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Harper Government Launches New Technology Accelerator Program in Boston for Canadian Start-Ups

Eight innovative, fast-growing Canadian companies in life sciences and ICT will join first wave of program

March 11, 2013 - Gerald Keddy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, today launched a new Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) program in Boston for small, fast-growing companies from the life sciences and information and communications technologies (ICT) sectors.

The eight initial participants will undertake a three-month intensive program at the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where they can access resources and mentoring by business leaders and venture capitalists. They will also benefit from a culture of collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurial inspiration among companies in the surrounding technology hub.

“The Harper government is committed to helping Canadian entrepreneurs and start-ups expand and succeed in dynamic new markets,” said Parliamentary Secretary Keddy. “I am pleased to launch this exciting new initiative that will enable our world-class companies from the life sciences and ICT sector to go global, which in turn will help create new high-value jobs back in Canada.”

“We are very excited to be working with the Government of Canada on this initiative,” said Tim Rowe, CIC’s Founder and CEO. “The program Canada has created will benefit both the United States and Canada. It deepens the entrepreneurial ties between our nations, creates jobs and enables innovation across sectors, from medical device technology to social networking.”

Andy Osburn, CEO of Equals6, one of the selected companies, said he is thrilled to have been selected for the Boston CTA program and is thankful for the Government of Canada’s support. “We look forward to connecting with new customers, partners and investors as we continue to focus on the rapid expansion of Equals6 in the U.S. market,” he said.

“The Canadian Technology Accelerator program, modelled on our similar programs in New York City and Silicon Valley, has proven to be an effective way forward for ambitious, innovative Canadian companies,” said the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway. “In total, Canada has five CTAs focused on different sectors, and more than 170 Canadian companies have already benefited from the programs.”

“The Consulate General of Canada in Boston is delighted to welcome the first eight companies to Boston, where they will no doubt forge valuable relationships and expand their businesses while gaining new insight into both the U.S. and international markets,” said Consul General Pat Binns. “New England is a vibrant hub of innovation, research, and technology, which makes it the ideal location to launch a new CTA program.”

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A backgrounder follows.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Rudy Husny
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
613-992-7332
rudy.husny@international.gc.ca

Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000
Follow us on Twitter: @Canada_Trade

Backgrounder - Canadian Technology Accelerator Initiative in Boston

Participating Companies

The following eight companies were chosen to participate in this program. Launched in November 2012, 43 start-up companies from across Canada applied for the first round of placements. A second call for applications is expected to be launched in April 2013 for placements in July and beyond.

Mindful Scientific Inc., Halifax, Nova Scotia - Ying Tam, President and CEO

Mindful Scientific is an early-stage medical device company developing innovative and powerful diagnostic and monitoring technologies to revolutionize the way brain injuries from concussions to comas are managed.

Biomedical Implant Technology Inc., St. Catharines, Ontario - Norman Kwan, Founder and CEO

Biomedical Implant Technology developed the BioHex, an innovative dental implant technology that combines a novel tooth replacement technology and business model to deliver a product and treatment in half the time and at half the cost of traditional methods, with predictable long-term results.

Sentimed Medical Corporation, Boucherville, Quebec - Martin Beland, Founder and President

Sentimed offers a telemedicine solution that enables the optimization of patient health by making patients’ medical information electronically accessible to primary care providers, such as physicians, nurses and pharmacists.

P&P Optica, Waterloo, Ontario - Olga Pawluczyk, CEO

P&P Optica develops high-performance spectroscopy systems that are optimized for use across a variety of industries and applications.

Arazy Group, Vancouver, British Columbia - Benjamin Arazy, Founder and CEO

Arazy Group offers a cloud-based application that processes, manages and obtains regulatory approvals for medical devices from health authorities around the world.

Equals6, Halifax, Nova Scotia - Andy Osburn, Founder and CEO

Equals6 is a professional social network that students may use to access funding and career opportunities.

TasteFilter Intuitive Discovery, Montréal, Quebec - Martin Legris, Founder and CEO

TasteFilter is a music discovery application that offers users a completely new touch screen interface to help them discover new artists or rediscover established artists.

HInext Inc., Toronto, Ontario - Peter Catford, President and CEO

HInext has developed TREAT, a cloud-based Health Electronic Health Records and Care Coordination Platform for behavioural health providers featuring powerful assessment and analytical tools that focus on patient outcomes and recovery.

Canadian Technology Accelerator Initiative

The Government of Canada’s Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) initiative, led by the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service at Canada’s consulates general in San Francisco, New York City and Boston, provides Canadian start-ups in the information and communications technologies, digital and social media, gaming, life sciences and clean technologies sectors with access to unique resources and contacts that can help them grow internationally.

There are currently five CTAs:

  • three located in California (at the Plug and Play Tech Center, Sunnyvale; at RocketSpace, San Francisco; and at the Quantitative Biomedical Center at the University of California, San Francisco’s Mission Bay campus);
  • one in New York (at General Assembly, New York City); and
  • one in Boston (at the Cambridge Innovation Center, Cambridge).

These CTAs provide Canadian companies with the opportunity to engage in business development to further their growth in key markets, in addition to accessing key venture funding and entrepreneurial resources available in San Francisco-Silicon Valley, New York City and Boston. More than 170 Canadian companies have benefited from CTAs since the inception of the initiative in San Francisco in 2009.

Canadian Trade Commissioner Service

Located in more than 150 cities worldwide and in cities across Canada, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, part of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, is Canada’s most extensive network of international business professionals. The Trade Commissioner Service helps companies that are looking to export, invest abroad, attract investment or develop innovation and R & D partnerships.