FEDDEV ONTARIO’S FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
FEBRUARY 2020
In this issue
FEBRUARY 2020
ISSUES ARCHIVE
Making Headlines
- CAN Health Network: Breaking through barriers to scale Canadian companies
- TELUS leads $120 million investment in smart city start-up Miovision
- Deputy Meddings speaks to entrepreneurs at CanadianSME Business Expo 2020
- Local manufacturer drives economic growth and employment in Concord, Ontario
- Top 20 Canadian entrepreneurs to watch in 2020
- Bridgit’s Toronto satellite office provides room to grow and recruit top talent
- SOSCIP takes a collaborative approach to AI adoption
- Theory of Retail™ rings true for Daisy Intelligence
- Fergus steel manufacturer expands to reach new markets in global steel supply chain
Making Headlines
In addition to southern Ontario, the Network is currently being implemented by Saskatchewan Health Authority in the West through $3.5 million in support from Western EconomicDiversification Canada.
CAN Health Network: Breaking through barriers to scale Canadian companies
Southern Ontario is home to promising companies seeking to commercialize cutting-edge technologies for the health and life sciences sector. However, too many SMEs will reach a roadblock:getting their product adopted into the Canadian health care system.
To help overcome challenges, the CAN Health Network is creating powerful partnerships between medical and technology institutions. Emerging needs of medical partners are paired withcutting-edge solutions from tech companies, resulting in positive improvements for the health care system, and national and international success for Canadian companies. Trillium HealthPartners is leading the development of the Network in southern Ontario, with $3.5 million in support from FedDev Ontario.
Read more about the CAN Health Network and other pivotal FedDev Ontario-funded projects on our website.
Miovision CEO Kurtis McBride helps more than 17,000 municipalities worldwide monitor and manage traffic with the help of sensors and video analysis powered by artificial intelligence.
TELUS leads $120 million investment in smart city start-up Miovision
On January 28, traffic optimization experts Miovision announced $120 million in newfunding. Kitchener-based Miovision will accelerate its development of TrafficLink, a platform that enables cities to instantly respond to emergencies or congestion by adjustingtraffic signals to improve traffic flow. Miovision plans to hire more than 100 new employees in 2020, increasing its Canadian workforce by 50 percent.
Read more about the success of Miovision on our website, and sign up for Envision 2020 on February 26 to learn about Miovision’slatest technologies for managing multimodal traffic.
Deputy Meddings was joined by executives from Leverage Consulting, Lenovo Canada, Sharp Canada, PEO Leadership, Blade Creative Branding Inc. and Astron Connect.
Deputy Meddings speaks to entrepreneurs at CanadianSME Business Expo 2020
On January 20, FedDev Ontario’s Deputy Minister, James Meddings, joined more than 3,000 business leaders, executives and representatives from top Canadian small- and medium-sizedenterprises at the CanadianSME Business Expo in Toronto. Deputy Meddings was part of a seven-member panel discussing business leadership and thepositive impacts strong leaders can have on their organizations. From influencing business growth to inspiring innovation and contributing to a healthy work environment, strong leadershipis crucial to every successful enterprise.
With advanced technologies and expanded production facilities, Global Plas is now better positioned to secure new contracts from automotive manufacturing clients.
Local manufacturer drives economic growth and employment in Concord, Ontario
Global Plas answered the call to action when asked to manufacture door and fender parts for the revamped 2019 Toyota RAV4 crossover vehicle. Supportedby a $2.5-million investment from FedDev Ontario, the manufacturer of custom interior, exterior and under-the-hood molded plastic parts acquired a second manufacturing facility measuring71,000 square feet to meet new client demand. With new production lines, five injection-moulding machines, advanced robotics and automation equipment, the company is growing itsteam from 65 to more than 150 employees, and is poised to meet growing international demand.
FedDev Ontario funding recipients BioConnect, GreenMantra, Top Hat, Nudge Rewards and Bridgit are among MaRS Discovery District’s top 20 Canadian entrepreneurs to watch in 2020.
Top 20 Canadian entrepreneurs to watch in 2020
With its finger on the pulse of all things innovation, MaRS Discovery District has published its listof the top 20 Canadian entrepreneurs to watch in 2020. FedDev Ontario is proud to see five funding recipients on this list.
- BioConnect is working with key industry and government partners to advance the world of biometric security.
- GreenMantra is continuing to transform recycled plastics into usable compounds for multiple applications.
- Top Hat is improving the classroom experience for more than 4 million North American students with its teaching platform and mobile app.
- Nudge Rewards is engaging and inspiring front-line employees in retail and hospitality companies with its people-savvy mobile app.
- Bridgit Inc., profiled below, is streamlining the often detail-drenched construction business with its real-time construction projectmanagement app.
Read more about the success of BioConnect and Bridgit Inc. on our website.
Bridgit Inc.’s new satellite office gives its Toronto-based employees a space to operate in King East Design District.
Bridgit’s Toronto satellite office provides room to grow and recruit top talent
Headquartered in Kitchener-Waterloo, Bridgit Inc. opened a satellite office in Toronto in November 2019, providing space for the company toexpand and accommodate new employees from Canada’s top tech talent pool. Bridgit Inc. develops business management and planning software and mobile applications for theconstruction industry. The company’s latest product, Bridgit Bench, enables contractors to visualize anentire project timeline, track employee skills and experience, schedule teams and anticipate issues through a mobile app, simplifying project planning and staff allocation processes andreducing overhead costs for developers and construction companies across North America.
FedDev Ontario’s support has contributed to the rapid rise of this Canadian technology successstory.
To date, SOSCIP has worked with over 200 companies to adopt data science in their operations; supported 500 highly skilled jobs across over 120 Ontario-based businesses; and enabled over 60percent of graduates working on SOSCIP projects to transition into high-tech careers.
SOSCIP takes a collaborative approach to AI adoption
Canada’s leading advanced computing research and development consortium is now overseeing one of the world’s foremost industry-driven artificial intelligence (AI) and data scienceinnovation platforms. Supported by a $10-millioninvestment from FedDev Ontario, SOSCIP is leveraging its existing architecture to help 150 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) build AIand data science into their products and operations, supporting 400 collaborative research projects and bringing 80 new innovations to market over a three-year period. In addition, 500high-quality jobs are being created and about 1,000 students and researchers will benefit from AI and data science training and work experience.
Read more about the success of SOSCIP and its network on our website.
By analyzing data, Daisy Intelligence can help retailers optimize their pricing, product selection and demand forecasting, driving significantly higher profits and sales.
Theory of Retail™ rings true for Daisy Intelligence
Information technology company Daisy Intelligence’s AI-powered platforms are making business recommendations that are beyond humancapability. Daisy’s Theory of Retail™, developed by studying billions of patterns created by millions of customers, helps businesses understand which products should be promoted, and candetermine optimal product pricing and predict future demand. Daisy’s Theory of Risk™ system analyzes claims data to help insurance companies detect and avoid millions of dollars in fraud,waste, and abuse, and automatically adjudicate claims. With a contribution of $882,000, FedDevOntario is supporting the creation of 20 highly-skilled jobs while helping Daisy Intelligence scale up and increase its presence in Canada and the United States.
Read more about the success of Daisy Intelligence on our website.
Wellington Perforated Sheet & Plate Inc. was named one of Canada’s Top 500 Fastest-Growing Companies for 2019 by Canadian Business magazine due to its significant revenue growth in thelast five years.
Fergus steel manufacturer expands to reach new markets in global steel supply chain
Wellington Perforated Sheet and Plate Inc. (WPSP) is incorporating new state-of-the-art equipment and enhancing competitiveness. TheFergus-based company manufactures over 350 stock perforated patterns of mild steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel and aluminum plates for the mining and aggregate, food and beverage,agriculture and automotive industries. With a $1.5-millioncontribution from FedDev Ontario, WPSP is installing a 500-tonne advanced perforating press with a complete finishing line, enabling the company to process up to 80 percent of itsproducts in-house, resulting in shorter production lead-times. The company will also add an eco-friendly degreasing line and a laser cutter, which will help WPSP increase productofferings and custom orders, as well as reach new markets. This project is expected to create five new full-time jobs.
Project News & Updates
Over 30 companies get a JumpStart from the Accelerator Centre
The Accelerator Centre was recognized as a World Top Five private business accelerator at the World Incubation Summit 2019 in Doha, Qatar. Over 1,500 accelerators and incubators locatedin more than 70 countries were included in the study.
Over 30 companies get a JumpStart from the Accelerator Centre
Thirty-four southernOntario-based companies are receiving $30,000 in seed funding and $10,000 in business support services under the latest cohort of the Accelerator Centre's AC JumpStart program. Funded by FedDev Ontario, ACJumpStart is a world-leading seed funding and mentorship program aimed at helping technology start-ups establish and grow their businesses in southern Ontario. Participants in ACJumpStart’s 11th cohort span many sectors, including education, energy and power, healthcare, finance, manufacturing and digitaltechnology. These participants will receive 12 months of one-on-one business mentorship, access to market research and connections to investors. AC JumpStart is now accepting applications for Cohort 12.
Scaling up cybersecurity in Canada’s digital economy
Rogers, Royal Bank of Canada, Herjavec Group, Torys LLP, Amazon and Siemens Canada will provide guidance and mentorship to growing cybersecurity companies through the Accelerator’s"Corporates-in-Residence" program.
Scaling up cybersecurity in Canada’s digital economy
Canada’s first commercial accelerator aimed at scaling up companies in cybersecurity and related fields was launched by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, in partnership with Ryerson University’s DigitalMedia Zone, on January 23. Headquartered in Brampton’s Innovation District, the CatalystCyber Accelerator will provide scale-ups with workspace, connections to investors, mentorship on product strategy and operational direction and $500,000 in exclusive servicesand perks provided by over 60 global businesses. Beginning in May, the first cohort will feature companies with over $20,000 in monthly recurring revenue that are dedicated tosolving a cybersecurity problem using technology. The Catalyst Cyber Accelerator is acceptingapplications for Cohort 1 until March 25, 2020.
Crossing borders with innovations in the care economy
Canada’s first women-only business mission to South Korea will showcase healthcare innovations in information and communications technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics.
Crossing borders with innovations in the care economy
Not-for-profit organization, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) promotes Canadian innovations and expertise abroad with a focuson expanding trade relations in Asian markets. From February 27–29, 20 Canadian women entrepreneurs will travel to Seoul, South Korea, to showcase innovative healthcare technologiesthat support the care and lifestyles of children, people with disabilities and the elderly. The three-day mission, themed ‘"Caring Societies," also provides opportunitiesfor business matching, networking and discussing women’s economic advancement strategies with business and thought leaders from Canada and South Korea.
Team fundraising app “flips giving on its head”
FlipGive co-founders Mark Bachman (CEO) and Nicholas Lee (Chief Technology Officer) are changing the way we raise money for youth sports, member organizations and clubs.
Team fundraising app “flips giving on its head”
FedDev Ontario funding recipient FlipGive is modernizing the fundraising experience for sports teams, clubs, parents, teachers andkids. When FlipGive app users buy groceries, gas, clothing or other items from a partnered online or retail store, they earn cash back which can be withdrawn for use by their sportsteam, youth group or event committee, all with a zero-percent platform fee. FlipGive is expanding to develop enhanced product features, bring on new brand partners and support marketingand member acquisition.
LinkedIn Highlights
Google announced plans to expand its Canadian operations, including constructing new offices and creating thousands of jobs in Waterloo and Toronto. They also unveiled plans to launchCanada’s very first Google for Startups Accelerator with a focus on AI and machine learning.
With a $5-million investment from FedDev Ontario, Palette Inc. is bringing its unique program to the Windsor-Essex and Durham regions to help upskill mid-career workers so they can bestmeet new job demands.
FedDev Ontario-funded Cyclica has joined ATAI Life Sciences to design new therapies for complex mental disorders. Their joint venture—EntheogeniX Biosciences—will use a Cyclica’s drugdiscovery platforms to advance the development of more effective and personalized medicines that limit side effects.
Leamington-based Competitive Green Technologies worked with the University of Guelph to develop a process that transforms coffee chaff (the skins removed from beans during roasting) intoan eco-friendly resin used in making car parts. The company has supply agreements with Tim Hortons, McDonalds, Starbucks and Coffee Club. It’s an idea that’s good to the last drop!
Upcoming Events
SIGN UP FOR REGULAR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT UPDATES IN YOUR INBOX
Links to websites not under the control of the Government of Canada are provided solely for the convenience of users.
The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, currency, language or the reliability of the content nor does it endorse the sites.