There is no better time to start a company than right now! All across Canada groups such as the Regional Innovation Centre have been established to help grow their respective local startup community. The Regional Innovation Centre is a group within OCRI that was established to startups with knowledge, funding and other resources to ensure their success. They recently released some new data reveals a total of $18.3 million in funding has been raised into its 132-company portfolio for 2011 so far.
“Our regional innovation centre is a tremendous asset to all of Eastern Ontario,” says Bruce Lazenby, President and CEO of OCRI. “I also see it as a catalyst to attract more and varied funding sources. The fact is Ottawa’s got the highest concentration of knowledge-based talent in Canada, and that’s a tremendous draw for the wider entrepreneurial community.”
“As we move into 2012 our team is going to be working hard to continue to build our portfolio companies, and get the word out to the Eastern Ontario business community that a next-generation roster of knowledge-based companies are succeeding on a global basis,” says Michelle Scarborough, Managing Director of the Regional Innovation Centre for Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. “We are entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs, and we want more of them to take advantage of our expanding capabilities.”
Portfolio Rising Stars companies include:
- BlackCherry Digital Media Inc. – gaming studio and digital content company
- Gazaro Inc. – real-time pricing data on the best retail deals
- Giatec Scientific Inc. – sensory tools for concrete durability on bridge inspections
- Guardian Mobility Corp. – portable data/tracking/communications devices for aircraft
- Impakt Protective Inc. – helmet impact sensors for contact sports
- Nova Tread – scrap tire recycling technology
- PatientWay Inc. – patient self-service kiosks for hospitals
- Valydate Inc. – schematic review and validation tools
- VG Omniglobe Solutions – software for defense, air traffic control and public safety
- Wedding Republic Inc. – online cash registry for weddings