint Initiative of:

Aboriginal Business Development Centre

The ABDC program is located in the Aboriginal Centre, located at 181 Higgins Avenue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  Aboriginal entrepreneurs are provided with the benefits of virtual business incubation assistance.  The ABDC program has been serving this community for the past 4 years. 

To date, 16 participants have registered with the ABDC program. Several have graduated and have gone on to become successful entrepreneurs in their communities, in Manitoba and in Canada.  -- more about ABDC --

University of Winnipeg

The University of Winnipeg is committed to improving access to
post-secondary education for all individuals, especially those people from
non-traditional communities, and has created several innovative opportunities to assist students who are under-represented to attend at classes at the University of Winnipeg.

The University of Winnipeg received its charter in 1967 but its roots date back more than 130 years.
The founding colleges were Manitoba College (1871), and Wesley College (1888), which merged to form United College in 1938.

The University of Winnipeg, located in the heart of Canada, is a compact, diverse, multicultural academic community committed to access and excellence. The University of Winnipeg is a provincially and privately funded post-secondary institution with undergraduate and select graduate programs, as well as the Collegiate and Continuing Education divisions.

The Joint Initiative Secretariat: Smart Partners 

Smart Partners has been representing the community since 1999.
It operates as an independent organization of business people and community organizations that is governed by a Board of Directors. The organization has a firm belief in connectivity with equitable access, bridging the digital divide and economic development initiatives.

Support for Smart Partners has been demonstrated by the City of Winnipeg,
Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada and many industry organizations.

As an initiative, Virtual Business Innovation Centre has the combined experiences, skills and talents of the University of Winnipeg, ABDC and Smart Partners to create a truly innovative way to help Aboriginal People and others start or expand their businesses.