Sudbury’s Laurentian University has established an Entrepreneur in Residence role to provide guidance and mentorship in entrepreneurship and business development.
Don Duval, the former CEO of NORCAT, has been appointed to the role, which was announced March 10.
“Don Duval’s experience at the intersection of innovation, commercialization, and the mining sector makes him an invaluable resource for our university community,” Tammy Eger, Laurentian’s vice-president of research, said in a news release.
According to the school, Duval will “support students, faculty, researchers, alumni, and early-stage founders by providing mentorship and strategic guidance on venture development and commercialization.”
He’ll additionally advise Laurentian on entrepreneurship programming, with an emphasis on the mining and resource sectors.
The role is a volunteer position, and Duval’s appointment runs to the end of 2026.
Duval spent 13 years at the helm of NORCAT, Sudbury’s regional innovation centre, before announcing his departure last summer.
He is currently a principal and head of mining at Evok Innovations, a Vancouver-based venture capital firm that invests in energy technologies and critical minerals.
“I’m pleased to support Laurentian University as its first Entrepreneur in Residence,” Duval said in the release.
“There is strong entrepreneurial potential across Northern Ontario, particularly in mining and related technologies, and I look forward to working with founders and innovators as they develop ideas and pursue impactful ventures.”
The Entrepreneur in Residence program will run through The Foundry, an innovation hub at Laurentian University that offers workshops, events and activities to help participants develop practical skills, explore new ideas and connect with like-minded peers.