2014-2015
News Release
REF NO.: 120
SUBJECT: Chief executive officer appointed at Memorial University's Genesis Group
DATE: March 4, 2015
Genesis Group announced today the appointment of Greg Hood as chief executive officer. Genesis Group operates the Genesis Centre, Memorial University’s business incubator for technology-based ventures with high-growth potential.
“Greg’s international experience working with multi-sector startup companies and his ability to scale business operations with a focus on accelerating product development will lead the Genesis Centre though its next stage of growth,” said Fred Cahill, chair, board of directors, Genesis Group. “Additionally, his proven ability to raise capital through venture capital and private equity channels will benefit the Genesis Centre’s community of entrepreneurs.”
Mr. Hood has more than 20 years of experience managing startups and joint ventures with a focus on business-process outsourcing, software development and web-based technologies. Most recently he was president and CEO of Noveko Air Filtration, a Quebec-based designer and manufacturer of patented air filtration products. He also serves on the board of Ucentrik, the company he founded in 2006 in Toronto, Ont. He spent five years in Austin, Texas, one of the top technology hubs east of Silicon Valley. In Austin, Mr. Hood acted as CEO and COO with a range of startups in different market segments. His international experience also includes working in London, England, and in Hong Kong with Lexis-Nexis, a publicly traded company.
“I’m looking forward to leading the Genesis Centre through a new phase and expanding on the foundation of programs and services for entrepreneurs in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Mr. Hood. “As an entrepreneur who has experienced first-hand the success of scaling up and transforming startups, I want to build on Genesis’s reputation as a top incubator and work with staff and clients to bring many more innovative, game-changing ventures to market.”
“I congratulate Mr. Hood on his appointment with Genesis Group and am pleased to welcome him to the Memorial community,” said Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor, Memorial University. “He brings to the role substantial knowledge and experience. And I am confident he will lead the team and its clients toward many future successes that will help grow the province’s economy.”
“On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador I would like to congratulate Mr. Hood on his appointment,” said Darin King, minister, Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development. “The Genesis Centre is a significant asset to the Newfoundland and Labrador startup community. With Mr. Hood’s wealth of experience, I am confident that he will contribute significantly to the continued success of the centre and its partners.”
The appointment is effective March 9. Mr. Hood replaces David King, Genesis’s founding CEO.
About the Genesis Centre
The Genesis Centre is Memorial University’s business incubator for technology-based ventures with high-growth potential. It is one of the top ranked incubators in Canada and was named Canadian Incubator of the Year in 2011. Since the Genesis Centre was founded in 2000, it has helped almost 60 startups raise more than $85 million in private equity. Genesis alumni are among the leading startups in Atlantic Canada and include Verafin, Rutter Technologies, Avalon Microelectronics (acquired by Altera), Solace Power, EMSAT, ClearRisk, Genoa Design and Virtual Marine Technology. The Genesis Centre is a division of the Genesis Group Inc., the technology commercialization arm of Memorial University. For more information, please visit www.genesis.mun.ca.
REF NO.: 120
SUBJECT: Chief executive officer appointed at Memorial University's Genesis Group
DATE: March 4, 2015
Genesis Group announced today the appointment of Greg Hood as chief executive officer. Genesis Group operates the Genesis Centre, Memorial University’s business incubator for technology-based ventures with high-growth potential.
“Greg’s international experience working with multi-sector startup companies and his ability to scale business operations with a focus on accelerating product development will lead the Genesis Centre though its next stage of growth,” said Fred Cahill, chair, board of directors, Genesis Group. “Additionally, his proven ability to raise capital through venture capital and private equity channels will benefit the Genesis Centre’s community of entrepreneurs.”
Mr. Hood has more than 20 years of experience managing startups and joint ventures with a focus on business-process outsourcing, software development and web-based technologies. Most recently he was president and CEO of Noveko Air Filtration, a Quebec-based designer and manufacturer of patented air filtration products. He also serves on the board of Ucentrik, the company he founded in 2006 in Toronto, Ont. He spent five years in Austin, Texas, one of the top technology hubs east of Silicon Valley. In Austin, Mr. Hood acted as CEO and COO with a range of startups in different market segments. His international experience also includes working in London, England, and in Hong Kong with Lexis-Nexis, a publicly traded company.
“I’m looking forward to leading the Genesis Centre through a new phase and expanding on the foundation of programs and services for entrepreneurs in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Mr. Hood. “As an entrepreneur who has experienced first-hand the success of scaling up and transforming startups, I want to build on Genesis’s reputation as a top incubator and work with staff and clients to bring many more innovative, game-changing ventures to market.”
“I congratulate Mr. Hood on his appointment with Genesis Group and am pleased to welcome him to the Memorial community,” said Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor, Memorial University. “He brings to the role substantial knowledge and experience. And I am confident he will lead the team and its clients toward many future successes that will help grow the province’s economy.”
“On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador I would like to congratulate Mr. Hood on his appointment,” said Darin King, minister, Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development. “The Genesis Centre is a significant asset to the Newfoundland and Labrador startup community. With Mr. Hood’s wealth of experience, I am confident that he will contribute significantly to the continued success of the centre and its partners.”
The appointment is effective March 9. Mr. Hood replaces David King, Genesis’s founding CEO.
About the Genesis Centre
The Genesis Centre is Memorial University’s business incubator for technology-based ventures with high-growth potential. It is one of the top ranked incubators in Canada and was named Canadian Incubator of the Year in 2011. Since the Genesis Centre was founded in 2000, it has helped almost 60 startups raise more than $85 million in private equity. Genesis alumni are among the leading startups in Atlantic Canada and include Verafin, Rutter Technologies, Avalon Microelectronics (acquired by Altera), Solace Power, EMSAT, ClearRisk, Genoa Design and Virtual Marine Technology. The Genesis Centre is a division of the Genesis Group Inc., the technology commercialization arm of Memorial University. For more information, please visit www.genesis.mun.ca.
- 30 -