Small businesses often face technological hurdles which impede their ability to grow. Two of the most common growth challenges include developing and maintaining a profitable e-commerce presence and developing and testing innovative products or technologies. Small businesses often lack the technical expertise or access to facilities which make projects like these possible. As a result,…
The “Internet of Things”, or “IOT”, is a phrase that’s being used a lot these days. Many bloggers, commentators, and analysts are trying to pin-point what the Internet of Things will mean for specific industries, business in general, and even how it will change our personal lives. The goal of this post is to explain…
An article recently published in The Hamilton Spectator identified the Ontario automotive sector as lacking leadership and on the verge of a decline. Although the Ontario industry was a top global contender, manufacturers of vehicles and automotive components in Ontario are facing downward pricing pressures from developing nations with low labour rates, and consumer preferences…
Program Update: CME SMART Advanced Technologies for Global Growth program will not be accepting applications after July 31, 2016. Please contact a Proactive Funding Planner to discuss alternate business grants for your company. The CME SMART Advanced Technologies for Global Growth business grant is funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and…
Waterloo, Ontario-based social messaging application Kik has become one of three Canadian companies to be valued at $1 billion or more. This valuation comes after the company received an investment of $50 million (USD) from Chinese internet giant Tencent. With over 240 million registered users around the world, Kik has gained a great following and by…
Mississauga, Ontario business Therapure Biopharma Inc. is an industry leader in manufacturing biologics for medical use. With an expertise in plasma-derived proteins, Therapure has created a novel technology called PlasmaCap Expanded Bed Adsorption (PlasmaCap EBA), which seeks to separate proteins faster and produce a greater yield from the same quantity of plasma used. This highly…
Since 2012, the Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) has allowed businesses and inventors the ability to bolster their innovative technologies by selling and testing them with the Canadian government. This first procurement program enables businesses to overcome pre-commercialization gaps and use the government as their first possible customer and testers of their technology. BCIP…
It seems that in the last few years, society has introduced more new ways to interact with technology than ever before. The origin of the computer keyboard can be traced back to the invention of the typewriter by Christopher Latham Sholes in 1868. This was followed by the computer mouse in 1964, and the first…
The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) association recognizes that some businesses in Canada are struggling to find the skilled labourers that they need to continue growth and expansion. Other businesses are turning to advanced technologies as a tactic to stay competitive in international markets. In response to this growing need, Path2Work has been developed to…
In recent years there has been a shift in the global automotive market, and, as noted in our Automotive Industry Overview, Canada has slipped to the 11th largest producer of vehicles globally due to increased pressures from lower wage countries, such as Mexico. The Canadian government has taken note and, in their Economic Action Plan…