Gary Brownstone is the newly-appointeddirector of new Eureka Project. The for-mer entrepreneur and businessman

assumed the new position at the beginning of theyear after spending the past five years teachingat Red River College in the College’s Entrepre-neur Program.

The Eureka Programis a new venture byS m a r t p a r kD e v e l o p m e n tCorporation intendedto foster high-techstart-up companies inManitoba. Smartpark,Brownstone explains,was inaugurated five

years ago at the University of Manitoba toencourage the growth of research-driven busi-nesses.

“The idea was to cluster high-tech companiesnear the university with the focus on engineer-ing, biotechnology and food sciences, informa-tion and communications technology and com-

posites and new materials,” he says. Currently, Smartpark is home to 20 companies

with about 850 employees between them. “One-third of our area has been developed,”Brownstone says.“We still have 70acres available fordevelopment.”

One of the hopes forThe Eureka Project isthat the business incu-bator will lead toother companies set-ting up shop in thepark.

A business incuba-tor is a sheltered envi-ronment where fledg-ling companies canbuild up their busi-nesses at minimal costor risk. At the EurekaProject, for example,new companies havetheir rent heavily sub-sidized for the firsteight months, thengradually have therent raised to marketrates. They haveaccess to fully-furnished offices with communi-cations technology, two board rooms and a well-appointed lobby (with furniture and artworkdonated by Lyle and Anna Silverman).

“My role is to help young companies developbusiness plans and point them in the right direc-tion for funding,” Brownstone says. “I alsoarrange mentorship relationship with seniorexecutives from existing Smartpark firms. Ourhope is that after two or three years here, thesestart-up companies will be able to stand on theirown financially and move to larger premises.Studies show that start-up companies that get alot of support early on are three times more like-ly to succeed than those that don’t.”

Brownstone notes that there are currently eightstart-up companies using the offices in the build-ing. They include one firm doing research on theviability of airships; an engineering concern thathas developed electronic sensors that can mea-sure air quality and detect excess moisture with-in walls; a fellow working on 3D interactive edu-cational websites for schools; another researcher

looking into adding soya isoflavins to foods; anda couple of software developers.

A few will have outgrown our space by the endof the year,” Brownstone says. “We are alwayslooking for new tenants.”

Brownstone brings with him to his role awealth of experience in entrepreneurial ventures.The son of Bill and Faye Brownstone, he beganhis working career at the Keg Restaurant chainwhile attending university part time. He earned aBA from the University of Manitoba in 1981 andhis MBA from the University of Western Ontarioin 1985.

His first post-graduate business venture wasthe Uncle Willy’s Restaurant chain. (One loca-tion was off Kingsbury and McPhillips.) He alsooperated a computer software business and, for ashort time, an online business in Los Angeleswhose business was casting extras for movie andtelevision shoots.

“I was commuting between Los Angeles andWinnipeg,” he says. “I had a young daughterhere (Rheann is now in Grade 7 at the GrayAcademy of Jewish Education) and wanted tocome back here permanently. I learned about theRed River College opening and applied.”

A friend brought the Eureka Project and theopening for a director to his attention. “I thoughtthis was an exciting opportunity,” he says.

* * *

By moving their business into the formerMonty’s Furniture building on Main Street(between Logan and Alexander), Michael andJoe Wolchock are hoping to help revitalize a partof the city sorely in need of redevelopment.

“With three floors and 10,000 square feet, wewill be able to expand a bit and put more of oursigns on display,” says older brother Michael.“We ran out of room at our current location onPrincess (in the Exchange District) years ago,”he says. “We stayed because the rent was solow.”

The Wolchock brothers (sons of Marilyn andthe late Harvey Wolchock) operate the NeonFactory. Their specialty is supplying neon signsand art pieces. The heyday of neon, Michaelsays, was the post-war period.

“The larger chain stores - like Safeway andSubway - used to use a lot of neon,” MichaelWolchock says. “But they don’t any more.”

Michael started in the field 20 years ago as ayoung man. “I was always interested in scienceand advertising,” he says. “I just started working

6 THE JEWISH POST & NEWS, Wednesday, March 21, 2007

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U of M taps entrepreneur and teacher to head new business incubator programJoe, Michael Wolchock helping revitalize Main Street with Neon Factory

GARY BROWNSTONE: “My role is to helpyoung companies develop business plans andpoint them in the right director for funding.”Photo by Myron Love.

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JOE (left) and Michael Wolchock: Moving their Neon Factory to MainStreet, between Logan and Alexander. Photo by Myron Love.

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