Thursday, February 27, 2014

IRAP Q3 contributions for 70 organizations across 12 regions in SWOntario

The quarter ended December 31 (Q3 FY2014) was huge for IRAP contributions across Southwestern Ontario—way too many to go through individually. The long list of recipients includes Snapsort, Miovision, Renix, Akira Systems, Ortech, Digital Extremes, TecVana, LifeLike Biotissue, Pulse Infoframe, Magnet Forensics, Thalmic, Sand Plains Aquaculture, Fehr Machine, and System-On-Chip Technologies. Communitech, Innovation Guelph and the Canadian Innovation Centre also received contributions.

A few of these actually happened in Q2 and were disclosed late, but even so, it was one of the most active periods you'll see—particularly in London, where 21 companies received contributions. As I've mentioned several times, IRAP has long been a leading supporter of the London tech community. But it wasn't just London—there were contributions in 12 different regions of Southwestern Ontario. There are innovative companies across the region in a wide range of sectors. The largest contribution was $291,076 for PEER Group in Kitchener, although it did not crack the top 50 across Canada.

Locations shown here are as listed in the IRAP disclosure.

LONDON:
Salt CanadaLondon$209,991
OCI Vacuum MicroengineeringLondon$88,240
Black Fly BeverageLondon$87,180
DeeTagLondon$63,210
Barnes ElectricLondon$53,871
ProAble Hardware SpecialtiesLondon$50,000
Phoenix Interactive DesignLondon$50,000
Trac RailLondon$50,000
Hudson Boat WorksLondon$50,000
RenixLondon$50,000
Akira SystemsLondon$50,000
DQE InstrumentsLondon$49,477
Ortech Data CentreLondon$46,500
Compudata SystemsLondon$41,600
Digital ExtremesLondon$39,999
HNH MachineLondon$37,080
InspiraticaLondon$30,000
Diagnostics Biochem CanadaLondon$30,000
TecVanaLondon$30,000
LifeLike BiotissueLondon$30,000
Pulse InfoframeLondon$25,500
WATERLOO REGION:
PEER GroupKitchener$291,076
SnapsortWaterloo$218,031
Miovision TechnologiesKitchener$150,000
Accelerated SystemsWaterloo$119,000
Syrier PoultryElmira$96,376
Magnet ForensicsWaterloo$95,000
Thalmic LabsKitchener$50,000
System-On-Chip TechnologiesWaterloo$50,000
Deep TrekkerWaterloo$50,000
TeTechSWaterloo$50,000
Canadian Innovation CentreWaterloo$46,000
CommunitechKitchener$35,122
Cambridge Metal ProductsAyr$32,000
WINDSOR-ESSEX:
DynamentAmherstburg  $132,000
Standard Tool & MoldWindsor$77,300
Lakeside ProduceLeamington$49,500
Policella FarmsKingsville$49,366
Sharbel GroupWindsor$48,816
Biobest CanadaLeamington$48,695
Sprucewood Shores Estate WineryAmherstburg$43,120
Strong DentalLeamington$41,781
Windsor MoldWindsor$40,300
1797472 OntarioLeamington$36,001
Brave Control SolutionsWindsor$30,000
iDream InteractiveWindsor$27,400
BRANTFORD-BRANT:
Hartmann CanadaBrantford$99,999
GermipheneBrantford$50,000
Gorilla Brake & ComponentsBrantford$50,000
Systems LogicBrantford$50,000
Rescraft Plastic ProductsParis$42,000
Gorilla Brake & ComponentsBrantford$36,000
Apogee Engineered CeramicsBrantford$29,000
GUELPH:
RWDI AirGuelph$150,000
Innovation GuelphGuelph$95,000
Ontario Agri-Food TechnologiesGuelph$50,000
MantechGuelph$50,000
LAMBTON:
Creative Education Of CanadaSarnia$50,000
Roger H. WoodsWatford$49,800
Feher MachineSarnia$46,124
ST. THOMAS-ELGIN:
GCW Custom KitchensSt. Thomas$99,999
IGPC EthanolAylmer$50,000
Amino North AmericaSt. Thomas$50,000
NORFOLK:
Norfolk Fruit Growers' Association  Simcoe$75,585
Titan TrailersDelhi$35,065
OXFORD:
Federal White CementEmbro$60,000
Sand Plains AquaCultureTillsonburg$47,353
CHATHAM-KENT:
AgraCity Crop & NutritionWallaceburg$44,000
HURON:
Dashwood IndustriesCentralia$75,704
PERTH:
BTE AssemblyListowel$50,000


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

At first glance: Highlights of Budget 2014

Haven't read a lot of it yet, but these were some items that stood out from a innovation perspective ... and from a quasi-rural, living in Southwestern Ontario near the border perspective (a summary of my Tweets at the time):
  • Additional $40 million over four years to the Canada Accelerator and Incubator Program to help entrepreneurs create new companies
  • $305 million over five years to enhance access to high-speed broadband networks to a target speed of 5 Mb/s
  • Up to $30 million to IRAP to support youth internships in SMEs
  • Reallocation of $15 million annually within the Youth Employment Strategy to support up to 1,000 full-time internships at SMEs
  • $3 million over three years to the Canadian Digital Media Network for the creation of the Open Data Institute in Waterloo
  • $15 million over three years, starting in 2014–15, to support the Institute for Quantum Computing in Waterloo
  • Create the Canada First Research Excellence Fund with $1.5 billion in funding over the next decade
  • Additional $15 million per year to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
  • Additional $500 million over two years to the Automotive Innovation Fund
  • $8 million over two years to Mitacs to expand its support for industrial research and training of postdoctoral fellows
  • $10 million over two years in support of social innovation research projects at colleges and polytechnics
  • A new Immigrant Investor Venture Capital Fund "will require immigrants to make a real and significant investment in the Canadian economy"
  • "A plan to introduce legislation to prohibit unjustified cross-border price discrimination"

Can Windsor use a non-snub to energize a focus on innovation?

OMG, did you hear? There's a new $100 million "Innovation SuperCorridor" initiative from the province introduced in the budget...