Volta Permanently Leaving Maritime Centre
HALIFAX – Volta is permanently leaving its downtown-Halifax home for a new location about a kilometre down the street.
This fall, the accelerator will relocate from its former home in the Maritime Centre to the eighth floor of the Armoyan Centre, on Argyle Street. Many know the Armoyan Centre as the former World Trade Centre building.
The Maritime Centre, which has been Volta’s home for about five years, recently went through extensive renovations. Volta will run out of a space in Founder’s Square until its new home is ready.
In a news release, Volta says its new space will “realign Volta’s available space with the evolving needs of early-stage startups in the region, including the growing demand for hybrid support.”
Volta says the space will also prioritize a community centre that entrepreneurs can use to connect and collaborate. It also says it will have dedicated offices that will be given out with a priority to “teams that are developing a full-time, on-site workforce.”
After the Covid-19 pandemic upended traditional work environments, including at the startups that make up most of Volta’s clients, Volta changed its program delivery to focus more on virtual services. The organization says virtual teams now make up more than half of its more than 40 resident startups.
Matt Cooper, Volta’s CEO, said the organization is “thrilled” with its soon-to-be new home.
“This new location, along with our expanded virtual support, will enable us to better support the growth and development of early-stage startups in Halifax and Atlantic Canada by providing a central community space that fosters collaboration and founder connection,” he said in the news release.
Over the past 10 years of its existence, Volta has supported more than 150 startups that have collectively raised more than $400 million in Venture Capital funding and created over 3,500 jobs.
Dash Hudson CEO and Co-Founder Thomas Rankin says his business has benefitted from Volta’s “unwavering support.”
“We began our journey as two novice entrepreneurs at Volta’s inaugural location,” he says. “The Volta community played a pivotal role in our growth. They served as our initial customers, a platform for brainstorming ideas, and a resource for finding our first employees. Now, as a flourishing business with over 220 employees in Downtown Halifax, we are thrilled to see the new Volta location and program embody the same spirit that contributed to our success.”
Volta expects to open the doors to its new home in the early fall.