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News from across the Regional Innovation Centres
We have gathered news from all the regional innovation centres (RICs) in Ontario. Be sure to connect with your local RIC to be a part of your local ecosystem.
Entrepreneur Stories RIC News
Where Are They Now? Find Out How ventureLAB Pitch Comp Winners Are Scaling Their Solutions Across York Region
Small businesses are the backbone of our society. They are critical to building strong, local economies infused with innovation and creativity. When COVID-19 hit, many businesses ground to a halt, taking on additional challenges to adapt to rapidly changing…
ORIGINAL ARTICLE, Rebekah Carter, xrtoday.com, May 16, 2022 Currently growing at a phenomenal rate of around 40.9% CAGR, the global Augmented Reality industry is going through a period of explosion. By 2028 alone, the industry could be worth a massive $97.76…
Halma, the global group of life-saving technology companies, has acquired Deep Trekker Inc., based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Deep Trekker is highly aligned to Halma’s purpose of growing a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day. Its submersible robots…
We know that diversity and networking are crucial to business success. Here’s why combining the two will benefit your perspective — and your bottom line. Who you know has a significant impact on how you succeed. This makes networking a…
Posted in Blog, What's Happening Mar 30, 2022 (Photo courtesy of Ottawa Tourism) Spring is here and what a perfect way to spring into action after the long wintry months than to find new learnings to elevate you and your…
Digital Media and ICT Marketing
AutoVerify Introduces AV 360 to Increase Digital Customer Engagement Through 360° Virtual Vehicle Walkarounds
AutoVerify, powered by Mobials Inc., is pleased to announce the launch of AV 360, a new product recently added to the company’s line of best-in-class Digital Merchandising solutions.Digital Merchandising has never been more critical. A recent Google Consumer Survey revealed…
ventureLAB is looking a little different these days! If you have been to our website recently, you will see we’ve launched an entirely new website, making significant improvements in everything from our navigation, to our design, to our content. What’s New:Startups…
originally published: 2022-05-24 11:36:48 Patrick McGuire (00:00)Hey, it’s Patrick. Before we start, at the time of this recording, we went through a bit of a name rebranding from RIC Centre to Altitude Accelerator. With that in mind, we hope you…
“A Startup is Not a Smaller Version of a Large Company.”- Steve BlankWe avidly follow the stories of startups that become unicorns like Shopify, Uber, or Airbnb. Especially as a first-time founder at the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey, those…
Posted in Blog, Thrive in Ottawa May 24, 2022 1575 words | 7 minutesBy: Jessica Murphy So you did it — you landed your first tech job. What’s next? How can you really stand out in your role, make an…
Talent, People Management
Fable introduces Pathways platform to help advance careers of people with disabilities
TORONTO , May 19, 2022 – To mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day, leading accessibility startup Fable is launching Pathways. Fable Pathways is a skill development program created by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities. Courses are free to take and boast a Masterclass quality…
Digital Media and ICT Fintech Intellectual Property
Haloo Raises $2.9M CAD to offer IP Verification Tech as Solution for NFT Theft, Fraud
ORIGINAL ARTICLE, Charlize Alcaraz, betakit.com, May 19, 2022 Toronto-based startup Haloo (formerly Heirlume) has raised $2.9 million CAD ($2.3 million USD) in all-equity, primary seed funding in a round co-led by The W Fund and The51. Launched in 2020 by…
Digital Media and ICT Entrepreneur Stories Talent, People Management
These Founders Are Building A Company Culture Based on Sportsmanship and Challenging One Another
We interviewed TrojAI founders, James Stewart, CEO, and Stephen Goddard, COO, on how their careers, interests, and relationships led them to build their company. TrojAI develops solutions to protect artificial intelligence platforms from adversarial attacks on training data and AI…
Every year, homegrown small businesses lose billions to cyberattacks. But the cavalry is on its way. Last October, “next vehicle” screens across the TTC went dark leaving commuters wondering when their ride would show up. The cause was a cyberattack using ransomware…
Entrepreneur Stories Featured Life Sciences and Advanced Health
Nicoya named Life Science Company of the Year
Kitchener-based Nicoya has been named Life Science Company of the Year by industry association Life Sciences Ontario. “It’s pretty cool,” said Ryan Denomme, co-founder and CEO of Nicoya. “Many of the past recipients of the award are leading the Ontario…
Advanced Manufacturing & Materials Featured Featured Home
Oil is on its way out. But electric batteries can also be dirty and dangerous
The good news: A small army of Canadian cleantech companies is developing innovations that are good for both the planet and supply chains. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MONICA GUAN The sharp uptick in electric vehicle sales in the past two years holds both…
Life Sciences and Advanced Health
Unlocking the Potential of Human Longevity with Cole Kirschner of Age Rate
The Bacon Bits ‘n’ Bytes Podcast – May 15, 2022 In this episode I chat with the CEO and co-founder, Cole Kirschner of longevity tech company Age Rate. We chat about how AgeRate began as a capstone research project…
Planning for the end is stressful and expensive. These companies want to improve the experience — for you and your loved ones. Back in 2013, Lee Poskanzer got a LinkedIn notification to congratulate a friend on his work anniversary. Rather…
The Company Arni Mikelsons, founder of Northern Village, said after working for some big companies in his career, he decided to become an entrepreneur. His company, Northern Village, is a website and software company that helps social impact organizations with their…
TORONTO, May 16, 2022 -- D2L, a global learning technology company, is building intelligent technologies seamlessly into D2L Brightspace. Intelligent features leverage artificial intelligence, smart workflow design, and automation to help educators personalize learning – making it easier to adapt…
originally published: 2022-05-13 03:18:34 The below enterprises have stated publicly that they are committed to reducing environmental footprints and are investing in innovative new solutions that help them and their global clients meet that goal. We’ve included some specific details…
Canadian retail startups are bringing commerce directly to customers — in their homes, phones and the metaverse. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MONICA GUAN Back in 2019, Sophie Howe, co-founder and CEO of Xesto, felt like she was rolling a boulder uphill. Sure,…
Faire has raised another US$416 million through an extension of its Series G round, more than doubling the size of the initial tranche and boosting the unicorn’s current valuation to US$12.59 billion. “We will use this additional funding to invest…
Companies Funded / Acquired
Paidiem closes oversubscribed seed round and expands credit partnerships
Toronto, Ontario – (Newsfile Corp. - May 10, 2022) - Paidiem Payment Solutions Inc. (Paidiem, or the "company"), an emerging leader in end-to-end solutions for the contingent workforce ecosystem, proudly announces that it has closed an oversubscribed seed financing round. …
WETechAlliance is one of seventeen Regional Innovation Centres, funded by the Province of Ontario, serving the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent regions. They provide entrepreneurs with business services, training, commercialization and IP support, mentorship, and strategic connections to help bring new…
Purolator is once again running The True North Small Business Grant Contest. This grant recognizes small businesses and their contribution to society. This grant offers a range of opportunity for small businesses including: 4 Grant Prizes each consisting of: $20,000…
originally published: 2022-05-09 12:22:11 Patrick McGuire (00:00) Hey, it’s Patrick. Before we start, at the time of this recording, we went through a bit of a name rebranding from RIC Centre to Altitude Accelerator. With that in mind, we hope…
Digital Media and ICT Life Sciences and Advanced Health
How to test would-be doctors for empathy, compassion and moral fortitude
ORIGINAL ARTICLE, Danielle Groen, marsdd.com, May 5, 2022 Toronto tech company Altus Assessments goes beyond the C.V., helping schools select candidates for cultural fit. A man in his 30s comes into a store clutching a red toy truck. He wants…
2021 was another exceptional year for ventureLAB and our community. While we collectively continued to navigate challenging circumstances, this past year has proven it was a year of resiliency and growth.With a founder-first focus, we delivered exceptional experiences for our…
From the return of in-person conferences at MaRS to a virtual job fair for the queer tech community, the April calendar has online events for innovative people of all kinds. Here are the happenings you need to know about this…
Born in Canada’s financial capital, consumer lending startup goPeer is reimagining the way people lend and borrow money. The company is Canada’s first regulated peer-to-peer lending platform, offering a seamless experience for Canadians to take control of their finances.Making Lending…
Digital Media and ICT RIC News
The Results Are In: IO ScaleUp Program Spotlights Ottawa’s Top Employers for Fall 2021
Apr 5, 2022 The pandemic has spurred tremendous shifts in the way businesses operate to fulfill the needs of their customers and equally importantly—their employees. Often the case, employers have had to remain agile and pivot quickly while forming new…
There’s a new way to support rural entrepreneurs, thanks to the launch of a partnership between WETechAlliance and Libro Credit Union. Innovation Outposts are being set up across Essex County and Chatham-Kent, using business and community spaces to connect…
As we welcome Spring and approach the end of another school year, do you know what that looks like for the students in your life? It means that some students are moving onto a new grade, with new teachers and…
Advanced Manufacturing & Materials Funding News
Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster Spurs $76 Million in Zero-Emission Vehicle Investments
ORIGINAL ARTICLE, Robbie MacLeod, ngen.ca, May 3, 2022 NGen Canada has announced a series of new innovation projects to support the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) manufacturing ecosystem in Canada. As the global automotive industry undergoes the most important transformation in its history, NGen…
American corporations are scooping up powerhouse ventures from Canada’s cleantech sector. Experts on both sides debate the pros and cons. Karen Schuett sees money in muck. Lots of it. She is co-founder and CEO of Livestock Water Recycling, a fast-growing manufacturer…
originally published: 2022-03-22 13:36:17 Patrick McGuire (00:00)Hey, it’s Patrick. Before we start, at the time of this recording, we went through a bit of a name rebranding from RIC Centre to Altitude Accelerator. With that in mind, we hope you…
Cleantech
Cleantech Superheroes: A Critical Mission and Huge Market Opportunity – How to Tell Your Story to Investors
originally published: 2022-05-06 10:02:34 According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2022 Climate Change Mitigation report, big changes needed to happen before we cause irreversible harm and careen toward an “unlivable” planet. The next several years are going…
Digital Media and ICT
MedStack Recognized for Healthcare Security Innovation in 2022 MedTech Breakthrough Awards Program
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE, Nina Lalkovic, medstack.com, May 5, 2022 Prestigious Annual Awards Program Honors Outstanding Health & Medical Technology Products and Companies TORONTO, May 5, 2022 – MedStack, a Toronto-based healthcare security and privacy compliance automation company, today announced that…