If you’re curious to see where all the tech hubs across Canada are found, just look at the clusters of ICT companies on the Branham300 top 250 revenue earners list for 2017.
Dream Payments provides businesses with mobile point-of-sale solutions through its secure payments cloud and device- management platform. Dream is the world’s only mobile platform that enables Interac® Debit and Chip and PIN credit card payment terminals to be sold off-the-shelf. The company’s technology is also used by financial institutions and acquirers including Chase Paymentech to deliver user-friendly mobile payment solutions to their business customers.
Members of the community gathered in downtown Moncton today for the official launch of a new initiative to encourage the development of more social enterprises in the region.
In keeping with their mission to support innovation and entrepreneurship in the Maritimes, Mariner Partners and East Valley Ventures lead the seed investment round for Beauceron Security Inc. The Fredericton-based cybersecurity software developer provides a unique platform for measuring, managing and monitoring cyber risk based on people, process, culture and technology.
“We’re thrilled to have Mariner Partners and East Valley Ventures as investors, partners and clients,” said Beauceron CEO David Shipley. “As an investor, Mariner provides tremendous support not only financially, but with a wealth of experience helping some of Atlantic Canada’s most innovative and successful technology companies start, grow and thrive. As a client, Mariner helped provide invaluable early feedback on our initial beta product and as a partner, they will help us meet the growing cybersecurity needs of firms across North America.”
Mariner will partner with Beauceron to help bring its technology to customers across North America through its new business line – Mariner Security Solutions. Created to address the growing threat of cyber criminal activity and reduce the growing business risk Mariner’s information security arm will offer a wide range of services including security testing and audits, security gap assessments, disaster recovery, cloud security, CISO as a service, project security management as well as training and seminars.
“Mariner is excited to support as well as be a part of this new way to improve security for organizations. We participated in Beauceron’s initial beta program within in our own organization and feel strongly the software and the concept overall is a real winner. Mariner is not just an investor, we use the system ourselves and will also provide to our own customers,” said Paul Eisner, General Manager, Mariner Security Solutions.
Ottawa, Ontario
May 31, 2017
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the following change in the senior ranks of the Public Service:
Francis McGuire becomes President of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, effective June 12, 2017. Mr. McGuire previously served in senior leadership roles in the private sector and with the Government of New Brunswick.
The Prime Minister took the opportunity to congratulate Paul LeBlanc on the occasion of his recent retirement from the Public Service, following a distinguished career marked by dedication and excellence in serving Canadians.
Nominations are open for the annual Startup Canada Awards, the hallmark event celebrating outstanding achievement in Canada’s entrepreneurship and innovation community.
Funding Provides Free Access to all Canadian Accelerators and Incubators. We’re pleased to announce that the Lazaridis Institute has provided funding to give every Canadian accelerator and incubator a free Hockeystick account for the next five years.
Charlottetown-based Forestry.io announced the close of a $744,000 ($560,000 USD) seed round. With this funding, Forestry.io is the first startup in Canada to close a round of funding that includes an AngelList Syndicate since its approval by the Ontario Securities Commission last year.
East Valley Ventures is profiling Founders of our Portfolio Companies to learn a little bit more about them. Today’s Q&A is with Yan Simard, Founder of Zaptap.
Where did you grow up?
Sainte-Marie de Beauce, Quebec (50km south of Quebec City)
Where did you go to school?
Université Laval
Tell us about your family.
I’m the father of 2 boys and 2 girls, ages ranging from 9 to 19. The oldest is studying at UNB in sciences. The other 3 are attending Ecole Ste-Anne and Ecole des Bâtisseurs in Fredericton.
What book are currently reading?
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
What do you do for fun?
Yoga to stay in shape. Always on the lookout for fun family stuff to do, especially if it’s outside.
When did you first get the idea to start Zaptap?
Around 2004-5, I was working on a research project that explored linking digital content to physical objects, a bit like today’s Augmented Reality. When smartphones and NFC came out, I thought that all ingredients were there to create the next stage of in-store retail product education.
What jobs did you have before Zaptap?
I worked in management at a global IT consulting company. Before that, I had various positions such as video game producer, project manager and business analyst in verticals such as video games and 3D animation, insurance, telcos, retail, oil & gas.
What advice would you give someone thinking of starting their own company?
Make sure that you know why you are doing this and that it matters. Startups can take over all aspects of your life (career, health, finances, family & friends, leisure…). You better do it for something that matters.
Who had the biggest influence on you and why?
I’m a big fan of intellectual honesty, integrity and humility. My parents taught me that from a young age. From a professional perspective, Pierre Prémont, my MBA research director at Université Laval, taught me how to put that in practice in my work.
East Valley Ventures is profiling Leaders of our Portfolio Companies to learn a little bit more about them. Today’s Q&A is with Evan Justason, CEO of Smart Skin Technologies.
Where did you grow up?
Pennfield, NB
Where did you go to school?
UNB
Tell us about your family.
My wife and I built our own home recently on a lake off the beaten path where we live with our two young boys and a bird dog.
What book are currently reading?
Competing Against Luck
What do you do for fun?
I go fishing every chance I get.
When did you first get the idea to start Smart Skin?
I didn’t start Smart Skin but I had been looking for something that I could really invest myself in for some time. Smart Skin had a young group of really excellent and innovate engineers and I felt my experience in operations could help them take the business to the next level.
What jobs did you have before Smart Skin?
I’ve held roles in engineering, IT, finance, sales, operations management, and corporate strategy. I also spent 18 months as a carpenter building my own home.
What advice would you give someone thinking of starting their own company?
Leading a startup company is hard work and a roller coaster but the most engaging thing you will ever do. No matter what life holds, you will be better prepared because of your startup experience.
Who had the biggest influence on you and why?
I’ve been surrounded my whole life by successful and driven people both at home and at work. Professionally, I’ve always tried to place myself close to people whom I thought I had a lot to learn from and I’ve had great fortune of learning from a number of the regions greatest leaders.