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Oct 23, 2024
As summer wraps up, and the fall season takes a definitive grip on the capital region, we’re excited to once again be featuring snapshots and highlights from businesses that are finding success here in Ottawa and beyond.
So, grab your favourite fall beverage (pumpkin infused or not) and learn more about the growth driving Lavenbel, Giatech and MDS Aero in our October edition of the Ottawa Business Success Snapshots.
Early in October, Ottawa-based cleantech company Giatec secured $17.5 million in grants and loans to support the development of innovations aimed at making concrete industry production more efficient and environmentally friendly.
The company’s sensor and AI-based innovations will be incorporated into its three-year, $65.8 million R&D project to build the world’s first AI-enabled digital platform for concrete industry production.
The funding, acquired through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) managed by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), was awarded to Giatec based on its potential to help Canada reach its sustainability goals, and will support the future development of a smart concrete demonstration plant.
The demonstration plant, to be based in Ottawa, will operate using the company’s groundbreaking SmartMix™ platform leveraging AI and next-level sensor technology to optimize concrete mixes, and is estimated to spur the creation of 160 jobs in the area.
Giatec Scientific Inc. was founded in 2011 to bring disruptive, knowledge-based and sustainable technologies to the concrete industry.
The company is participating in Invest Ottawa’s ScaleUp program to help it grow and compete in the global market. Its innovative products help producers, contractors and business owners in the construction industry to increase the profitability of their projects by improving efficiencies while working to help reduce the environmental impact of the concrete industry.
Along with helping to reduce the Co2 emissions associated with the construction sector, Giatec’s groundbreaking innovations are also anticipated to lower energy and water usage, while improving the longevity of Canadian infrastructure.
Ottawa-based MDS Aero is one of the world’s leading Tier 1 suppliers of turnkey test solutions for gas turbine engines and engine components. The cutting-edge Ottawa-based tech company designs, builds, and provides data acquisition solutions for engines developed by world-leading engine manufacturers and MROs.
After 40 years of operation in the field of engine testing, MDS Aero has built test facilities around the globe, with projects in over 20 different countries, and recently announced the launch of its state-of-the-art data acquisition system – nxDAS.
This latest innovation is a result of over 30 years of continuously building on the company’s experience in a variety of complex and highly demanding testing environments. Touted as the future of data acquisition systems, this latest innovation is a result of over 30 years of continuously building on the company’s experience in a variety of complex and highly demanding testing environments.
Designed to replace the company’s previous generation product – proDAS, the newly developed system is built on the latest computer hardware and operating systems, ensuring robustness and an ability to cater to the latest cybersecurity requirements.
Named to the list of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for 12 consecutive years, MDS Aero has earned a reputation as being a remarkable place to work.
While MDS Aero has a significant and growing presence overseas, its headquarters continues to be located here in Ottawa, as the company takes great pride in being a global company that operates out of Canada’s capital, with a focus on Canadian talent.
Currently, the company has around 170 employees in Ottawa and has also hired 15 coops in 2024. MDS Aero bolsters its local commitment by hiring for all engineering disciplines here in Ottawa and through its strong coop program with Carleton University.
The company recognizes Ottawa’s role in its continuous success in driving innovation and the company’s growth. Its Ottawa operations have been central to maintaining the company’s status.
The local talent and innovation ecosystem also provided MDS Aero with a robust foundation for its technological advancements and strategic initiatives, ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of the aerospace industry.
MDS Aero has participated as a demonstrator at this year’s GCXpo, hosted at Area X.O. For them, it was a truly rewarding experience for the company, as this was their first time attending the event, and it exceeded their expectations in terms of both networking and exposure to breakthrough technologies.
The event provided them with a valuable platform for connecting with industry leaders and exploring new opportunities for growth and collaboration. “GCXpo has been invaluable for our strategic planning,” noted Kendall Carmicheal, the Business Development and Marketing Coordinator for MDS Aero. “The exposure and insights we gained reaffirmed our commitment to integrating the latest technologies.” The live demonstrations were notably impactful, showcasing technologies that resonated with MDS Aero’s commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation.
As MDS Aero continues to expand and advance its strategic initiatives, Ottawa being a key pillar of their growth strategy, Invest Ottawa remains dedicated to offering avenues for the company to showcase its innovations; and maintain its legacy of excellence in gas turbine engine testing.
This partnership strengthens Ottawa’s reputation as a leader in aerospace, with MDS Aero setting the standard for engineering excellence in Canada and beyond.
According to the owner and creator of Lavenbel, Monia Otis, stepping into the world of entrepreneurship was inevitable – she was just waiting for the right opportunity.
“I consider myself a creative and curious person,” she said. “As a child, I was always creating things, and I kept creating experiences during my entire career in the pharmaceutical industry. Creating my own business is just a natural continuation in the same direction.”
The right idea and opportunity presented itself in 2020 when she visited a lavender farm listed for sale in central Ontario, which she explained belonged to a pioneer in the lavender industry.
Although she says she couldn’t buy the farm; after spending a half day with the sellers, she developed a connection with lavender that she said stuck with her.
“I fell in love with lavender,” she said, “a wonderful plant with anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, we couldn’t buy the farm,” she explained, “but I kept dreaming about it all the time as life evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Monia says her grandparents were farmers, so the idea of an agricultural venture didn’t derail her dream of farming organic lavender. And so, she “took the plunge” into her new entrepreneurial journey in 2021 by starting to plant English and French lavender on land owned by her husband’s family in eastern Ontario’s Glengarry County.
Lavenbel’s mission is to make high-quality skincare and self-care products using natural ingredients and making this affordable luxury accessible to women in the greater Ottawa area.
Today – the Lavenbel website lists a wide array of lavender-based products ranging from skincare, self-care, and bath and shower products to culinary lavender and homecare products.
In September, she recently launched her latest product – a natural and vegan surface cleaner, free from harmful chemicals and suitable for all surfaces. Rather than using a third-party lab, Monia says she develops all her products with her own formulas. And as she puts it – this allows her to providing products she can stand behind.
“By creating my own formulas with select natural botanicals and ingredients, and of course lavender, I became self-assured that each product can benefit the skin and well-being of my customers,” she says. “I make a priority in creating vegan products also, to reconnect with the benefits of nature and plants.”
Monia says the support of Invest Ottawa helped guide her through the early stages of her business. She discovered Invest Ottawa in 2023 through entrepreneurship-focused workshops, and came across and applied for Starter Company Plus – a provincial government entrepreneurship program delivered in the Ottawa area by Invest Ottawa.
She says the program provided the structure and discipline she needed to start the business on the right track.
“Even if I have a business degree, all of the training I received helped me to apply the concept to real-life business, she said. “The connections I made, and the support I received made an impact on my success.”
Photo: Amanda Thirkill -amandathirkill.ca/
Along with Starter Company Plus, Monia also participated in the E-Commerce Pilot Program, which helped her strengthen Lavenbel’s online presence.
“Since the pilot, I’ve made SEO changes, added a store to social media, and I have finally opened an Instagram account,” Monia explains. With the support of Invest Ottawa, she continues to refine her e-commerce strategy, with the goal of expanding her customer base.
Monia says that she recently completed an organic certification in anti-aging skincare with Formula Botanica and plans to put that into action with a new product to keep a lookout for in 2025.
“I plan to develop a skincare collection that benefits aging skin and I am currently working on a face cream with botanicals benefiting maturing skin,” Monia said. “This will be my next product, with a goal to launch in early 2025.”
Are you looking to start or grow your business? From idea to start-up to established — discover and explore Invest Ottawa programs and services that can help grow and scale your business here in Ottawa no matter where you are in the business lifecycle. Find the right program for your business.
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