The Kanata Networker May 2017

networker the kanata

A Part of the Energy: Discover TechNATA

Nanometrics: A culture of adventure

kanatanorthbia.ca info@kanatanorthbia.ca

May 2017

The future of automated Vehicles And the Delegation to Queen’s Park

TEDxKanata: The Next 150 AND MUCH MORE!

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TEDx K a n ata : T h e N e x t 1 5 0

N a n o m e t r i c s : A c u lt u r e o f a dv en t u r e

N a n o m e t r i c s a nd E x p o r t D e v elo p m en t C a n a da : E x p o r t er H ero e s

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W h at ’ s N e w / W h at ’ s N e x t

A Pa r t o f t h e En erg y: D i s cov er T ec h N ATA

MASV a nd t h e 3 R s o f T ec h n o lo g y: R e- i n v en t, R e- p u r p o s e , a nd R e- i nn ovat e

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Who is investing in Canadian Sa aS?

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T h e f u t u r e o f au to m at ed V eh i c l e s And t h e D el eg at i o n to Q u een ’ s Pa r k

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T h e N e w Fac e o f S o l ac e

Message from the Executive Director of the Kanata North Business Association Jenna Sudds It has been a very busy first quarter for us at the BIA, as we usually have in Canada’s largest tech park. We hosted TEDxKanata and TechNATA, which both had their most successful years yet. We also welcomed some new faces to the park this quarter including MASV, SonicWall, and Ford.

They are all here to become a part of the energy.

Bringing the Tech Community Together With the good weather finally hitting us, we’ve been seeing more and more people coming out of their office to enjoy a break in the sun. We welcome people to come out and join the activities over at our Community Hub. Right now we do Yoga Tuesday, Wednesday Lunch Parties, and Food Truck Thursdays, and there’s more coming soon. You can check the BIA website or social media for the most recent updates and event postings.

The Community Hub is located on Legget Drive across from QNX. Great Successes With TEDx Our team brought together this year’s TEDxKanata event, which had the most successful turnout of TEDxKanata to date. Over 350 attendees filled the Brookstreet Hotel, and we received over 650 attendance applications. We are proud to have hosted such a wide

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Design and layout

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collection of brilliant minds here in Kanata. You can read more about the speakers and the event in this issue of The Networker.

Ford’s Research and Engineering Centre Ford’s announcement to open a research and engineering centre here in Kanata is a big win for both Ford and our tech park. Ford will be employing 300 peoaple in the coming months to work on the growing field of AV technology. Their centre will contribute to our reputation as Canada’s largest tech hub, and a the hotspot for tech in Canada.

Sincerely,

Jenna Sudds Executive Director, Kanata North BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

j enn a s u dd s

Kanata in the Running to be a Tech Supercluster The federal budget allowed for $950 million worth of funding for superclusters, we are in the process of forming a tech supercluster in Kanata.

The government is looking to form clusters of innovation throughout Canada they can invest and nurture in. Each of the clusters will be focused on innovation for anything from energy, health, tech, and more.

We want to tout the expertise and technology routes here in Kanata.

We’re hoping to continue to make our tech park a pillar of Canada’s innovation future.

kanatanorthbia.ca

new w h at ’ s

Ne w W elcome C ata log now avail a ble on our w ebsit e The welcome package has everything you need to know about living and working in Kanata North. Details include information on bus routes, schools, recreation centres, and city and government services. It’s the ideal package for employers and new employees to the area.

Visit the resources section of our website to download a copy.

NEWS & EVENTS There’s been a lot of fascinating news and activity in the Kanata North Business Community. For details on the latest news and events—what’s happening, growth on local companies and the awards and accolades of our local businesses—subscribe to our newsletter: Kanata North Business News & Events.

Robots, Virtual Reality & Digital Forensics!

You won’t want to miss the next Kanata North Business Association networking event. Join us for a look into the future of technology May 24th from 5 to 7:30 pm at the Marshes Golf Club.​Meet our special guests and join us for talks and demonstrations of some of the coolest technology being developed right here in our tech park! No cost to register. Reserve Now.

Job Board remember to check our job board for new positions and job opportunities being listed every week. Businesses in the Kanata North tech park can post their positions on our website and benefit from ongoing promotion throughout our social media networks.

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next w h at ’ s

Behind t he S cenes & More With the awesome assistance of Erin Blaskie on our SeriousTechLivesHere campaign, we have added a couple of new sections to the website. Check out the new articles and behind the scenes interviews about the ‘People of Kanata’ North in the WHERE WE LIVE section and about the culture of some of the businesses in Kanata - in the WHERE WE WORK section. Highlights we’re sure you’ll enjoy! Please feel free to reach out to Erin to tell her about your funtastic workspace!

Yo g a , Lunch Parties , Food Truck s & Ice Cre a m!

See the ads in this publication for our upcoming summer activites at the Community Hub. We are excited to kick off the season and offer some lunchtime fun in the sun. Free Yoga at the Hub offered by our wonderful partner the Inner Revolution Yoga Studio, will begin on June 6th from 121pm. Visit our events calendar for a list of activities and schedules.

Big Bike fundraising for Heart & Stroke On May 24th teams from our business community including Innovapost, ProntoForms, Martello, Wind River, QNX Software, Amika Mobile, L-Spark, Brookstreet, Konnexis, Solace and The Kanata North Business Association with be riding the big bike in support of the Heart & Stroke foundation.

A fun event for everyone, 29 riders power one Big Bike For a 20-minute ride around our tech park. You have the option to support a team or start your own. For more information visit www.bigbike.ca or contact Owen Brady at Owen.Brady@heartandstroke.ca

May 26, 27, 28 - The Kanata Ribfest

is back! And this year will include a new Classic Car Show! The event will be held at a new location, the Kanata Leisure Centre and Wave Pool.

Check details.

May 27th - Come Celebrate at Canada’s 150th at the Kanata-Carleton Cultural Festival. A full-day, free festival, packed with a line-up of performances, displays & activities.

Check details.

June 30th & July 1st - Canada Day in Kanata. In celebration of Ottawa 2017 and Canada 150, the Canada Day in Kanata will include 2 full days of programming for all ages. Mark your calendar and come celebrate Canada Day in Kanata! Check details.

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play the marshes The Marshes 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. & Sr. European PGA approved 9-hole short course, Marchwood Blackbird Falls, 18-hole putting course Modern meeting facilities Rustic venue for weddings & special occasions Dining at Ironstone Grill with live entertainment twice weekly

Three Twenty Terry Fox Drive | Ottawa Ontario K2K 3L1 613.271.3370 | themarshesgolfclub.com /MarshesGolfClub @MarshesGolfClubt

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VIDEO COLLABORATION FOR ANY SPACE Logitech is transforming video conferencing by offering an easy and affordable way to collaborate, with crystal-clear audio and razor-sharp video. Logitech products deliver exceptional performance, business certifications, and award-winning design.

Contact our Ottawa Office sales@sharpsav.com

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EDxKanata: The Next 150

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teDxKanata curator and Kanata North Business association president Jenna sudds is thrilled about the success of the third teDxKanata event. “each event has been exciting and builds on the strengths of the year before. it was inspiring to hear each of our speakers and then to watch the attendees engaging in conversations throughout the day about what they heard on stage and germinating their own ‘ideas worth spreading’. this year’ s teDx event joined in the excitement of celebrating canada’ s sesquicentennial, looking to what the next 150 years might hold for Kanata, at the heart of the country’ s largest technology park, and for canada which, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (oecD), has the highest share of adults with tertiary education in the world.

Speakers looked back at our history

With the upcoming sesquicentennial

as a nation, and emphasized the

of Canada, we have an opportunity

importance of learning from the past

to look at both our successes and our

when we think about our taking steps

downfalls as a nation and how we

towards the future. Our speakers

can make the next 150 years better.

covered topics like technology,

Bellegarde, gave an impassioned

business, innovation, and society, and

speech taking us through the past 150

displayed optimism for the future. Each

years for Aboriginals in Canada, and

of the speakers believes that Canada

his hopes for the future.

will continue to have an important role on the world stage, as long as we work today on creating the country we want to see in the future.

Read on to learn more about the inspiring talks at this year’ s TEDx Kanata event, and watch the talks on TEDx’ s Youtube Channel.

Melanie Coulson

This sold out event, hosted at the

The narrative about Canada is cute,

Brookstreet Hotel, marks the third

but it’ s one that journalist and

time the Kanata North Business

communications expert Melanie

Association held a TEDx event. Three

Coulson knows doesn’ t reflect the

hundred twenty five attendees

amazing work and talent in Canada

participated, selected from over 600

Canada has carved out a niche for

applications. You can view the speakers on the TEDx Youtube channel. Our talks have received over 90,000 views on Youtube over the past three years,

itself as the polite and cold country National Chief Perry

up north, populated by moose and

Bellegarde

beavers. Coulson says we should

and we look forward to breaking the

National Chief Perry Bellegarde

100,000 mark with our new videos.

discussed the complexities of the

Claudette Commanda opened the event, which took place on unceded Algonquin territory, with a traditional Algonquin blessing. She inspired the audience with her warm, welcoming message of hope and optimism for the next 150 years.

intergenerational scars in Indigenous communities as a result of historical decisions like the implementation of residential schools and The Indian Act, and that learning from the past is integral for making good decisions for

shake off our humility just enough to take pride in the incredible innovation happening in our country. She emphasizes that we have the ability to craft our narrative through social media, and highlight the incredible work in robotics, medicine, AI, and more, that is happening in our country.

future Canadians.

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volunteering which improved his work quality, motivation, and quality of life.

Dabrowski hopes that in the next 150 years, companies will see that being flexible in creating a work-life balance can benefit everyone.

Mathilde Papillon

Allan Lee Brown In the next 150 years of Canada, we will also have to look at our role internationally.

Allan Lee Brown has spent a significant amount of time volunteering overseas, and he has learned firsthand that the best thing we can do for international communities is to stop sending “stuff”.

We are lucky to be able to help developing countries, but in order to truly make a difference, Canadians have to get informed and get generous by contributing to charities that help empower communities to become independent, so their countries and citizens can one day prosper as ours has.

As a dancer and aspiring scientist, high school student Mathilde Papillon believes the best way to communicate science to the population is not through lectures, but through art. This is part of a growing global trend to de-compartmentalize education and make it part of a more comprehensive learning experience.

Mathilde is ready to change how we look at science as a community.

Papillon demonstrated her theory by choreographing and performing a dance explaining Newton’ s Third Law in action. She hopes that in the next 150 years, her generation will help forge a scientifically literate country where the arts and science can coexist in the curriculum and, indeed, within the same lesson plan.

Mark Dabrowski When Dabrowski was able to switch to a four day work week, it left him time to fulfill his passion for

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Our outdated work structures (9-5, five days a week, with a gold watch after 40 years) are being replaced by a balanced work life schedule for a lucky few, but Mark Dabrowski knows that it can be beneficial for both companies and employees to take on a new work model and hopes many more will adopt it.

Amy Karam Will Canadian companies need to become a little less polite in the next 150 years? Yes, says speaker, author, consultant, and specialist on global expansion and competitive strategy Amy Karam.

With so many countries experiencing significant growth, there will be no concentrations of power as we’ ve had in the past. In this new playing field, Canada needs to be able to not only assert its competitiveness, but its ability to cooperate as well. In order to preserve our way of life, Canadians must become a little less polite, and a lot more prepared to change and adapt on the world stage.

Dillon Black

Craig Cardiff

Social worker, LGBTQ activist, and violence against women (VAW) advocate, Dillon Black, has a message for all Canadians: Although gender equality has come a long way in 150 years, there is still a lot of work to be done because we live in a culture that still puts the blame on survivors of violence and sexual assault.

Singer-songwriter Cardiff encourages everyone to try to write at least one song in their life to help express who they are and tell the world what they are about.

With the internet being an everpresent, ever-growing force in our lives, we need to shift the conversation about cyberviolence and gender-based violence. As Canadians we must keep in the front of our minds that for people who have been impacted by violence, they are not a statistic, it’ s their life and to treat them with the compassion they deserve.

He played a few of his songs for the crowd at TEDx Kanata and discussed his hopes for a more open-hearted and kinder Canada. The crowd opened up and sang along to the chorus of a couple of his songs. He believes that in the next 150 years we can become closer and more open with one another, and that by sharing those stories, it will help shape Canada’s future.

John Weigelt Over the past 150 years, Canada has been on the cutting edge, especially in Kanata, Canada’ s largest tech park. In the next 150 years, instead of “playing by the rules”, we may need to make our own.

Technology is shaping every aspect of Canadian life, and John Weigelt knows that the next step is continuing to design our future-and Canada’ s prosperity-through innovation. Weigelt knows that to be a leader in the future, we will have to build on our past to make the most of the next 150.

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Photo by Karsten Melchers

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anometrics: A culture of adventure

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“There’s a saying about not being able to solve a problem the same way you created it. We really embrace that ethos here and are always seeking new and proactive ways to solve our clients’ challenges. There is so much we don’t know about earthquakes and every year we are learning more. Imaging the earth is complex and there is no end to our appetite for learning more and providing excellent solutions for our clients.”

By the very nature of its work, Nanometrics has a culture of adventure. They innovate and create solutions, working closely with their clients, to deliver full-scale products that must work, no matter what, often in extreme climatic conditions. serving a specialized market, Nanometrics designs and manufactures the precision instruments, network technology, and software applications that serve the seismological and environmental research communities in over 100 countries around the world, as well as providing services to energy producers for monitoring seismicity near their operations.

CEO Neil Spriggs is an excellent fit for the culture of adventure the company embodies. He is an autogyro pilot (see photo), an oceanographer, and a scuba diver.

“I love the spirit of experimentation, the cutting-edge technology, and the drive to do better that is part of everything we do here.”

Content Marketing Manager Nahanni MacIntosh When he joIned the fledgling company in 1992, there were nine staff members. since then, the company has grown to 120 staff. though they are a global company—with partners and clients all around the world—most of the staff is based at the headquarters in Kanata. No wonder spriggs clocks over 100,000 km in air travel each year.

Spriggs’ enthusiasm for the company has only grown over the past 25 years. “I love what we do here at Nanometrics and it is great when I also see that passion in the people I work with here, too. The technical rigour and detail is important to team members and so is creating technology that will

save lives. It’s a field where there is always more to learn and that’s one of the reasons I love it so much.”

When asked what the most memorable moment over his 25-year career with the company is, he answers quickly and decisively. In 1998, when the company was looking for their opportunity to prove themselves as an established and a reliable partner, they bid on a project for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Network.

They won the bid to design and install a global system that monitors the land, air and water for signs of nuclear explosions. They had arrived. The project allowed them to re-invest in the company and introduce their seismometers, which has evolved

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Nanometrics CEO Neil Spriggs

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Photo by Kristian Spriggs

Photo courtesy of Export Development Canada (EDC)

into their best-selling product. Their more recent partnership with Export Development Canada (EDC) has built on these early successes, providing them with another era of expansion.

What is the culture like at Nanometrics? Staff members report that, from the very beginning, the executive team set the tone for a culture of respect and partnership.

Through a shared passion, neverending scientific and engineering curiosity, and a drive for excellence, this extends not only to staff but to clients, and continues to this day in every part of the organization.

For example, at a time when job tenure in their sphere is seven to eight years, according to Statistics Canada, Nanometrics stands out. Marni Francis, Director of People and Places,

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observes, “The staff are passionate about their work and that shows in the track record here with people staying on for long periods of time, usually over 10 years and many have been here well over 20 years. And, we are unique in that we have a strong culture of partnering with our clients. It’s a very collegial work environment in every way.”

spirit of experimentation, the cuttingedge technology, and the drive to do better that is part of everything we do here.”

Content Marketing Manager Nahanni MacIntosh joined the company just over a year ago and was amazed, when attending trade shows, at the rapport between Nanometrics execs and clients. “It’s more like they’re old friends than clients. I love that.”

Spriggs is thoughtful as he adds, “There’s a saying about not being able to solve a problem the same way you created it. We really embrace that ethos here and are always seeking new and proactive ways to solve our clients’ challenges. There is so much we don’t know about earthquakes and every year we are learning more. Imaging the earth is complex and there is no end to our appetite for learning more and providing excellent solutions for our clients.”

She adds, “One of the other great things about working here is that no one has ever said, ‘Because that’s the way we’ve always done it.’ I love the

The presence of a work-life balance is apparent throughout the Nanometrics facility. Spriggs headed out after our meeting to go to the gym over his

Photo by Karsten Melchers

lunch break, as he does on a regular basis. And, during the tour of the facilities, a pair of cross country skis leaned next to a back entrance to drip dry, evidence of another lunchtime outing.

If the prospect of working on innovative technology, in a company with great culture has grabbed your attention, you’ll be happy to know Nanometrics is hiring. If you would like to be part of a global centre of excellence in earthquake metrics, love the lifestyle Kanata offers - lots of green space, reasonable cost of living, great schools - and crave a culture of continual learning, be sure to check them out. Be a part of the adventure.

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Photo by Karsten Melchers

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anometrics and Export Development Canada: Exporter Heroes Photo courtesy of Export Development Canada, Marum Crater, Vanuatu

The visually stunning video opens on the barren and grey landscape of the Marum Crater on the Vanuatu archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. A scientist walks along a precipitous edge, dwarfed by the craggy hills surrounding him. Silhouetted against the resplendent orange of a bubbling lake of lava inside a volcano, he and his colleague set up monitoring equipment designed to detect early signs of earthquakes.

This equipment will save lives.

Each year, earthquakes kill almost 13,000 people and affect another 5 million through injury, loss of property, and displacement.

And, each year, the technology of Nanometrics provides the data that will help prevent death and disruption.

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This global centre of excellence for measuring earthquakes is right here in the Kanata North Technology Park.

Nanometrics has clients all around the globe, serving a highly specialized market. they design and manufacture the precision instruments, network technology, and software applications that serve the seismological and environmental research communities in over 100 countries. more specifically, this includes governments, universities, research organizations, and non-profits.

A few years back, Nanometrics knew it needed to make the leap and take some calculated risks into new markets. They looked at their options and, after a rigorous process, chose to work with Export Development Canada (EDC). The partnership has been stellar.

EDC provides trade credit insurance and business solutions to Canadian exporters and investors, and their international buyers. But there is so much more they offer.

To name just a few: •

Their research provides the insights that create the competitive advantage that propels Canadian businesses forward to new heights.

•

EDC.Trade, their online trade hub dedicated to help exporters answer their most pressing questions, has most recently dedicated a section to address the growing concerns with the state of Canada-U.S. trade.

•

•

ExportWise, their online business forum, has a special section devoted to technology and telecom.

And, they recently opened an office in Singapore. Regardless of how the Trans-Pacific Partnership plays out, Singapore is an excellent partner for Canadian companies and EDC is taking advantage of this. You can find out more about this, and other important trends, in their Knowledge Centre.

How does this tie into the video Nanometrics: Exploring the Unknown in a Fast-Changing World? EDC has created an annual outreach campaign, and when they were on the hunt for the next company to feature, Nanometrics was immediately brought to the table. The Exporter Heroes campaign celebrates EDC’s clients while, at the same time, promoting the

potential other Canadian companies have for expanding into markets outside our borders.

At EDC, a small team of very talented folks work on the campaign. Director/ Cinematographer/Editor, Daniel Green oversees the project from its very first stages through post-production.

He states,“Campaigns like this drive awareness and are meant to inspire other Canadian businesses of the potential of going global, but they also honour our customers. Companies like Nanometrics are the real heroes and we’re proud to support them in their success.”

He continues, “Nanometrics provides us with a powerful story - saving lives - with some extraordinarily compelling visuals.” The video he produced, under some incredibly difficult circumstances, can be viewed on YouTube and on their microsite.

Once production is complete, Angela Pigeon, Content and Social Strategist at EDC, takes care of distribution. She says, “The companies we highlight are our ‘Exporter Heroes’. They provide inspiration to others. The number of views we’ve had of the video - as well as the VR version - shows that a lot of folks are interested in the opportunities out there to expand to foreign markets.” She adds with a smile, “They also love the cool imagery and success story we’re highlighting.”

Today, Nanometrics’ products are exported to over 100 countries and used by the world’s leading researchers. With the help of EDC, the company successfully ventured into risky frontier markets and became the gold standard for seismic monitoring solutions internationally. Today, with interest from several new regions, their future is brighter than ever.

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This Hobin-designed midrise condo typifies low maintenance and contemporary living. Situated in a forested suburb adjacent to the Kanata North business park, it’s perfect for those who want more time for the things they love—like biking to the office or arriving home in time for an afternoon barbecue on the terrace.

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Part of the Energy: Discover TechNATA "We had grown a lot, and we were looking for a good environment where we could get the square footage we needed, and be in a location that made recruiting easier."

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Discover TechNATA was abuzz with potential as our district perpetuates its growth, and demand for skilled people. We brought the best and the brightest talent and companies together to seek out the best opportunities here in Kanata. As Canada’s largest tech park it’s no wonder the Brookstreet Hotel was packed with people and companies, both hiring and looking for talent.

Eric Karmouch, long-time Kanata resident and March Networks employee, shared his thoughts on Discover TechNATA. “This event is extremely significant when it comes to bringing the tech community together. It brings potential hires, as well as people from academia and government, into the tech hub to see what we are all about. They can see what’s new and what’s exciting, and become a part of that,” explains Karmouch.

But it’s not just locals like March Networks vouching for Kanata’s potential. Kanata has caught the

attention of a number of new companies that recently moved into the Park.

Jason Maloney from Thinkwrap Commerce says, “We moved to Kanata because it was time for an update. Our office in Bells Corners left something to be desired, and it was becoming a recruiting problem.

We had grown a lot, and we were looking for a good environment where we could get the square footage we needed, and be in a location that made recruiting easier.”

In their new office, Thinkwrap has created a fun space and developed a revitalized company culture. They are hiring for a number of positions in the coming months.

Other new arrivals include Magnet Forensics that just moved into Kanata from Waterloo. They already had a number of people working in Ottawa, and they got them to weigh in when they asked where they should open their new office.

The employees urged management to look at opportunities in Kanata because of the energy and skill here. Magnet has plans to expand their team, potentially doubling it.

Since their move they have already brought on their first new hire plus a co-op student. Their software helps solve criminal cases, which Software Development Manager, Thusha Agampodi, finds exceptionally motivating and believes it is for the rest of the team, as well.

Kanata is catching the eye of tech workers across canada, as well as building a reputation as the place to be for both established and growing technology companies. if you are looking for a great job in an incredible area, be sure to check out the companies in our tech park and our job board for potential opportunities. #serioustechliveshere.

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ASVsv aNd the 3r's oF techNology:

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Re-invent, Re-purpose, and Re-innovate

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Kanata-based LiveQoS is a market leader in creating an excellent quality of service for real-time applications and prides itself on its ability to find and fix the problems on any wired or wireless network. In the wild west of computing, they are able to rein in the issues that plague many devices and make users’ experiences seamless and enjoyable by supplying OEMs and application developers with high quality network solutions.

Not content to rest on their laurels, they were driven to consider how they might re-invent, re-purpose, and re-innovate their cutting-edge technology in new ways. LiveQoS knew their technology could do more and were keen to consider new options. They landed on a stellar idea that engaged a complementary market. They decided to incubate a new company and in February 2017, MASV.io was born.

Currently, there are a number of platforms that allow individuals and businesses to transfer large files, particularly video. Some of the platforms are simple and straightforward to use as web applications but are shared services and lack in transfer speeds. Others are fast but much more complicated to use with a complex interface that requires software and specialized hardware.

This is where MASV comes in with their unique selling proposition: transferring files at a speed that will make your head spin while using an easy and straightforward interface. No special bells and whistles, or plugins, or hardware that take the non-technical person down a rabbit hole - it is simply fast file transfer technology based in the cloud.

The main way the industry handles file transfers for huge files is by shipping hard drives through the postal service which is, of course, fraught with time delays and fears of loss. MASV Rush is really the first solution that is at a low enough price point but with high performance so it can compete with hard drive shipping.

Their additional differentiator?

Reasonably-priced, pay-as-you-go plans with no long-term commitments via subscriptions: A perfect combination for the video producers of the world with projects that range from a 15second YouTube pre-roll to hours of episodic television.

The common goal their clients share is that they need to deliver huge video files on tight budgets and deadlines.

MASV collaborates with clients around the globe in media and entertainment centres, such as Los Angeles, New York, and London and throughout Asia. The common goal their clients share is that they need to deliver huge video files at high resolution with a quick turnaround and tight deadlines. As David Horne, MASV’s VP of Marketing and Co-Founder states, “Our technology makes the most out of your internet connection and pushes it harder.”

He adds, “We are finding that enterprises that do a lot of their own marketing, especially via video work, are a growth market for us as well.”

MASV and LiveQoS, their parent company, are both headquartered in Kanata. With its strong culture of innovation, deep pool of talent, and great quality of life, Kanata is an excellent fit for them. In fact, MASV is a living example of how their technology, which allows companies from around the world to collaborate seamlessly and efficiently, is a perfect twenty-first century solution.

David Horne, VP of Marketing and Co-Founder THE KANATA NETWORKER

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ho is investing in Canadian SaaS?

We are pleased to include a blog written by Lucy Screnci of L-Spark.

Check out “Who is investing in Canadian SaaS?” featured in L-Spark’s new online publication Voice of the North, Canada’s hub for tactical advice and thought leadership from the SaaS industry’s best.

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Time and time again SaaS startups contemplate who they should approach for investment. There’s a general sense in our community that it’s difficult to raise money in Canada. Software startups have this misconception before they do their own digging that they need to go south of the border to raise a round.

YES, there is more money in the US. YES, companies are raising at higher valuations. But let’s not sell ourselves short on the ecosystem that exists in our own backyard.

SaaS founders – before you pack your bags for a trip to San Francisco – have a look at our infographic.

Who is investing in Canadian SaaS? To the left you’ll find a breakdown of funding amounts by province and the investors who participated in those deals.

Sourced from 2016 CVCA Infobase Data.

We’ve pulled together a comprehensive list of the VC’s that are actively investing in Canadian SaaS companies TODAY. In keeping with the TRUE NORTH pride that we have at L-SPARK, we’ve also highlighted a few examples of previous investments they have made in SaaS companies that are killing it across our country.

500 Startups Canada: KEATEXT, Element.ai BDC: Axonify, Klipfolio Brightspark: Nudge Rewards, Hubba Build Ventures: Affinio, AirVM Celtic House Venture Partners: FileFacets, Auvik, KodaCloud, Nuvyoo East Valley Ventures: Leadsift, Alongside Georgian Partners: Freshbooks, Vision Critical Gibraltar Ventures: Pressly, CrowdRiff Golden Venture Partners: Yesware, Roadmunk Hello Ventures: careerJSM, Mydoma Studio

Highline.vc: Picatic, Hockeystick Information Venture Partners: PostBeyond Innovacorp: Kivuto, LeadSift Inovia: Lightspeed POS, Smooch.io, TrackTik, Top Hat Kensington Capital: Real Matters, Vision Critical KLASS Capital: TrackTik, 360insights Leaders Fund: 360insights, InfluitiveMaRS IAF: PageCloud, Top Hat Mistral Venture Partners: Klipfolio, The Better Software Company OMERS: Shopify, Fusebill, League, Hootsuite Pelorus Venture Capital: HeyOrca!

Real Ventures: Mindbridge.ai, Vanilla Relay Ventures: Touchbistro, Influitive Round13 Capital: Hubdoc, Bridgit, Statflo, TouchBistro ScaleUP Ventures: Startapp Trellis Capital: Funnelcake, TrendMD Vancouver Founder Fund: ThinkCX, Thinkific Vanedge: Bridgit Version One Ventures: Clio, Jobber, Frontdesk, unbounce Wesley Clover: Martello, Referral SaaSquatch, Solink Whitecap Venture Partners: Real Matters, Affinio, Clearwater Clinical Whitestar Capital: Gymtrack, Mnubo, IMMUNIO, Salesfloor Yaletown: Showbie So there you have it. The money is here and our Canadian investors are ready to meet you.

This infographic is the first in a series of features we’re producing for L-SPARK’s newly launched blog Voice of the North – Canada’s hub for tactical advice and thought leadership from the SaaS industry’s best.

We’ll also be taking a deeper dive into some of Canada’s SaaS success stories in the months to come. If you want to feature a company or investment in your region contact me at lucy@l-spark.com.

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T

HE FUTURE OF AUTOMATED VEHICLES AND T HE DEL EG AT ION TO QUEEN’ S PARK

The delegation met with the Ministers and the Premier to provide context on the work being developed in Ottawa on autonomous vehicles technology, and next generation networks. There were also discussions on the opportunity to create a centre of excellence for autonomous vehicles in Kanata.

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TThe Kanata North Business Association (KNBA) recently met with key decision makers to discuss emerging technology development related to autonomous vehicles and next generation networks.

At an event hosted by Invest Ottawa in March, the KNBA participated in a day of discussions at Queen’s Park in Toronto, with Premier Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Infrastructure Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Finance Charles Sousa, Minister of Economic Development Brad Duguid, and Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca. President and Executive Director Jenna Sudds was joined by Mayor Jim Watson and representatives from Kanata companies, Blackberry QNX and CENGN. Led by Sir Terry Matthews, the delegation met with the Ministers and the Premier to provide context on the work being developed in Ottawa on autonomous vehicles technology, and next generation networks. There were also discussions on the opportunity to create a centre of excellence for autonomous vehicles in Kanata.

tionals, the government, and academia to strengthen Canada’s leadership in Next Generation Networking (NGN).

This Centre of Excellence strives to create an ecosystem that accelerates the growth of the Canadian Information and Communications Technology sector.

QNX platform and solid partnership the two companies have established over the years. This investment also makes it a lot more attractive for software and engineering talent to find challenging and rewarding work, while strengthening the city’s objective as an autonomous vehicles hub.

The CENGN Cloud will allow for next generation networking (NGN) development, as well as industry collaboration and connectivity. Innovation projects; like smart agriculture, mining, autonomous vehicles, and smart city, in addition to the improvement to both rural and urban life in Ontario.

The research centre is an essential element in the partnership with the federal and provincial governments—to encourage job growth and innovation in the capital—and to support the rapidly evolving auto industry.

The CENGN Cloud will build on its federally funded NCE program to introduce a “smart network infrastructure” that allows for collaboration between industry, researchers/ academia, and government bodies across Ontario.

This investment will enable CENGN to bring on 150 ICT companies to demonstrate their innovations, train 1,000 people in NGN technology and allow for 300 student placements.

An outcome of the meeting related to next generation networks came in April when the Ontario budget was released and CENGN received $63 million in funding. Because 5G networks are the backbone of future technologies, the funding will enable CENGN to advance the development and availability of next generation networks and give Ontario businesses an edge. The funding is particularly exciting as it will enable CENGN to extend the CENGN cloud to all 18 Regional Innovation Centres throughout Ontario.

On the AV front, the Ford Motor Co. announced in March that it will establish a research and development centre in Ottawa as part of a $1.2billion investment it will make in its Canadian operations over the next four years. The announcement said Ford would spend $337.9 million to create an Ottawa Research and Engineering Centre focused on developing autonomous driving technology. The engineering centre, will be built in the Kanata North Technology Park, and house both Ford and Blackberry employees with plans to hire several more in the coming months.

CENGN, an NCE (Networks of Centres of Excellence) funded CECR (Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research), works with small and medium-sized businesses, multina-

The decision by Ford to set up shop in Ottawa will lead to more business for the QNX division, and demonstrates the automakers dedication to the

In the meetings at Queen’s Park, Blackberry QNX and CENGN played an integral role in positioning Ottawa as a burgeoning center of expertise in autonomous vehicle technology and the next generation of networks, that is needed to connect the growing number of devices.

KNBA Executive Director Jenna Sudds states, “Invest Ottawa and the City of Ottawa did a great job in organizing the delegation. Heartfelt thanks to everyone for attending the Queen’s Park meetings. The delegation played a big part in showing why there is no better place for investing in both next generation network and automation technology than Canada’s largest tech park and the Nation’s Capital. We are cautiously optimistic to see the results from the meetings announced in the upcoming provincial budget.”

The Queen’s Park meetings, and the discussions that have occurred since, are fertile ground for KNBA to continue to grow Kanata’s reputation as the best place for tech in Canada.

With the breadth and depth of next generation networks and AV knowledge focused in Kanata, we can expect the outcomes of the delegation’s visit to bring wide reaching benefits to both Kanata and the National Capital Region.

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TCC CANADA recognizes that the business world is going through incredible changes in how companies manage business. They have stayed in the game by continuously offering new technologies and trends while meeting the demands of customers and businesses.

Ten years ago, companies needed a dedicated office space to work at full capacity. Nowadays, large and small companies still require space, but perhaps not full-time dedicated office space. A printer and Wi-Fi is usually the norm now for a business to operate successfully.

TCC Canada offers access to full suites of office and management resources, including executive office space, meetings and board rooms as well as shared workspace. They also offer reception services, utilities and amenities for any size company. This means that your company or business has all the services and social needs with a low overhead and no long-term commitments – all while maintaining a competitive level of professionalism.

TCC Canada’s Virtual Identity Program allows for virtual office space to be established, perfect for the modern entrepreneur. This program includes a corporate address, personalize phone answering, reception and access to furnished meeting rooms. This program is putting TCC Canada ahead of other companies in theNETWORKER way they do business.

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Located in Kanata North Centre, Blackwood Centre is at the epicenter of the technology scene. It puts your company in the heart of the innovation and advancement that Kanata North can offer. By utilizing Blackwood Center, your company will have access to industry leaders, world-class technology and dynamic individuals within close proximity the technology park.

TCC Canada currently has six locations throughout Ottawa, not including the soon-toopen Kanata BizLounge. Later this summer they will be expanding to western Canada, with another new location to open in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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S

erious Techies 3.0

W r i t t en by A l fr ed J . G i l l e t t e , N o k i a

This month we look at one more of Kanata’s behind the scenes technology leaders.

When it comes to technology companies we often read about the companies and their CEO’s but many times, it’s the hardcore technology enthusiasts in the trenches that provide the vision and breakthroughs that lead to success. This series highlights the often unsung heroes that continue to contribute because of their love of technology.

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Joe knew he wanted to be a software designer when he got his first Apple II and figured out how to program it using assembler/machine code. In Grade 10 he got his first computer related job working at Statistics Canada as a data entry clerk.

Then in Grade 11, Joe became a consultant and got a contract to work at the National Printing Bureau where he programmed their APS-5 Phototypesetter. Joe went on to Queen’s University in Kingston where he graduated in Computer Science. He later went on to Carleton University where he became a teaching assistant in their Computer Science program and refined his skills in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

Between attending Queen’s and Carleton University, Joe worked as a consultant for a year at Energy, Mines and Resources. There he wrote a program in C++ which used multilinear, regression analysis to predict fuel burning attributes such as smoke density & sulfur emission based on middle distillate fuel properties such as viscosity. This is where Joe developed his interest in Artificial Intelligence as he discovered that Neural Networks may solve similar problems more accurately.

In our endless quest to understand what drives a serious techie, we ask Joe “What drives people like you to continue to do hands on work?”

He replied that he enjoys creating software that helps the world be a better place and loves breaking down difficult problems into smaller more conquerable pieces for himself and the teammates around him. He still writes software, so he can get a fuller understanding of the software he specifies. He sees this as a type of quality assurance for his architecture, but also admits that he just loves to write code. At the same time he enjoys seeing the people around him get excited about the achievements they get based on the architectural guidance he provides. He says that it can become a sort of “feeding frenzy” in a technical sense and that’s when it gets fun, and as a result very productive.

When Joe was asked about his most satisfying career achievements he replied, “After I graduated and became a consultant, I was asked by a colleague to help out one of her clients. She said that her client recently lost her arm but was also a technical writer who wanted to use WordPerfect to do her job.

WordPerfect was a word processor that required the user to hold down

Joe Ireland: Current Status: Employed Years in industry: 30

shift, ctrl or alt while pressing other keys at the same time to do various operations. anyway, to make a long story short i wrote some software to help her do that with one arm so she could do her job”.

When discussing his work at Omnitrol Networks for the City of Calgary.

He said, “It feels good to know that the wastewater disposed at the City of Calgary is being monitored by the software I developed at Omnitrol, to ensure acceptable pH and conductivity levels. Hopefully the rest of Canada and US can move onto the same high levels of environmental standards for wastewater disposal that Calgary has recently mandated”.

When asked about career highlights Joe talked about: - Working for iota Consulting as their first international consultant for the oecD (organization for economic co-operation and Development) in paris, france.

- Being a founding member of empowertel Networks, a carrier grade voip company.

- Working at mKc Networks to build a firewall capable VoIP PBX and services platform.

- Being a member of sun microsystem’s Java standards committee to define the Java JSLEE standard for Java’s telephony Service Logic Execution Environment framework.

Companies as employee: IOTA Consulting, Bell Northern Research, Saraide, EmpowerTel, Telexis, MKC, Omnitrol, Wind River (an Intel company).

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- Working as chief architect at Omnitrol Networks defining and implementing their rfiD location tracking & iot platform product line.

- Working as an Architect at Wind River (an Intel company) and spearheading their device management cloud platform for their IoT (Internet of Things) product portfolio.

Because of Joe’s long term exposure to the software design industry, we talked about programming language preferences. Joe said that he is currently very interested in Node. js and google’s go programming languages, howeverstill holds dear to his heart C/C++ and Java. He said that Google’s V8 JavaScript engine which is part of the Chrome web browser is also the main engine of Node.js. The speed, small size and efficiency of V8 and Node.js has taken notice by large companies such as Samsung who are banking on it for its embedded IoT solutions. Joe also noted that besides the embedded world, Node.js is taking over as the language of choice for building microservices in the cloud.

Not only because of its efficiency and small size, but also because of the many libraries that its NPM repository has to offer. NPM is now the largest software repository in the world.

Joe also points out that compiled, type-safe languages such as Google’s relatively new GO programming language are starting to lean in on Node.js’ turf and may overcome it in popularity given time. He states that other explosive growth technologies such as Docker are written in GO and GO is quickly gaining popularity due to its execution performance as well as recent support on Android mobile OS platforms.

We asked Joe what motivates him to work so hard at what he does. he said

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“My dad (Robert) has always been hard working and a leader in his field. He’s a PhD in Biology, specifically Bryology which is the study of mosses. he worked at the smithsonian institute and later moved to canada to work with the museum of canada. he has written several publications including a book that i proudly have on my desk and inside that book includes a species of moss named after him. Even with all that hard work my dad still found time to coach my baseball teams and get me to my hockey games when I was young.

What amazes me the most is that he is still going. In his 70s he travelled up the Andes Mountains of Chile on the back of a donkey for National Geographic to discover more species”.

Joe added that his mother Ellen was also a huge role model, “My mom (Ellen) was the Staff Coordinator of the Queensway Carleton hospital. Her job was to keep the entire hospital running smoothly during night shifts. If you go to the QCH ask any older nurse about Ellen Ireland and you may be up for some very interesting stories and a huge smile. She worked hard, played hard but most importantly everyone worked hard for her and loved to do it”.

Joe went on to add that his brother Ed Ireland is also a very tough act to follow. He said “Ed is a former entrepreneur who also graduated from Queen’s University but as a Civil Engineer on the Dean’s List. Outside of his usual job, Ed is really active with the work he does for Carleton University and their student athletes - especially their very successful basketball program.

We asked Joe what technologies currently excite him. Joe said, “I believe Deep Learning is a very important

technology that most companies should keep their eye on.” He said that in the late 80’s Neural Networks, which attempt to model the human brain, were popular but by the 90’s that popularity dwindled due to a stumbling block when training them - called the “vanishing gradient”. Joe went on to say that “recent techniques called Deep Learning are allowing these Deep Neural Networks to get around that issue and solve problems like never before.

Joe added that last year Google’s Deep AI solution recently beat the grand master of the Chinese game of Go. Unlike Chess the game of Go has too many combinations for a computer to brute force a solution to win and because of this it has always been thought of as the Holy Grail of AI. Finally, in my conversation with Joe I asked him if anything remains on his bucket list. Joe said “I’m a big fan of college NCAA basketball and the Kansas Jayhawks. I’d love to see a home game at Allen Field House where basketball was invented”.

Joe went on to add that his dad was Alumni at Kansas University and attended when Wilt Chamberlain played there. Joe concluded that “I’d love to coach a basketball team together with my daughters once they graduate University. I coached baseball with my dad and it was something we both will never forget”.

Serious Tech does indeed live here, and it’s no surprise many are big sports fans as well!

The opinions expressed in this article are his own and not necessarily those of his employer.

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anata Goes Green K

"From both a bottom line and sustainability perspective, it just makes good business sense. When we can create as little as a 5% savings, the ROI on the original investment can be brought down to a level that is much more palatable from a capital expenditure perspective."

According to Corporate Knights, the self-proclaimed “magazine for clean capitalism”, “[f]or the third year in a row, global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry have barely grown, while the global economy has continued to grow strongly. This level of decoupling of carbon emissions from global economic growth is unprecedented.”

This is exciting news. The next step is, of course, actual declines in emissions.

In Kanata, there is real progress being made as part of the global movement to reduce emissions. It’s not only nice to the planet. Quite simply, it’s good business and so-called “green” decisions are made from both the cost-savings/bottom line and marketing perspectives.

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Ottawa-based commercial broker James McNeil is professional and knowledgable about real estate.

However, it is more than a job to him; it is his passion and you can see that in his approach to his work and the time he devotes to research and to sharing his knowledge with his clients and as a sought-after speaker at conferences. He is an internationally recognized expert in green buildings and sustainable workplace as well as a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP).

Unsurprisingly, McNeil tracks green buildings across the city and publishes his findings in his quarterly Green Report. He notes that, at the end of 2016, Kanata had nine buildings that were LEED-certified or BOMA BEST out of a total of 60

across the city. In his experience, “green” is often a major marketing point when leasing space.

As a property manager there are, in fact, plenty of actions you can take up to and including being certified LEED or BOMA Best. These will help you to save money, market your buildings as making best efforts to be as green as possible, and, at the same time, do your part in support of the planet.

The actions property managers can take are numerous but, in general, they cover five main areas for commercial buildings: 1. Energy use, including energy efficient lighting and HVAC systems 2. Location of the building and sustainability of the immediate environment

3. Indoor air quality and use of daylight to reduce lighting costs 4. Water conservation and reduced-use mechanisms 5. Use of sustainable materials during construction It has become clear in the past few years that the benefits associated with a greener building include enhanced occupant productivity and health, according to McNeil. He has noted that businesses are moving toward greener standards because environmental sustainability goes hand-in-hand with future economic growth. It all about your people and providing them with better air quality, exposure to fewer toxins, and access to daylight which creates a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce. From there you can draw a straight line to the bottom line.

Terry Young, Director of Property Management at KRP Properties, has been following a path of “greening” for some time now. Young says, “From both a bottom line and sustainability perspective, it just makes good business sense. When we can create as little as a 5% savings, the ROI on the original investment can be brought down to a level that is much more palatable from a capital expenditure perspective.”

KRP Properties oversees approximately 3.6 million sq/ft of commercial office space along with 500 acres ofdevelopmental land, predominately located within the Kanata Tech Park corridor.

together to form one unit - that’s what our standards are. The best of both worlds.”

make key operational decisions on an ongoing basis to better run their facility.

Their document “Their KRP Properties Green Sustainability Plan Handbook” covers everything from energy reduction and energy efficiency to conservation. And, in true Kanata style, much of it comes down to software.

The building operators and Building Engineers at KRP Properties are key to making this work. The foundation that is necessary in order to apply this information in a meaningful and cost-saving way is training. That translates into dollars and cents as Young notes. “When I compare the difference between a new building operator and a seasoned veteran, it’s astounding. The cost savings are remarkable and well worth the effort and initial investment in training.”

KRP Properties uses two layers of monitoring. The first layer is a Building Automation System (BAS) that is standard for any property management company today.

However, and this is where it gets interesting, the BAS has a second, umbrella layer that is really the powerhouse behind the cost-saving and sustainability efforts. It is an artificial intelligence software that provides data analytics in real-time.

There are approximately 250 data points the software monitors and that have been hand-selected and engineered by his team. Young states, “We only want to change and monitor the things that matter and that can make difference in our utility burn and comfort levels.”

The system monitors these data points separately and also as interconnected data sets, upwards of 4,500 merge points, that provide important information so Young and his team of Building Engineers can

Their Sustainability Plan Handbook states that for every tree they take down, they plant four, and they recycle all their wood.

Another important partner in making this happen is Hydro Ottawa. They have a reputation as a well-informed and collaborative utility and Young’s experience confirms this. “They really get it and are completely engaged in facilitating new and better ways of doing things.” KRP Properties and other property managers collaborate withHydro Ottawa to create change at the municipal level.

“We may compete fiercely for leasing our space, but when it comes to initiatives that benefit us all, we work together.”

Young notes that BOMA and LEED certifications come with a price. So, instead of following one or the other, KRP Properties decided to create their own. This is “on brand” for Kanata, a tech centre that has been a leader in innovation for decades.

Terry Young states, “Imagine if BOMA and LEED were merged THE KANATA NETWORKER

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T

he New Face of Solace

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W r i t t en by M i c h èl e P h i l lip s

THE KANATA NETWORKER

Solace is a Kanata-based company that has created an “open data movement” platform. This allows their customers to use several open standard protocols to exchange data between applications in real time, between public clouds, private clouds, and legacy systems. Solace helps companies effectively manage real-time information flow to achieve greater degrees of automation and to uncover data-driven insights.

connect their datacenters and clouds.

This is when the management team realized that the “Systems” part of the name “Solace Systems” was no longer reflective of the full gamut of their solutions.

and innovative. They issued an online design contest where designers from around the world contributed their ideas. The final design selected was a combination of two different ideas from amongst the dozens submitted.

The new logo has fresh indigo letters in a modern, strong font, and a rich orange arc symbolizing real-time information streaming between connected applications.

When solace systems was founded in 2001 the vision was to create a communication application that was easy to manage and as seamless as networking. the cutting edge solution that solace systems developed was a specialized hardware appliance for messaging and streaming data between applications, essentially using hardware to solve what had previously been a software problem.

the company executives thus embarked on their rebranding journey. "We felt the time was right for a new look and brand to mark our transition from pre-revenue startup to established market leader with a profitable business," said larry Neumann, svp marketing.

“The first logo served us well, and it was important to us to retain some aspects of it as we moved forward, but we also wanted look to the future with a modern look and feel.”

With over 200 employees and 14 offices worldwide, Solace headquarters is located in the heart of Canada’s largest technology park in Kanata North at 535 Legget Drive.

The company’s office is easy to find among the office towers in the tech park with the addition of the brand their rebranding exercise lasted about new logo displayed at the top of the four months. The first step was to building. For more information on the secure the domain name solace.com to Solace solution visit their website replace solacesystems.com. the prior at www.solace.com. logo was azure blue and soft orange, which they wanted to keep in the new design, but chose to darken the colors to represent their hard-earned market position. From there, they defined the brand attributes: strong, stable, modern,

With the emergence of the cloud, Solace introduced a software version of their product to compliment their hardware. By early 2016, most customers were choosing both the hardware and software solutions to

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