Jason Trask has been appointed Director of the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship (MCE) at Memorial University.

Trask, a longtime entrepreneur with ties to the St. John’s startup community, previously served as MCE’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence from 2017 to 2022. He succeeds Ed Martin, who last year left the centre to become the CEO of Genesis, the main innovation hub in Newfoundland and Labrador.

A serial entrepreneur, Trask founded his first business at age 15 and has since launched or operated several companies in sectors including technology, real estate, and seniors’ care. His ventures have taken him across the Americas and Asia, and he has participated in accelerator and incubator programs such as Techstars in three different countries.

Most recently, Trask was a co-founder and chief executive officer of EcoBloc, a St. John’s-based startup that develops chemical-free pest control technology for agricultural, commercial, and industrial facilities. EcoBloc’s products are designed to replace chemical-based methods that can harm wildlife and contaminate soils and water systems. Trask remains a director of the company, offering support to the team as needed.

MCE, based at Memorial University, provides programs, mentorship, and resources to help students start and grow new ventures. In a statement announcing the appointment, the organization said Trask’s experience and previous work with students position him to “lead the next chapter of MCE’s growth and drive even greater student success.”