Innovation Saskatchewan is responsible for implementing the province’s innovation priorities and helping grow Saskatchewan’s tech sector. Effective April 2022, this includes operation of the Innovation Place technology parks in Saskatoon and Regina.
Curious about the tenants at Innovation Place?
Check out our Meet the Tenants series to learn more about them and what they do.
Meet the Tenants
Innovation Place tenant since
2011
Building
121 Research Drive
Park
Innovation Place, Saskatoon
Coconut Software provides a customer engagement platform for the financial sector. We are modernizing how banks and credit unions engage, creating a streamlined experience for both staff and customers.
Technology is an emerging market in Saskatchewan’s economy – and it’s doing remarkably well. In 2018, it was documented that tech represents 5.7% of Saskatchewan’s GDP. With its growth and displayed potential, we’re seeing substantial national, provincial and local government support. With those numbers and people behind us in Saskatchewan, it’s hard to imagine starting our business somewhere else.
Another thing that we value about Saskatchewan is its people. We’ve found time and time again that the province has talented, dedicated, loyal people that stick with us through thick and thin. Coconut Software is proud to be a part of adding jobs to the market and bringing experience to the people working here.
Last but not least, Saskatchewan is the home of our CEO and Founder, Katherine Regnier.
One of the hurdles that we’ve encountered here is the limited mentorship and events for staff growth because it’s an emerging market.
We faced these issues by opening a secondary office in Toronto to complement our headquarters here in Saskatoon. In Toronto, we have access to additional experienced talent, events, mentorship, and many of our clients’ head offices.
With the recent investments by the government, as well as support systems like places like Co.Labs and Innovation Place, the future looks bright despite the difficult situations that have arisen with COVID-19. That aside, it would be excellent to have some local tech companies "make it big" so that we can see more small startups bloom with mentorship and create a local ecosystem.
Ideally we would see wildly successful startups, which would draw more talent to Saskatoon and turn our city into a beacon for tech. We have a great foundation with a ton of resources available, so now we need to package that up and sell that narrative to the rest of Canada and the world. Instead of being the city that people move away from for opportunities, we would become the city people want to move to.
Innovation Place has been an invaluable place for us to call home because of their never-ending support and ability to accommodate us as we scale. We also have to thank Jackie Presnell, she’s been an excellent resource.
Innovation place is a campus – and with that comes a lot of resources that we wouldn’t have in a lone office. We’re only a few steps away from food and fitness, making it easy for staff to take breaks and take care of themselves. We’re surrounded by other innovative companies and people going through similar experiences – there’s a sense of comradery knowing that we’ve all "been there." With Innovation Place, we’re able to provide an environment where staff don’t need to worry about where they’re going to park, about making it to the gym after work, or where they’ll get food if they forgot their lunch and have a day full of meetings. It really takes care of the little stuff so that our staff can focus on what they do best.
The massage treatment room – just kidding! The grounds are beautiful and make it easy to have walking meetings, or just get outside for a brain-break. There isn’t just one place, as it’s a campus, so many resources and spaces are just a few steps away.
Find the people that you can celebrate your wins and navigate your mistakes with, not just sit there and point fingers at each other. The best way to get better, at anything, is to give it a try and then learn from the experience. Applying those learnings and iterating is the way we grow - not only as we build software, but also as people!
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- 2020