2013–2014 ANNUAL REVIEW
BUILDING BRIDGES Our own start-up story
ENTREPRENEURS, HALTECH IS AT YOUR SERVICE! HalTech is the Regional Innovation Centre for Oakville, Burlington, Milton, and Halton Hills. Our services (most of them free) are designed to help entrepreneurial businesses grow and succeed. Whether our client has a creative idea for a product or a clear plan for expanding into new markets, we can help. Our services are personalized to client needs, and include: • Business advisory services • Information about and access to sources of government funding and private financing • Comprehensive and custom market research • Support from Entrepreneursin-Residence, volunteer mentors, and peer-to-peer groups • Networking events, workshops, and webinars • Access to service providers such as lawyers, HR consultants, and marketing specialists
We’ve helped hundreds of clients get practical advice and profitable results.
Advisory Services
Network Access
CLIENT SUCCESS
Education, Knowledge & Skills Development
Market Research
Access to Funding
START. GROW. SUCCEED. Our clients are existing and new tech and advanced manufacturing entrepreneurs and businesses in any of these stages: • Start-up (developing ideas) • Pre-revenue (researching markets, beginning to commercialize their products or services) • Growth (expanding their businesses) Our goal is to provide personalized, face-to-face services that enable businesses to succeed at each stage of their development. We work hard to be the leading source of help and information to the tech-focused business community throughout Halton Region.
HalTech’s strategies for growth HalTech has identified three priorities for the future: enabling client success, strengthening and expanding partnerships, and ensuring service throughout Halton Region. CLIENT SUCCESS: We exist for our clients, so we naturally focus on providing the services they need for success. We ensure we are flexible, attentive, and continually feeding that entrepreneurial spirit. It’s also important for us to continue to reach out to industry influencers to engage them in our work. STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS: We like to think of our network as a coordinated ecosystem supporting the life of local businesses. Our list of partners is long and diverse. We reach out locally, regionally, and provincially to create, nurture, and grow connections and relationships that are mutually beneficial and contribute to our clients’ success. These include sponsors who provide essential financial support. ENSURING SERVICE THROUGHOUT HALTON REGION: To better serve our community, we have expanded beyond our original location at Sheridan College in Oakville. HalTech services are now available on site at the Burlington Hive and the Milton Education Village.
MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD CHAIR
BUILDING BRIDGES— THE FOUNDATION OF OUR WORK
W
elcome to our first official report to the HalTech community. What a remarkable community it is! I have to say that this is a proud moment for me, as I review how far we have journeyed to get to this place. It is also exhilarating, as I think about where we might go from here. Looking back on just three short years of HalTech operations and achievements — as well as listening to what our clients have to say — I can clearly see the positive impact we are having on the success of our client businesses and on the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Halton. We are delivering, and will continue to deliver, on the three themes behind our strategic goals: client success, partnerships, and delivering services throughout the region. How do we do this? We build bridges. And so this became the theme for our first annual review. The connections we make, the obstacles we help people cross over – these are at the heart of most of the comments we hear from our many partners.
also amplified our reach, which only allows us to help more entrepreneurs. Partnerships are the virtual bridges that best connect us. They encourage the movement of people, services and goods, and they allow cultures to mix and new, mutually beneficial relationships to form.
EXPANDING OUR REACH
I like to think that we are building bridges to success for our clients by arming them with knowledge. Our clients tell me that they also appreciate how we help them connect with other entrepreneurs. One client likened this networking to “bridging the chasm” because we immerse our clients in a network of people who have developed that valuable tacit knowledge that can be gained only by being there and doing it.
Connecting can also be done through regular bricks and mortar, so expanding beyond our hub in Oakville to set up piers in Burlington and Milton has been important for us to increase awareness of how we help and to deliver services to more people. HalTech is reaching beyond Halton as well. I’m proud to say that HalTech has initiated and, with the support of neighbouring regional innovation centres (RICs), sustained the West GTA Innovation Initiative. It brings together leaders of the Niagara, Guelph, Hamilton, and Peel RICs so that we can all better understand the resources and areas of expertise that are close at hand. Cross-referring clients will maximize their success, as will developing joint initiatives, like the West GTA EduTech Peer-to-Peer program. Already we have a list of HalTech clients who have benefitted from both our expertise and that of a sister RIC. They include Javelin Technologies (Innovate Niagara); Titanfire (Peel RIC); Pairwise Affinity (Innovation Factory) and AbCelex Technologies (Innovate Guelph). On a wider scale, we connect to our neighbouring regional innovation centres and to larger partner locations in Toronto and Waterloo.
PARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK
AN ACTION-PACKED FUTURE
Early on in my tenure with HalTech, I noticed the quantity and quality of business networking and learning events in Halton was high. Business people told me that they felt there were too many similar events and organizations competing for their time. By forming strategic and practical partnerships with many gracious organizations, we have been able to exchange information and expertise among our various groups while avoiding duplication. We’ve
Thank you for joining us along the way as we’ve enjoyed growth and client success over the last few years. We have so many plans in place and still developing — I can only imagine what our next successes will be. Considering our talented staff members, volunteer network, partners, and existing and potential clients, all buzzing with enthusiasm and ideas, I’m excited and grateful to be part of our action-packed future. — HalTech President, Dr. Karen Sievewright
BRIDGES TO SUCCESS
4
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
ENRICHING HALTON’S INNOVATION CULTURE
H
altech is a small but mighty player in the Ontario innovation sandbox. Our President, Karen Sievewright, continues to build a network that is attracting more start-ups, mentors, and industry leaders to the HalTech table. While working at Sheridan College, where we play host to HalTech’s main offices, and having spent the last few years getting to know Karen, I was excited to become part of the HalTech Board and help build a vital bridge between academia and the innovation culture of Halton Region.
we are an important part of the west GTA’s new knowledge economy. I am continually inspired by the private businesses and not-for-profits that are flourishing in this region of a million people. HalTech has arrived at the right time and it’s up to all of us to spread the word and make anything possible right here in Halton. Let’s build bridges to the future and strengthen our communities together. (Besides, it beats sitting in gridlock to get someplace else!) — HalTech Board Chair, Ralph Benmergui
A NEW CHALLENGE A friend of mine from the west GTA put an interesting new word in my lexicon recently. It’s a word that might help us frame the challenge and opportunity ahead of us at HalTech and in the region in general. That word is “huburb,” and it comes with a challenge: How do we create an innovation culture in a place that builds a bridge from bedroom community to homegrown entrepreneurial hub? As an innovative culture grows and more thinkers and doers want to stay in Halton, how do we bring them together and create the right mix of mentors, connectors, and makers? From the retired engineer, to the 30-something mid-career transitionary, to the 19,000 students at Sheridan’s three west GTA campuses, we have so much to work with — and to work for. If we look forward, we see that HalTech is creating strong bonds with regional innovation centres (RICs) in Hamilton, Waterloo, Peel and Toronto. We are determined to match local doers with the best possible resources — wherever they may be in Ontario.
SEEING THE FUTURE EVERY DAY In my work at Sheridan as Executive Advisor, I see the future every day as our students harness new technologies in 3D printing, advanced manufacturing, interactive design, and the emergent field of gaming and gamification, as well as in our five new BAs in business. Together with academic partners like McMaster and University of Toronto Mississauga, 2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
5
HALTECH HISTORY
FINDING OUR PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY As individuals and as an organization, HalTech lives its mission every day. We have continued to focus on encouraging client success, forming valuable partnerships, and delivering service across the region of Halton.
AUGUST 2011 HalTech registers as not-for-profit corporation
MARCH 2011 HalTech forms under Communitech with 2 part-time staff
2011
MARCH 2012 HalTech staff now includes 1 full-time, 3 part-time, 1 Entrepreneurin-Residence
6
OCTOBER 2012 HalTech launches its Advanced Manufacturing Initiative West GTA strategy launches to link Regional Innovation Centres
JULY 2012 Partnership with Silicon Halton forms with launch at summer family picnic
JANUARY 2013 Partnership with Angel One Investor Network forms
DECEMBER 2012 Volunteer Mentor Network launches
2012 NOVEMBER 2011 First celebration of Entrepreneurship Week (3 days)
MAY 2011 HalTech exhibits at OCE Discovery conference with one booth
JUNE 2012 Partnership develops with the Golden Horseshoe Manufacturing Network First Recognition Night held to thank volunteer Board members and mentors
2013 MAY 2012 HalTech teams up with Sheridan College Applied Research to host the Innovation Showcase, with 28 exhibits of companies working with HalTech or Sheridan
NOVEMBER 2012 Second celebration of Entrepreneurship Week (3 days) AUGUST 2012 Digital Media and Information and Communications Technology Peerto-Peer (P2P) group launches and Demo Night held in partnership with Silicon Halton
FEBRUARY 2013 N2K (Need to Know) series of workshops launches HalTech’s Demo Night (in partnership with Peel RIC, Silicon Peel, and Silicon Halton) features 16 entrepreneurs presenting to an audience of 200
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
The first 36 months of HalTech’s operations exemplify this — it’s been a time of evolution and growth. In March 2012, HalTech had 70 active clients. One year later, 140 entrepreneurs were on board, and at the end of this fiscal year in March 2014, 227 clients were on the books. Over time, HalTech has met the challenge of rapid growth by increasing client-facing staff, adding more Entrepreneurs-inResidence and — most importantly — tapping into the vast supply of experience in the community through the volunteer mentor network.
As HalTech’s client and mentor network has grown, so has our larger community — we have been forming community partnerships to help us offer events and education services that maximize our impact and effectively deliver what the entrepreneurial community in Halton needs. Some of the most prized milestones in our history are related to the birth of new partnerships and we are committed to continuing that trend. Recognizing the large geography we serve and the diverse needs of our four municipalities, we have endeavoured to deliver events and services throughout the region. Highlights in our recent history include the opening of our new hubs in Burlington and Milton.
Pythons' Pit MARCH 2013 Pythons’ Pit launches in Halton — HalTech helps prepare entrepreneurs for “the Pit” HalTech staff now includes 5 full-time, 2 part-time, 4 Entrepreneurs-in-Residence
MAY 2013 HalTech showcases 8 clients at OCE Discovery conference Several HalTech clients attend Canadian Digital Media Network Canada 3.0 conference
AUGUST 2013 The first West GTA Peer-to-Peer group is founded, joining Niagara, Hamilton, Guelph and Halton, with 30 client members focused on EduTech Partnership with BitNet forms and HalTech is invited to join the BitNet Board
DECEMBER 2013 HalTech office opens at the Burlington Hive Partnership forms with Association for Iron and Steel Technology (AIST) Northern Chapter
JANUARY 2014 Start-up Night marks a new partnership with ASM, a professional society for materials scientists and engineers HalTech office opens at Milton Education Village
2014 APRIL 2013 HalTech teams up with Sheridan College Applied Research to host the Innovation Showcase, with 24 exhibits of companies working with HalTech or Sheridan
JUNE 2013 HalTech welcomes five new Board members, expanding the Board from 10 to 15 members Second annual Recognition Night to thank volunteers
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
OCTOBER 2013 Partnership with Professional Engineers Ontario Oakville/Milton Chapter forms
NOVEMBER 2013 Audiobooks.com sponsors the first HalTech Entrepreneurship Awards Third celebration of Entrepreneurship Week (5 days)
MARCH 2014 HalTech staff now includes 5 full-time, 4 part-time, and 5 Entrepreneurs-in-Residence HalTech ends its fiscal year celebrating a record high 227 active clients Partnership with Milton Mompreneurs forms with the launch of the Women’s Advancement Series
7
HALTECH BY THE NUMBERS
METRICS TO MEASURE OUR SUCCESS As we continually try to better understand the impact of HalTech’s growing influence in the business community, we keep a close eye on the numbers. Our growth is evident across the board — we are serving more and more entrepreneurs, watching volunteer hours increase, and meeting rising demand for more networking and knowledge-building events.
Client Growth 227 176 123 70
IN 2013–14:
176 227
140
70
2011–12
2012–13
NEW CLIENTS ENROLLED ACTIVE CLIENTS SERVED
2013–14
Growth in Volunteer Mentor Network 201
IN 2013–14:
49
43
43 201
ACTIVE PAIRS AT YEAR-END VOLUNTEER MENTOR HOURS LOGGED
21 0 0 2011–12
8
2012–13
2013–14
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
Growth in Professional Development Events 2401
2210
IN 2013–14:
108 2401
446
2011–12
NUMBER OF ATTENDEES
108
66
23
HALTECH-LED EVENTS
2012–13
2013–14
Growth in Entrepreneur-in-Residence Services 704
IN 2013–14:
5 704
547
287
1 2011–12
4 2012–13
ENTREPRENEURSIN-RESIDENCE ADVISORY HOURS LOGGED
5 2013–14
Client Satisfaction IN 2012–13:
95 2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
PERCENTAGE OF HALTECH CLIENTS WHO WOULD RECOMMEND HALTECH TO OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES
9
SUCCESS STORY: MANUFACTURING
NEW APPROACH LEADS TO NEW MARKETS
CLIENT PROFILE Advanced Test & Automation (ATA) advancedta.com Founder: Anthony Khoraych
During the economic downturn a few years ago, Anthony Khoraych, like others in his sector, found himself leading a company in an increasingly competitive environment. In his gut, he knew that he and his team had to dive into fully understanding themselves, their unique value, their customers, and the market.
A
nthony is the creative and resourceful founder of Advanced Test & Automation. This fast-growing, high-tech company in Milton designs and builds systems that help Fortune 500 companies in the transportation sector design and test the next generation of products. ATA’s work is founded in mechatronics, a combination of mechanical, electronic, computer, control, and systems design engineering. “We all want to do something great, something we can be proud of,” Anthony says. “So I said to myself, ‘If I’m a customer, what are my issues?’ How can we solve our own problems and our customers’ problems? In this business, everyone’s nightmare had always been the noise or buzzing you get when you place a sensor next to an electric motor, so that’s the problem we decided to solve.” Everything started to come together when the team began to research and test fibre optic sensors, which use light, rather than electricity. At that point, poised for action, Anthony crossed the threshold of Ontario’s vast network 10
Sector: Engineering, advanced manufacturing Challenge: To ensure technological differentiation in an increasingly competitive environment by making strategic investments that will enhance ATA’s customer value proposition HalTech services: Access to funding; market research; advisory services; mentoring; networking KEY RESULTS Funding: $150,000 in grants from the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) to expand staffing; $55,000 in grants from the Ontario Centres for Excellence (OCE) to fund a partnership with a Ryerson professor; $20,000 in support of market research Patents: U.S. provisional patent and international patent cooperation treaty (PCT) for first-to-market fibre optic sensing technology Growth: Triple digit percentage increase in annual sales from 2012 to 2013
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
“
The external validation is great for team morale. We all love to tell our story and remind ourselves how we’re working together for a common cause.” — ANTHONY KHORAYCH
of support for tech start-ups and growth oriented businesses through an association with Communitech in Waterloo. Eventually, Communitech referred Anthony to HalTech, which was just starting up itself back then.
THE RIGHT PARTNERS AT THE RIGHT TIME “If I had to tell you the biggest thing these organizations have done for us, it’s got to be the huge time savings,” he says. “We went straight to 100 per cent state of the art.” That happened because the advisors at Communitech and HalTech pointed Anthony to the government assistance programs that were perfectly suited to his company’s needs at various stages of business development. One of those programs is Mitacs Elevate, which provides skills to newly-minted PhDs while giving companies access to a highly qualified pool of talent. ATA was matched with a specialist who worked part time on their business while continuing his related research in the academic environment. This later turned into a full-time position at ATA. The Ontario Centres for Excellence granted ATA $55,000 so they could partner with a Ryerson professor and expert in fibre optic sensing, which helped validate and enhance the work they were doing. MaRS awarded $20,000 and connected ATA with a world class specialist in customer analysis and getting companies and products ready to take on new markets. The Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) also played a key role, providing technical expertise and $150,000 in salaries to help ATA’s innovations along.
EXPANDING OUR REACH The foundation on which ATA has been building is broad and solid. The Executive-in-Residence at the University of Waterloo encouraged Anthony and his team to think even bigger and open their minds to how else their technology could be used. And Anthony says that when Karen Sievewright from HalTech first visited his company, she quickly recognized and encouraged the big ideas brewing there. “The external validation is great for team morale,” Anthony says. “We all love to tell our story and remind ourselves how we’re working together for a common cause.” 2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
WEB EXTRA For additional information on Advanced Test & Automation, please visit https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=0vDrDfIooo8
11
SUCCESS STORY: SOCIAL MEDIA
MAPPING OUT A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS Heard of the BBC? How about Mashable? These are just two of the big-time media outlets that have covered TweepsMap, a social media analysis tool created by local entrepreneur Samir Al-Battran.
S
amir’s interest in geography and his fondness for designing apps combined in a practical and profitable way to create TweepsMap. It’s a service application that allows Twitter users to see their social media traffic on a map of the world and generate graphics to analyze their audience. TweepsMap fills a gap in the social media space as people and businesses continue to look for ways to measure the impact of their efforts. Before TweepsMap, Twitter users weren’t easily able to use geographic information about their followers to improve how they use Twitter, target tweets, engage with their audience, or improve their business results. Imagine the value of knowing the most popular time zones among your followers and being able to schedule tweets to suit their habits?
FROM START-UP TO SUCCESS TweepsMap is the classic story of fun side project turned full-fledged business, and that happened with some help from the HalTech community. Originally, Samir created TweepsMap for his own interest while he worked on his first start-up app, RentCompass, along with Hussain Saleem — another 12
CLIENT PROFILE TweepsMap tweepsmap.com Founder: Samir Al-Battran Sector: Technology, social media Challenge: To fund further development of TweepsMap and to create both a valuable public service and viable business venture HalTech services: Access to funding; support from Volunteer Mentor Network; Digital Media and ICT Peer-to-Peer networking; advisory services; knowledge building through HalTech events KEY RESULTS Funding: $30,000 in business launch support from VentureStart, a partnership between the Research and Innovation Commercialization Centre (RIC Centre), the Canadian Innovation Centre (CIC), and members of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE) $50,000 from the MaRS Embedded Executive funding program, designed to help novel Ontario-based tech ventures hire a senior-level executive to work with the business to accomplish short-term goals Impact of Funding: Funding support helped set the stage for the launch of the paid version of TweepsMap, now generating revenue
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
“
HalTech has been a very valuable resource for me. Considering the limited resources I had, they have helped me achieve quite a bit. Without HalTech, I would not have been able to accomplish so much in such a short period of time.” — SAMIR AL-BATTRAN
HalTech client and the founder of RocketMan. Following TweepsMap’s 2011 release, Samir received positive feedback from some top brands and his creation was featured in several major media outlets. As we write this report, Mashable’s TweepsMap story has 4,500 social shares!
FUNDING AND MENTORING When Samir turned more attention to developing TweepsMap, he realized he lacked resources. He had come to know of HalTech through Vince Mifsud, a HalTech Entrepreneur-in-Residence specializing in digital media and information and communications technology. In early 2013, Samir approached HalTech for assistance with applying for grants. It wasn’t long before Samir received two grants worth $80,000 in financial support, to continue to improve and build TweepsMap and hire a seasoned executive for short-term help. HalTech also connected Samir with its Volunteer Mentor Network and Digital Media and ICT Peer-to-Peer network and Samir says they have given him help and guidance throughout his journey to success. Samir also benefited from HalTech’s courses and seminars, which allowed him to establish a solid knowledge base, particularly in digital media and sales. “HalTech has been a very valuable resource for me,” Samir says. “Considering the limited resources I had, they have helped me achieve quite a bit. Without HalTech, I would not have been able to accomplish so much in such a short period of time.”
WEB EXTRA For additional information on TweepsMap, please visit
http://mashable.com/2011/11/22/ tweepsmap/
GET TO MARKET Samir also has some advice for his fellow entrepreneurs. “Before you start building a big company, you should have a product out in the market. See people’s reaction to it. If there is demand for it and they like it, then decide to build your business.” 2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
13
SUCCESS STORY: HEALTH CARE
SEEING THE FUTURE OF VISION TESTING
CLIENT PROFILE Pairwise Affinity pairwiseaffinity.com Founder: David Jones
As the founder and chief scientist for Pairwise Affinity, entrepreneur David Jones has developed technology that gives doctors greater accuracy in measuring and tracking changes in patients’ visual function related to various retinal diseases.
O
ne such condition is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects 15 million people in North America. AMD is a progressive eye condition that gradually robs people of any central vision, leaving them unable to read, drive, or see faces. After 20 years working as a professor in computer science research, visual perception, and neuroscience, David now focuses entirely on creating vision-testing systems, with particular interest in the limitations of current equipment in tracking changes in people with AMD. He says the letter chart used everywhere to help doctors determine appropriate prescriptions for eyeglasses does not help them recognize the retinal damage of AMD until the disease is advanced. “We have done research through McMaster University and the Hamilton Regional Eye Institute that shows our technology is twice as good as letter chart testing when it comes to measuring AMD,” he says. In 2012, upon completing that round of research, David approached the Angel One Investor Network to seek funding. Its members were not able to 14
Sector: Health care technology Challenge: To fund further research and development activities for Pairwise Affinity’s prototype vision-testing technology and create a commercial product ready for clinical use HalTech services: Access to funding; support from Entrepreneur-in-Residence; advisory services; networking KEY RESULTS Funding: $50,000 in financial support from the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) to support commercialization of the visiontesting technology and $50,000 from the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) to conduct research to develop the technology further Recent news: Pairwise Affinity has hired two new employees: a computer programmer and a research assistant
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
provide funding at the time and referred David to HalTech. He was quickly connected with Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Donna Parr and Steve Barrett, who advised David about how to expand his product offerings related to vision testing and create a viable business. Another Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Sam Stevens, introduced David to suitable funding opportunities available from Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) and the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP).
“
HalTech helped my company get off the ground by providing access to both business expertise and financial resources.” — DAVID JONES
FINANCIAL SUPPORT ACHIEVED In the fall of 2013, Pairwise Affinity was awarded $50,000 from OCE and another $50,000 from IRAP. This meant that Pairwise could take on further engineering development, enhance the scientific research supporting the efficacy of its vision-testing technology, and create a clear path to the marketplace. Perhaps most interesting is the exciting spin-off benefit — having more extensive research study results also allows David to approach pharmaceutical companies. There is currently no medication for AMD and the new tech developed by Pairwise may be able to help pharmaceutical companies develop sight-saving drugs to prevent and/or treat AMD.
ADVICE FOR OTHER ENTREPRENEURS “Starting a company and bringing new technology to the market is challenging,” David says. “But if what you are trying to do is promising and credible, people will see the value and buy into your product. HalTech helped my company get off the ground by providing access to both business expertise and financial resources. We are lucky here in Canada, with the funding opportunities that exist for different kinds of start-ups. It’s great that there are organizations like HalTech that can connect entrepreneurs with the right people and resources to take things to the next level.” For Pairwise Affinity, the next level has meant moving into a new research lab and hiring two new employees: a computer programmer with expertise in computer graphics and a research assistant to help with clinical vision testing. The next milestone will be completing a validation study to evaluate this next-generation vision-testing technology in even more patients, and for more retinal diseases. 2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
WEB EXTRA For additional information on Pairwise Affinity, please visit
http://innovationfactory.ca/sector/ advanced-health-tech/pairwiseaffinity-100k-in-funding/
15
SUCCESS STORY: TRANSPORTATION
RIDING ROCKETMAN FROM COAST TO COAST
CLIENT PROFILE RocketMan rocketmanapp.com Founder: Hussain Saleem
Hussain Saleem is the entrepreneur behind the RocketMan app for public transit users and a genuine superhero who helps city dwellers overcome everyday frustrations like searching for a parking space or waiting in the cold for a bus.
A
s a software engineer (and previous BlackBerry staffer), Hussain combines skill and ingenuity to build apps to improve people’s lives. His creations include RentCompass, an app he cofounded with Samir Al-Battran (of TweepsMap) to help people locate places for rent across Canada and TorontoParking, the first app to show city-operated “Green P” lots on iPhone maps. RocketMan is a free app, now available for 85 transit agencies across North America, that accurately tells you when the next train or bus will arrive. It can also help you locate bike sharing locations. You can even make travel decisions based on the information it generates about calories you will burn walking or biking and taxi fare estimates. RocketMan works on iOS devices, Android devices, and BlackBerry 10 (only for TTC at present) and is the most downloaded transit application in the Greater Toronto Area. 16
Sector: Public transportation, technology Challenge: To expand RocketMan’s coverage beyond Toronto and to grow a successful business out of a successful app HalTech services: Business analysis and market research; Entrepreneurin-Residence services; Peer-to-Peer networking through HalTech’s Digital Media and Information Communications Technology P2P group; seminars and workshops KEY RESULTS Improved connections with potential investors Development of a business model to monetize the RocketMan app Greater skill and confidence for RocketMan’s founder in business dealings Support for expanding RocketMan’s coverage beyond Canadian cities
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
ONE COLD WINTER DAY...
“
Hussain’s love of Google Maps combined with his experience commuting daily on public transit led to the development of RocketMan. The idea to create Rocketman was born one winter day in 2010 when Hussain was waiting (for a long while) at his bus stop in Toronto. He leapt into development of the app right away. “I was working around the clock to complete the app,” he says. During the day, I had a full-time job as software architect. In the evening I supported my RentCompass business and later at night I worked on RocketMan. It took many long nights, but finally it was ready to send to Apple.” He did that in late January of 2011; just a few weeks later, RocketMan hit the App Store. By late January of 2012, RocketMan’s popularity drove Hussain to leave BlackBerry to pursue RocketMan full time as a business venture.
I personally enjoy very much our monthly meetings, where we learn from successful entrepreneurs how to deal with everyday challenges of running a start-up” — HUSSAIN SALEEM
READY FOR EXPANSION Hussain’s app-inventing colleague Samir, who was already collaborating with HalTech, referred Hussain to HalTech in the summer of 2013. HalTech’s initial support included business analysis and market research, which helped Hussain develop a business model that would allow him to monetize his growing user base in Toronto — already half a million people strong. Hussain also received coaching (through HalTech’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence services) related to negotiating business agreements. He also joined the Digital Media and ICT Peer-to-Peer group and, with HalTech’s help, began seeking his first board member. Hussain turned all that knowledge- and skill-building into quick expansion, taking RocketMan beyond Toronto into several U.S. cites. Its popularity among transit riders looking for stress relief continues to grow, with more than 650,000 downloads and counting! “HalTech is the place to go to discover government funding programs, meet others in the start-up space, learn about trade show opportunities, and get help with marketing,” Hussain says. “Their seminars help business owners with everything from sales to understanding corporate tax rules and regulations. I personally enjoy very much our monthly meetings, where we learn from successful entrepreneurs how to deal with everyday challenges of running a start-up.” 2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
WEB EXTRA For additional information on RocketMan, please visit
http://myplanet.io/article/productinnovators-hussain-saleem-rocket-man/
17
SUCCESS STORY: E-WEEK
PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS IN HALTON Halton celebrates Global Entrepreneurship Week by bringing together a community of business people who are both eager to learn and willing to teach.
O
ver the last three years, November’s Entrepreneurship Week has developed a unique personality based on cooperation, knowledge sharing, and people helping people. Its growth — steady and strong like that of HalTech’s — clearly shows that local entrepreneurs are ready to soak up the practical information and training that E-week’s talented workshop leaders provide. Partnering for success means walking in step with organizations such as the Halton Small Business Centre to motivate the minds and hearts of the entrepreneurs we all aim to serve. From year to year, more and more people have participated in the now week-long celebration, which has included learning events for every kind of entrepreneur, from the fine artist to the mechanical engineer. With a growing number of individuals and organizations coming on board to give entrepreneurs what they crave, E-week is certain to continue helping entrepreneurs make an impact in their markets and in our region.
18
ENTREPRENEUR WEEK PROFILE WHAT IS IT? Celebrated around the world each November, Global Entrepreneurship Week recognizes the passion and drive of entrepreneurs and their contribution to regional and national economic prosperity. HalTech and its partners recognize the week locally by coordinating learning and networking events that will help feed innovation in the region. GROWTH HalTech has been part of three Entrepreneurship Week celebrations to date: 2011, 2012, and 2013. Each year, the number and diversity of events has grown, and the number of people gaining information, skills, and contacts has risen. The 2013 event series welcomed 550 attendees. PRIDE Participation in E-week has become a source of pride for the organizations who support it, the leaders who coordinate it, the presenters, and the entrepreneurs who take part and reap the benefits.
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
E-WEEK 2011 HIGHLIGHTS
3 days 5 events 2 partners 100 participants
E-WEEK 2012 HIGHLIGHTS
3 days 3 events 3 partners 150 participants
E-WEEK 2013 HIGHLIGHTS
5 days 6 events 6 partners 550 participants
“
Entrepreneurs are hardworking and dedicated individuals who contribute immensely to our country’s economic growth and prosperity. This week, we celebrate their passion, drive and confidence.” —PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
WEB EXTRA For additional information on E-week, please visit
http://haltonsbec.wordpress. com/2013/11/07/halton-celebratesentrepreneurship-week-2013/
19
HALTECH VOICES
RECOGNIZING OUR VALUE What are the words that come to mind when you think of HalTech? We asked members of our diverse community to tell us their thoughts about HalTech and our impact. These are the voices of some of the people who know us best.
“
CONNECTION
At the core of Sheridan is our students. In seeking to become the premier institution for undergraduate education, Sheridan strives to provide our students with experiential learning opportunities where our students can practice what we teach. In this way HalTech has become a strong and strategic partner supporting our industry partners as they work with Sheridan students and professors on applied research and commercialization projects. Often, Sheridan helps companies produce prototypes and test and develop their ideas; at the same time HalTech supports their growth by connecting them to market research, access to financing, workshops, and mentorship. The synergy is a triple-win for the partners, HalTech, and Sheridan.” —DIANNA DINEVSKI, INDUSTRIAL LIAISON MANAGER, OFFICE OF APPLIED RESEARCH & INNOVATION, SHERIDAN COLLEGE
“
CONTRIBUTION
I have tapped into several business resources in the community and HalTech’s contribution to our business really stands out. Their programs and Entrepreneur-inResidence have provided much needed direction and focus for us as we continue to market our software. Our limited resources and the fact that we are self-funded make the support and connections they provide even more valuable.” —JENNIFER KRAEMER, HALTECH CLIENT AND CO-FOUNDER OF GORIGHTIN
“
IMPACT
HalTech is providing tremendous value to entrepreneurs by helping companies start, build, and grow a business. Helping this hard working, ambitious group of people has a material impact on society through job creation, ensuring capital is properly utilized, and simply providing much needed guidance and advice that is practically not available from any other source.” —VINCE MIFSUD, HALTECH ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE AND CEO, SCRIBBLE TECHNOLOGIES INC
20
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
“
SERVICE
Whether a start-up or an established company, HalTech provides innovative and valuable services that support growth and profitability. The team from HalTech is committed to helping Halton Region entrepreneurs and businesses step up to the next level and take advantage of opportunities to expand and grow.” —JOHN CARLAN, HALTECH BOARD DIRECTOR AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, JAVELIN TECHNOLOGIES
“
SUCCESS
HalTech’s own success is based on its ability to provide a useful service to business owners in the tech sector. Developing a well designed business strategy is only the beginning; HalTech resources cover every aspect of creating successful businesses. HalTech successfully collaborates with other key organizations to learn about new business concepts that are then shared with clients. It also facilitates connections among business leaders so they are able to share their secrets to success and learn from one another. Clients themselves are an important part of the networking infrastructure – the very core of what HalTech is all about. It’s always a positive experience for both clients and mentors.” —DAVE CHARLES, HALTECH VOLUNTEER MENTOR AND PRESIDENT, MRI-MEDIA RESULTS INTERNATIONAL
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
“
SUPPORT
I discovered HalTech when it was just starting a few years ago. As it happens, I was just starting an ambitious new project myself. It was just the perfect chance encounter and over the years, the HalTech staff and volunteers have been so genuinely helpful in every possible way. They are my sounding board, my advisors, my counselors and my teachers. I call on them whenever I need a contact or other information and I try to attend as many events and seminars as I can. My project is still exciting and very much a challenge but one thing I can say for sure is that I’m very grateful for all the help I’ve received from HalTech.” —ALAIN ALBERT, HALTECH CLIENT AND FOUNDER, WOODOER INC.
“
INNOVATION
The ways in which HalTech provides services to start-up companies can be closely related to the guiding principles of Kaizen (Japanese for “improvement” or “change for the best”). HalTech works hard to model and encourage continuous improvement for growing start-ups.” —BALAKUMAR BHASKARAN, HALTECH CLIENT AND MANAGER, OPERATIONS, ADVANCED SOLAR TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS INC.
21
BOARD OF DIRECTORS The HalTech Board is made up of seasoned, experienced entrepreneurs and local professionals who volunteer their time with HalTech. Clients and staff are fortunate to benefit from such a diverse pool of talent who support the vision and growth of technology in the Halton area. MARK ARTEAGA, REDBIT DEVELOPMENT
ROBERT DUVALL, RDC NETWORKS
DR. KAREN SIEVEWRIGHT, PRESIDENT
RALPH BENMERGUI, BOARD CHAIR
ANNA GALONI, THOMSON-GORDON GROUP
SANJAY SINGHAL, AUDIOBOOKS.COM
JOHN CARLAN, JAVELIN TECHNOLOGIES
DR. DARREN LAWLESS, SHERIDAN COLLEGE
DEREK SMYTH, VISION CRITICAL
JOHN DAVIDSON, HALTON REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TANYA LEEDALE, O’CONNOR MACLEOD HANNA LLP
HALTECH STAFF Every member of our staff, including those listed here and those who have come and gone and left their mark, works hard every day doing meaningful work in our business and tech community. It is a talented bunch! We thank them for their contributions. Dr. Karen Sievewright, President Kat Austin, Office Manager Steve Barrett, Entrepreneur-in-Residence Anita Cwynar, Client Services Liaison William Mann, Business Analyst Vince Mifsud, Entrepreneur-in-Residence Mohan Nadarajah, Entrepreneur-in-Residence James Nikolovski, Business Development 22
Donna Parr, Entrepreneur-in-Residence Elizabeth Plouffe, Marketing, Communications, and Events Coordinator Sam Stevens, Entrepreneur-in-Residence Anne Stewart, Finance Stan Tsang, Partnership Development Philip Zabel, Business Analyst
2013–14 HALTECH ANNUAL REVIEW
SPONSORS OF HALTECH HalTech is very fortunate to have sponsor organizations that allow us to assist and support entrepreneurs. With our sincere thanks, we list them below. Sponsorship is integral to providing entrepreneurs access to free services, including advisory services, mentoring, peer-to-peer groups, and professional development events. Without these supporters and our many other partners, we could not build as many bridges as we do!
CORE FOUNDERS
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
INNOVATION PARTNERS
FOUNDING PARTNERS
Pythons' Pit
Sheridan College Office of Undergraduate Research 1430 Trafalgar Road Room J103H Oakville, ON L6H 2L1 www.haltech.ca