India, Canada Seal $1.9B Uranium Pact to Power Nuclear Future

India and Canada have just struck a landmark $1.9 billion uranium supply agreement, marking a major step in strengthening their energy and strategic ties. Here are the key highlights:

• Parties involved: India and Canadian firm Cameco Corp.
• Value: $1.9 billion (C$2.6 billion)
• Supply terms: 22 million pounds of uranium to India between 2027 and 2035
• Purpose: Fuel India’s nuclear energy program, boosting its clean energy capacity

Strategic Significance 

• Energy security: Ensures a stable uranium supply for India’s expanding nuclear power sector
• Broader cooperation: Canada will also provide LPG under its first long-term arrangement with India
• Defense & minerals: Establishment of an India-Canada Defence Dialogue and pacts on critical minerals
• Economic vision: Target of $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 and CEPA conclusion by end-2026

Diplomatic context:

This deal represents a turnaround in relations after tensions in 2023, when ties soured over allegations surrounding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The uranium pact is being hailed as an “important milestone” in rebuilding trust and deepening cooperation.

Cameco Corporation: Company Overview

• Headquarters: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Founded: 1988 (formerly Canadian Mining and Energy Corporation)
• Industry: Mining & Energy
• Ticker: TSX: CCO, NYSE: CCJ
• Employees: ~2,600 (2023)

• Core Business: One of the world’s largest publicly traded uranium companies
• Operations: Exploration, mining, refining, conversion, and fabrication of uranium
• Global Share: Accounts for a significant portion of global uranium production

• Strategic Position: High-grade reserves and low-cost operations
• Investments: Stakes in Westinghouse Electric Company and Global Laser Enrichment
• Supply Reach: Provides nuclear fuel solutions to utilities worldwide.

• Leadership: CEO Tim Gitzel (since 2011), Board Chair Catherine Gignac
• Notable Facts: One of Canada’s largest employers of Indigenous people
• Revenue: CA$ 1.475 billion (2021)
• Recent Highlight: $1.9B uranium supply deal with India

Infosys Faces Penalty of CA$ 135K ( ~INR 82 lakh) for Alleged Underpayment of EHT

It has been reported that the Canadian government has imposed a penalty of 1,34,822.38 Canadian dollars (approximately 82 lakh Indian Rupees) on the global IT services company, Infosys. This penalty is in relation to an alleged underpayment of the Employee Health Tax for the fiscal year that ended on December 31, 2020.

Infosys has stated that this penalty does not have a material impact on the company's financials, operations, or other activities. For a company of Infosys' scale, such penalties, while notable, are often considered in the context of their overall financial health and operational scale.

Infosys received an order from Canada's Finance Ministry on May 9. "Penalty imposed on alleged underpayment of Employee Health Tax for the year ended December 31, 2020," the filing said. It mentioned a penalty of 1,34,822.38 Canadian dollars has been imposed on the company.

Infosys has responded to the allegations. In a regulatory filing, Infosys acknowledged the penalty imposed by the Canadian government for alleged underpayment of Employee Health Tax for the year ended December 31, 2020. However, Infosys clarified that there is no material impact on the company's financials, operations, or other activities due to this penalty.

Infosys has a significant presence in Canada, with multiple office locations across the country that include Alberta, Mississauga of Ontario, Burnaby of British Columbia, and an another in Ontario (Ottawa).

The Employee Health Tax (EHT) is a payroll tax that employers in certain provinces of Canada, such as Ontario and British Columbia, are required to pay. It is calculated based on the remuneration paid to employees, which includes salaries, wages, bonuses, taxable benefits, stock options, etc. The purpose of this tax is to assist in funding health care services within the province.

In Ontario, for example, employers are required to pay EHT on remuneration paid to employees who:

• Physically report for work at the employer's permanent establishment in Ontario.
• Are attached to the employer's permanent establishment in Ontario.
• Do not report to work at any of the employer's permanent establishments but are paid from or through an Ontario permanent establishment.

The tax has an exemption amount, which means that if an employer's Ontario payroll is below a certain threshold, they may not have to pay EHT. For instance, the exemption amount was increased from $490,000 to $1 million in 2020 due to the special circumstances caused by COVID-19 in Ontario, and this increase was made permanent in 2021.

Employers who exceed the exemption amount in their payroll are required to pay EHT. The tax rates and how to calculate EHT can vary, so employers need to refer to the specific rules and rates provided by the province. 

Canadian Phone Accessories Firm Made Racist Comment on Indian Customer, Unapologetic Initially Offers $10,000 Later

Dbrand, a Canadian company known for its smartphone cases, recently faced backlash for a racist comment directed at an Indian customer. 

In a series of events — an Indian customer named Bhuwan Chitransh posted a complaint on X (formerly Twitter) about his MacBook skin that he purchased from Dbrand. He expressed concern that the skin changed color within months of purchase.

Instead of addressing the issue, the official Dbrand account replied, "Your last name is basically s**t rash, be serious." This response was seen as racist and quickly attracted backlash, with the post garnering over 8 million views.

Your last name is basically shit rash, be serious https://t.co/SmQd5So5bS

— dbrand (@dbrand) April 9, 2024

Popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) took a stand against Dbrand's behavior. He stated that he won't work with Dbrand until the original tweet is deleted. MKBHD emphasized that while humor is acceptable, insensitive jokes with racial tones are unnecessary and harmful.

Initially unapologetic, Dbrand later offered an apology to Bhuwan Chitransh. They also offered $10,000 as a gesture of goodwill. However, the controversy remains, and opinions on Dbrand's remorse vary.

Later after 12-odd hours, Dbrand further posted — "This offer has no strings attached. You can continue hating us, tweeting about this situation, or even sharing this DM wherever you see fit. We just want to make amends for our lapse in judgement and the chaos that ensued in your world."

Businesses and brands must remember that while humor is essential, it's crucial to avoid offensive comments that hurt individuals. Dbrand's case serves as a reminder that sensitivity and respect matter, even in online interactions.

Xpressbees May Raise $100 Mn from Canada's Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, At $1.4 Bn Valuation

Pune-based e-commerce logistics company, Xpressbees, may get $100 million as an investment by Canada's Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, one of the largest pension plans in the world, said a recent report by Economic Times. 

Citing people privy to the matter, the ET report further said that Ontario Teachers' Pension board may buy a stake in Xpressbees at about a $1.4 billion valuation. The capital raised would potentially be used for purposes including acquisitions.

Since last year, the Canadian pension fund was targeting investments in India and even opened an office in Mumbai in September of last year.

With this investment, if materialize, The Ontario Teachers' would join other Canada based pension funds bodies — Canadian public pension funds CPP Investments and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ).

Ontario's Teacher's fellow CPP Investment had invested in Indian companies including Byju's and Xpressbees's competitor Delhivery.

Ontario Teachers' had also in FTX, through its Teacher's Venture Growth platform, after the collapse of FTX the Canadian pension board wrote-off the entire investment, in the end of last year.

Earlier in April, Xpressbees had raised $40 million in funding from Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Khazanah), the sovereign wealth fund of Malaysia.

Founded by Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari, co-founders of SoftBank-backed baby products startup FirstCry. The duo decided to spin off the firm’s logistics unit into a separate entity in 2015. The e-commerce logistics company has also counts Alibaba as its investor along with Investcorp, Norwest Venture Partners, Gaja Capital, SAIF Partners, IDG Ventures India, NEA, Vertex Ventures, and Valiant Capital.

JSW Steel May Acquire Stakes in Canada's Teck Resources for $2 Bn

JSW Steel Limited, an Indian multinational steel producer based in Mumbai, is considering a bid to acquire a stake of up to 20% in Canada's Teck Resources steelmaking coal business, as first reported by Bloomberg.

JSW Steel, India's second largest private sector steel company, is in early-stage talks for a possible acquisition and for financing this deal, JSW is in discussions with banks. The potential deal may total about $2 billion, the report said.

Vancouver-based Teck Resources, known as Teck Cominco until late 2008, is a diversified natural resources company engaged in mining and mineral development, including coal for the steelmaking industry, copper, zinc, and energy.

Besides JSW bid for Teck's steel business, Japanese steel maker Nippon Steel and Swiss trading and mining firm Glencore had also shown interest in the Canadian miner's coal unit.

In an another news-story about Teck Resources, the mines owned by Teck have been the subject of environmental concerns for decades because of chemicals like selenium, a mining waste product, that dissolve into mountain rivers flowing through Indigenous land and across the border into U.S. waterways. Many scientists attribute the malformed creatures and declines in certain fish populations to five enormous Canadian open-pit coal mines including that of Teck's that interrupt this wild landscape of dense forest flush with bears and wolves.

JSW Steel is a flagship company of the JSW Group led by Sajjan Jindal, and is part of the O.P. Jindal Group. The group's diverse businesses include steel, energy, infrastructure, cement and paints, across India, the United States, South America, and Africa.

Last month, it was reported that Sajjan Jindal is reportedly aiming to buy MG Motor India, a wholly owned a subsidiary of the Chinese automotive manufacturer, SAIC Motor, which markets vehicles under the British MG marque.

Canada's TBDC Picks 25 Indian Startups to Participate in Collision — the World’s Largest Start-up Technology Conference

Conference to be held in Toronto from 20th to 23rd June 2022

Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) which is Canada’s India-focused incubator has announced to take 25 selected Indian start-ups to Toronto and participate in Collision 2022. Collision is the world’s largest start-up tech conference, which takes place in Toronto. This year’s Collision conference will be held in Toronto from June 20th to June 23rd, 2022. 

TBDC in the recent past has assisted many Indian founders with innovative start-ups in expanding internationally and is determined to do the same this year as well. This TBDC's initiative is in collaboration with BHIVE, Brampton’s premier start-up incubator program.

Engineer bringing Technology to Life Pvt Ltd (EBTL), Mapmygenome, MakeStories, and UnRemote are among the selected start-ups that will participate in the Collision conference.

During the visit, the founders of the start-ups will get the opportunity to meet investors, technology innovators, potential partners and mentors, and ecosystem players who will assist them in succeeding in the lucrative North American market.

“We are excited to welcome the founders of these startups to Canada, a promising startup destination. Engaging with relevant and meaningful investors, technology innovators, potential partners, mentors, and ecosystem players will undoubtedly be critical to boost and accelerating the growth of these start-ups and will assist them in expanding internationally. The program is divided into two parts: group programming and individualized programming tailored to the specific needs of the Entrepreneur, which will position the start-ups for success in North American markets,” said Mr. Vikram Khurana, Chairman of TBDC and CEO of BHive.

Specially designed workshops will assist 25 Indian start-ups in gaining clarity on issues such as incorporation, immigration, raising capital, and overall successful business setup. The conference will also enable founders of the start-ups to participate in meaningful networking events, such as one-on-one meetings with TBDC’s mentors, angel investors, funders, subject matter experts, and other ecosystem influencers in Ontario.

Other than the Live Pitching, Mentorship, Workshop, the Collision conference also promises to aid and make a commitment of investment to the participating startups. When a startup will receive a commitment from a designated organization, each applicant will hold 10% or more of the voting rights attached to all outstanding shares of the corporation, and up to 5 people can apply as owners. Applicants and the designated organization will jointly hold more than half of the total voting rights attached to all outstanding shares of the corporation at the time of commitment.

As the North America’s fastest-growing tech conference, Collision's annual event brings together market leaders, technology experts, and the media to determine where the world is headed next. It’s therefore widely known as “the Olympics of technology.”

About TBDC:

TBDC is Toronto’s premier start-up accelerator incubator and the designated entity under Canada’s Start-Up Visa program that serves as a soft landing for international companies looking to establish a footprint in Canada. TBDC has been acclaimed as one of the country’s leading business incubators in fostering entrepreneurial community, providing business support, and establishing investor relations.

About BHIVE:

BHive is a leading start-up incubator program with a dedicated focus on the Canadian Government’s Start-Up Visa Program. Through this program, we offer incoming international start-ups and entrepreneurs the tools, resources, and space to establish – and quickly scale – their businesses in Canada and North America. BHive is a collaboration between the City of Brampton and the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) and has been strategically designed to ensure start-ups have everything they need to scale and grow.

Toronto to Be the Host City for a Global Leaders’ Business Summit Celebrating the Beginning of the End to the Restrictions Imposed by COVID-19

City Mayor John Tory and Ontario Premier Doug Ford to kick off summit

C Vijaykumar, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, HCL Technologies and Ravi Kumar S., President, Infosys, among panellists

TO REGISTER: https://www.strongerthanever.ca/

Toronto, ON – September 6, 2021 – Toronto Global and the International Economic Forum of the Americas announced that on September 9, 2021, they will co-host a global business summit to celebrate the re-opening of the Canadian and global economies.

Representing the fastest growing urban metropolitan region and tech hub in North America, Toronto Global and its partners are committed to continuing that pace of growth and investment - not only to get back to where the Toronto Region was before the pandemic but to go beyond what has been achieved already. The primary goal is to ensure that the Toronto Region leads the country’s recovery and cements its place as the best location for investment in North America. This come back celebration will be staged live in-person at Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto and virtually around the world.

The theme for the event, Stronger Than Ever, is a celebration of the team at Toronto Global and all the partners in the region, in the province and in the country, that are working together to reimagine how to emerge from this pandemic even stronger.

Toronto Mayor John Tory and Ontario Premier Doug Ford will kick off the summit by showcasing how the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, and Canada are safely re-opening the economy, safely re-opening business, re-igniting business investment and creating new, diverse and inclusive jobs.

This session will be followed by a series of discussions with domestic and global business leaders. The following have confirmed to date:

• Afsaneh Beschloss, Chief Executive Officer, RockCreek
• Patrick Pichette, Inovia Partner and Chairman, Twitter
• Jen Wong, Chief Operating Officer, Reddit
• C Vijayakumar, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, HCL Technologies
• Jan De Silva, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade
• Erin Elofson, Head of Pinterest Canada
• Ravi Kumar S., President, Infosys

Other domestic and global leaders are being invited to attend virtually, interact with the speakers and hold their own private meetings on business growth opportunities. Business people, students, civil society and the general public are invited to attend. There is no cost. Further information about the Summit, including registration, can be found at https://www.strongerthanever.ca/.


John Tory, Mayor, City of Toronto, said -

Before the pandemic, Toronto was the fastest growing city in North America – people and businesses were choosing our city to live, work and play. We are determined for that success to continue as the pandemic comes to an end and we reopen and rebuild our economy. I am so confident that Toronto – Canada's economic engine – will come back stronger than ever. This summit is one of the many ways we are letting the world know that Toronto is the best place in the post-pandemic world to invest and grow your business. I look forward to global business leaders joining us in September.

Doug Ford, Premier, Province of Ontario, said -
“We are laying the foundation for a strong economic recovery in Ontario by increasing investment opportunities through trade and investment missions to position Ontario as a leader in innovation and technology. Ontario’s deep talent pool, cutting edge innovation ecosystem, and competitive business costs continue to make our province an ideal place for investment and will contribute to building back our economy stronger than ever.”

Stephen Lund, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Global

“This has been a difficult year, no doubt. Difficult for businesses, difficult for front-line workers, difficult for Canadians. However, the enduring confidence of investors in the Toronto Region has remained and we’re very bullish about our opportunities going forward. I’m proud to be leading a team at Toronto Global that has never stopped believing in this region and never stopped driving towards bigger and better.”

About Toronto Global

Toronto Global’s team of experienced business advisors works to help international companies access the most dynamic and innovative region in the world. We actively seek global companies interested in expanding to the Toronto Region and connect investors with the right opportunities that will facilitate the successful growth of their business.

As an arms-length organization representing the Cities of Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto, and the Regional Municipalities of Durham, York, and Halton, we work with our partners in the Ontario and Canadian governments to provide a comprehensive, customized service that allows for a smooth transition for international companies wishing to do business here. Toronto Global is dedicated to understanding our clients’ business needs and delivering tailored, innovative solutions that will set the stage for their success in the Toronto Region.

About IEFA

The International Economic Forum of the Americas (IEFA) was established in 1994 with the mission of promoting an exchange of views and perspectives on pressing economic issues of our times among world leaders, renowned experts and business executives. The IEFA brings together members of the private, public and academic sectors to facilitate agreements, offer business opportunities and provide access to unique insights from leading specialists. In its 27 year history the IEFA has grown to become a landmark organization bringing together more than 17,000 participants and over 540 speakers combined under the auspices of four annual conferences: the Conference of Montreal, the Toronto Global Forum, the World Strategic Forum and the Conference of Paris. For more information: www.forum-americas.org

Startup Reseau Announces 35 Indian B2B Startups Shortlisted for Startup Bridge Canada Program

• Startup Bridge Canada is a market access program launched in Dec 2020
• In its first ever virtual avatar, SBC will run a 6 week Canada market access program followed by 3 months of deep market bootcamp
• 50 Mentors from Canada onboarded for the program
• Ajay Bisaria, High Commissioner to Canada launches the program

Mumbai, 19th Feb, 2021: Mumbai-based Startup Reseau, a startup accelerator launched by Ajay Ramasubramaniam and Sweta Tiwari, have announced a shortlist of 35 Indian startups participating in the inaugural cohort of Startup Bridge Canada (SBC).

Startup Reseau announced SBC in Dec 2020, a 6-week pre-market entry startup program for growth stage Indian startups to access and understand Canada and build their strategy for North America foray.

Ajay Ramasubramaniam, Co-founder CEO, Startup Reseau, says, "As an organisation, we are always looking to unlock global market opportunities for Indian startups seeking to expand internationally, by way of structured market access programs. With a strong focus on being a developer of startup ecosystem in emerging markets, we continue to remain bullish about prospects for Indian startups in mature markets such as North America and Europe"

The 35 startups who have made it to the program are: 

 

AssessHub	NLP Bots	Scribble Data	AuthBase	Rockmetric
CDSpace Robotics	Dimension NXG	Udbhaata Tech	Zimyo	Econolytics
QATTS	BugClipper	Discover Dollar	Dave.AI	IBS FinTech
Signzy	SafexPay	FynTune	WhatsLoan	Detect Tech
Datalkz	Myrsa	Roadmetrics	Swaayatt Robots	Catalyst Green
MyTrux e-commerce	Oleo	The Solar Labs	Label Blind	EHNote
SuperFan.AI	GetNatty	Etude 360	AlmaShines	GreyAtom

In addition to the proximity to major U.S. business hubs, Canada presents a stable economy, large corporations and their innovation and R&D centres, great talent, a strong tech ecosystem, ease of doing business, favourable business immigration, and startup visa program. To further facilitate entry of Indian startups in Canada, Startup Réseau has tied up with the Government of Alberta, Government of British Columbia, Government of Ontario and economic development agencies including Toronto Global, Montreal International to help a cohort of Indian entrepreneurs grow, scale, and promote their businesses in Canada, and access the larger North American geography.

Stewart Beck, President, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, says, "Canada is a recognised global leader in machine learning and digital innovation. Canadian immigration policies and startup environment have attracted highly qualified technology talent and savvy investors from around the World making Canada an excellent choice for Indian entrepreneurs to establish their beachhead for growth in North American and European markets."

"In the province of Alberta, Canada, you will find world-class research universities, significant pools of capital, an affordable quality of life, a highly educated workforce and top ranked ML and AI research. With more than $1 billion in tax incentives for R&D and commercialization and a highly accessible Startup Visa program, the province is welcoming eager minds and innovative companies. Come be a part of Alberta's tech startup revolution and take advantage of programs like Startup Bridge Canada that are creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to expand in North America, adds David Knight Legg, CEO, Invest Alberta Corporation.

Rooma Bussi, Managing Director, Trade & Invest British Columbia says "We are delighted to partner with StartUp Reseau on this initiative. British Columbia has been at the forefront of technology research and innovation in North America and is the #1 start-up ecosystem in Canada and top 15 globally. With almost 11,000 tech companies, ranging from innovative startups to global Fortune 500 companies, technology is one of the fastest growing sectors in British Columbia. Combine this with B.C.'s world class talent and business friendly government policies and you have the perfect environment to make your business a success."

The inaugural edition of Startup Bridge Canada received 276 applications from which 35 startups make up the cohort. The program will run virtually and has been inaugurated by H.E Ajay Bisaria, High Commissioner to Canada. "Both India and Canada have in place robustly expanding startup ecosystems. In fact, Canada's investment capacity complements India's entrepreneurial spark to create vast opportunities for startups. In a recent telephonic conversation, the Prime Ministers of the two countries reiterated a desire to work together for building a more sustainable and resilient global economy. Combining Canada's advanced knowledge and investments with India's skills and markets makes the perfect recipe for the success of startups. It is not surprising that the first Indian Unicorn of 2021 has a strong Canada connect," says H.E Ajay Bisaria, HC to Canada.

The 35 founders in the cohort have cumulatively raised in excess of $26Million and run an ARR of over $16.5Million. The average team size of one-thirds of the cohort is 40 team members, while we have 3 startups with team sizes exceeding 100 members. "Having been in the Canada – India corridor for almost 12 years, I can confidently say that this is by-far the strongest group of Indian startups being exposed to the Canadian market and its stakeholders, " adds Ajay.

The shortlisted startups operate in a wide variety of industries, including financial services, infrastructure, large enterprise accounts and ESG. Over 50% of the cohort applies fast growing technologies like AI / ML.

The virtual programme will take place over the course of six weeks beginning on February 15^th 2021.

About Startup Réseau:

Built on the founding pillar of #StartupsFirst, Startup Réseau operates startup accelerator programs with a vision to bring the ultimate global network of Enterprises, Capital, Markets and Services to Startups. The founding team has developed a strong understanding of new models of startup-led enterprise innovation and economic development. Startup Réseau has a core expertise in setting up and operating bootcamps, accelerator programs and entrepreneurship linked initiatives in emerging markets across India, South East Asia and Africa.

SSi Canada Partners with SES Networks to Deliver New Satellite Capacity into Northern Canada

Vital new satellite capacity will be delivered to Canada’s north, including all 25 communities of Nunavut, following a partnership signed between SSi Canada, the developer-operator of QINIQ broadband and SSi Mobile services in Nunavut, and SES Networks, the leader in global content connectivity solutions. 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210118005410/en/

 

SSi Canada Partners with SES Networks to Deliver New Satellite Capacity into Northern Canada (Photo: Business Wire)This partnership comes at a critical time for Nunavut, with the COVID-19 crisis having led to an unprecedented need for reliable internet and mobile communications services as Nunavummiut move increasingly to study, work, and shop online and at home. With growing demand for QINIQ broadband and SSi Mobile services, all 25 communities in Nunavut - and elsewhere in Northern Canada - will benefit from SSi Canada’s multi-year agreement with SES Networks.

 

“We are excited to partner with SES Networks to bring this much needed capacity to Canada’s North,” said Jeff Philipp, CEO and Founder of SSi. “As a global operator, SES Networks understands the challenges faced by underserved regions of the world and SSi’s ongoing commitment to overcome these challenges. SES Networks is certainly the right partner at the right time." 

Under the new agreement announced today, SSi Canada will secure a significant increase in its satellite capacity, enhancing SSi’s ability to better serve consumers, students, government entities and businesses in Nunavut today and into the future. The new SES-SSi satellite footprint covers much more than Nunavut, enabling connectivity improvements across Canada. 

“Thanks to timely regulatory approvals from the Canadian Government, we are now working hard to bring this new capacity online as quickly as possible” said Philipp. “This is an essential step to ensure continuity of QINIQ broadband, and we look forward to expanding our network offerings and capabilities in the coming months and years as we work to deliver on the Government’s goal of broadband connectivity for every Canadian, no matter where they live.” 

“For years we’ve been providing services to Northern Canada and know that the digital divide is challenging for people living in remote and rural areas,” said Omar Trujillo, Vice President of Sales, Fixed Data Americas at SES Networks. “Canada’s bold vision to connect every citizen to broadband this decade aligns with the innovative solutions SSi Canada has been providing to its customers for years. We are happy to bring our expertise of operating more than 70 geostationary and medium earth orbit satellites to help SSi Canada scale up their backbone, ensuring that the remote communities in Nunavut are at the forefront in achieving the 50/10 Mbps threshold.” 

SES has a proven track record for providing reliable data services across Canada in a variety of spectrum bands over its satellite fleet. Its C-band offerings are uniquely capable for providing the capacity needed for communities and businesses in Canada to maintain and strengthen their communications infrastructure.

 

Follow SES on:

 

Social Media
Blog
Media Library

 

About SSi Canada

 

Headquartered in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, with a satellite teleport and network operations centre in Ottawa, SSi designs, builds and operates state-of-the-art communications networks. SSi is a pioneer in delivering remote-area connectivity in Canada’s North and the developer-operator of the award winning SSi Mobile and QINIQ broadband services. With over 30 years of operating experience, SSi is a leader in delivering advanced satellite, broadband, mobile wireless and clean energy solutions. SSi understands first-hand the challenges faced in providing effective and affordable communications services and other infrastructure support to remote and outlying areas, having launched broadband and mobile voice and data services into many markets where these previously did not exist.

 

For more information, see: http://www.ssicanada.com/

 

About SES

 

SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world’s only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world’s leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES’s video network carries almost 8,200 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 367 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG).

 

Further information is available at: www.ses.com.

 

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210118005410/en/

Coimbatore Start-up, Solavio Labs, Incubated at AIC Raise, Selected into Canadian Government Accelerator Program

Solavio Team

COIMBATORE, India , Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Solavio labs, a start-up incubated at AIC Raise  [ www.aicraise.com ] incubator, has been selected for acceleration in the 2020 winter cohort by a Canadian accelerator, Energia Ventures. The cohort program started on Sept. 14 , and will culminate on Dec. 9 in a demo day in which all participants will pitch their businesses and display their products. Apart from mentoring, programming, and business support, all cohort participants will receive funding from the New Brunswick Innovation Fund (a Canada -based Venture Capital) to help scale their start-ups.

The main challenge with solar panels is cleaning. Dust and other impurities deposit on the surface of the solar photovoltaic (PV) panels reducing the efficiency by up to 40% and affect the corresponding ROI for Solar Plant owners. Therefore, solar panels need to be cleaned from time to time to minimize efficiency losses. As a result, there is a dire need for an economical and effective autonomous dry-cleaning solution for solar PV panels. And that's where Solavio comes in efficiently.

Solavio™  is a start-up that designs, develops, and manufactures Modular Autonomous Solar Panel Cleaning Bots, Semi-Auto Bots, and Motorised Handheld Brushes for cleaning Solar PV panels.

The retrofit nature of the product makes it compatible with almost any solar panel, mounting structure, type (roof-top or ground mount) or climatic condition and is almost 30%* lighter than most bots in the market.

They provide a dry-cleaning technology that is non-abrasive and UV resistant ensuring at least 99.6% cleaning efficiency(99.5%) without affecting the glass surface. The dry-cleaning technology saves over 200,000 Litres of water per Mega Watt per year. In India , WHO has reported that by negating the use of the water we can uplift the lives of over 8000 individuals per MW of water saved per year.

Due to its light-weight design, Solavio is disrupting the industry by introducing the SHAREABLE robot concept (1 bot for multiple rows) reducing the cost of switching to robotic cleaning by more than 60% as opposed to the competition offering a bot per row ensuring an ROI in under 2.5 years.

Solavio targets the renewable energy sector with a specific focus on Solar Photovoltaic Power Systems. The relevant audience for their product offering includes:

1. Solar plant developers/owners
2. Solar Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) Contractors
3. Solar Operations & Maintenance (O&M) companies

Solavio Labs office is currently located in India , Coimbatore Tamil Nadu, with a subsidiary regional office in Dubai.

"The onboarding of Solavio into the Energia Ventures Accelerator program will see them expand their operations to the North Americas. This also means that Solavio is now the 1st PV-focused Clean Tech Start-up to be incubated under support programs in 3 countries (India , UAE and Canada )," Suraj Mohan , CEO of Solavio Labs said.

Additionally, they are in advance discussions with reliable partners to start operations in South East Asia and Australia.

Solavio seeks to leverage Robotics, AI, Image processing, machine learning, and deep learning to continue building innovative products that go beyond the cleaning of Solar panels such as drone-based cleaning of High rise building surfaces, UV Sanitization drones and bots, Agricultural bots, Security bots, etc.

Solavio's products will be offered under 2 models; Capex and Opex to offer flexibility to the end-user for deploying cleaning bots.

Solavio Labs also won 1st place in the Resilient Smart Infrastructure Category of the Prestigious EDF Pulse India 2020 Start-up Award.

About AIC Raise :

AIC Raise supported by Atal Innovation Mission of NITI Aayog, Govt. of India is India's first Startup Incubation Centre focusing on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals established by Rathinam Group of Institutions. AIC Raise is creating a holistic ecosystem for social start-ups for maximizing profits and benefits to society and the environment.

Website : https://aicraise.com/

Details on Solavio Labs : https://aicraise.com/solavio-labs/

India Network and Canada Based Bay Street Diary Announces Strategic JV to Act as Bridge Between Canada and India

(L-R) Akshay Munot - One Voice Media, Souniya Khurana - Co-Founder & CEO - WYN Studio, Rahul Narvekar - Founder & CEO - India Network, Narendra Firodia - Angel Investor, Jital Shah - Angel Investor

The India Network, a platform for people from across the start-up spectrum to connect, collaborate and co-create, today announced that it has inked a one-of-a-kind strategic partnership with Bay Street Diary further advancing its strategy to expand and connect with entrepreneurs and mentors across India and Canada. Bay Street Diary has been on the forefront helping businesses and entrepreneurs to succeed by sharing their abundance of knowledge accumulated from seasoned and successful entrepreneurs through video & podcast interviews, blogs and partnership opportunities. This will facilitate India Network’s belief that ‘Geography must not be a constraint for anyone to succeed and grow’.

 
The agreement between India Network & Bay Street Diary entails the following scope of work:

• Connecting entrepreneurs and business owners to opportunities and mentors in India and Canada
• Partnering with like-minded individuals, organizations, companies and campuses and Governments. 
• Exploring and setting up specific themed incubators and accelerator programs and connect relevant folks in both countries
• Setting up an Indo-Canadian immersion program for students, entrepreneurs, investors and government folks for them to get a broad overview with specific learnings on a planned trip in limited groups 
• Exploring options of helping companies and start-ups find JV partners 
• Provide internships or educational trips to either of the partnership countries for entrepreneurs and students looking to explore and build on international markets 
• Build an Indo-Canadian network of angel investors & mentors, enabling business owners and entrepreneurs to pitch their business plans and achievements for the purpose of raising growth capital and business development

Suneet Oberoi, Co-founder, Bay Street Diary said, “Through this JV between Bay Street Diary and India Network, we plan to open a box full of opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners in Canada and India.”

He furthered, “Being an entrepreneur, (who is) well versed with the Indian and North American geographies, I believe there is an opportunity and potential between Canadian and Indian businesses, partnering on different fronts. This is exactly what our Joint Venture with India Network aims to achieve. We will work together in connecting like-minded entrepreneurs, businesses, investors, mentors, and in turn, create an ecosystem for the Indo-Canadian entrepreneurial community."

Rahul Narvekar - Founder & CEO, India Network stated, “Happy to work with Suneet in building this Network on the ground in Bharat and Canada at the same time. I believe both countries can benefit from this partnership and I hope post pandemic we can take lots of young startup founders to Canada for a learning experience.”

Both parties are excited about this new partnership and the potential benefits it provides to the growing entrepreneurial community.


About India Network

The India Network spearheaded by Rahul Narvekar with Angel Investors like Narendra Firodia & Jital Shah - is a platform for people from across the Start-up spectrum to connect, with high focus on tier 2/ 3/ 4 /5 cities. A network where you can connect, collaborate and co-create, for we believe ‘Geography and language must not be a constraint for anyone to succeed and grow’. And not just entrepreneurs, this platform is also for mavericks, aspiring entrepreneurs, freelancers, artisans and students. Enabling the Start-up ecosystem as we connect them to Mentors and Investors across the country as also hosting business owners and influencers forming an integral part of our dynamic community. As a curated community of people who are positive, hungry for learning, helping the community, and wanting to make a dent in the universe.

The India Network has recently launched Startup Studio - India’s first local language incubator and accelerator programme as also India Angel Fund with specific focus on funding Women led startups. Within 30 days of launch they have invested in 3 women led startups: WYN Studio led by Souniya Khurana, IPHM led by Sneh Kulkarni and GOD Cafe led by Sheetal Bhatt.

About Bay Street Diary
 
Bay Street Diary is a platform for business owners and entrepreneurs. Their vision is to share their abundance of knowledge accumulated from seasoned and successful entrepreneurs through video & podcast interviews, blogs and partnership opportunities. Canada has become an exceptional place to start and grow a new business and Bay Street Diary is quickly becoming the most reliable place to learn how to do it successfully.

Understanding what it takes to execute ideas and various challenges faced by entrepreneurs at all levels, their mission is to help businesses and entrepreneurs succeed. By exposing them to the best knowledge and experience of the industry, they help businesses and entrepreneurs succeed in their ventures.

With a team of professionals to help entrepreneurs and business owners overcome day-to-day hurdles, Bay Street Diary offers the below services:

• Professional Strategic Guidance
• Raising Growth Capital
• Business Plan Building
• Providing Analytical Insight
• Global Networking

Website: https://baystreetdiary.com/

Singapore-based Maxeon Solar Technologies Files Patent Action Against Canadian Solar in Japan

Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd. (NASDAQ:MAXN), a global leader in solar innovation, today announced that it filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Canadian Solar Japan K.K., in Tokyo District Court, Japan.

The lawsuit filing alleges Canadian Solar Japan infringes Maxeon's Japan Patent No. JP6642841B2 ("Shingled Solar Cell Module") for the proprietary and fundamental shingled solar cell panel technology used to deploy solar panels that Maxeon designs, manufactures and sells under the 'SunPower Performance' brand name. Canadian Solar Japan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc., which is headquartered in Canada with operations and production facilities in China and in South-East Asia.

Shingled solar cell panels are typically made from separating solar cells into smaller solar cell strips and then connecting the resulting solar cell strips in an over-lapping layout. The result is a higher power, higher efficiency panel, with enhanced reliability and improved durability compared to conventional panels.

The Performance panel architecture and manufacturing processes were pioneered by Silicon Valley-based start-up company Cogenra Solar which was acquired by SunPower Corporation in 2015. In the subsequent spinoff of Maxeon Solar Technologies, Maxeon retained the use of the SunPower brand in the more than 100 markets it serves. Maxeon produces its SunPower Performance solar panels in China at Huansheng Photovoltaic (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., its joint venture with Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor Co., Ltd. With more than 3 gigawatts deployed across over 60 countries to date, Performance panels are the industry's most deployed shingled solar cell panel technology.

"We've built our business on a 35-year foundation of pioneering solar innovation. The intellectual property behind our shingled solar cell technology was developed by our talented design and engineering teams and is the result of substantial investment," said Jeff Waters, CEO of Maxeon Solar Technologies. "The resultant Performance technology outperforms conventional panels in efficiency, power, reliability and aesthetics."

The innovation behind Performance panels is protected by an international portfolio of more than 150 patents and patent applications covering shingled solar cell and panel design, as well as key manufacturing tools and processes.

"We feel very strongly about the importance of upholding our intellectual property rights, and view our intellectual property as a key business asset," added Lindsey Wiedmann, Maxeon's Chief Legal Officer. "Maxeon's patent portfolio, which now includes more than 900 patents, helps protect the many technical advancements we've made through the years that have led us to a prominent position in the solar industry," continued Wiedmann. "We must vigorously safeguard these valuable assets, and this action against Canadian Solar is a necessary step to prevent unauthorized use of our intellectual property. Respect of intellectual property rights is critical to incentivize innovation and for the orderly ongoing development of the solar industry."

About Maxeon Solar Technologies

Maxeon Solar Technologies (NASDAQ: MAXN) is Powering Positive Change™. Headquartered in Singapore, Maxeon designs and sells SunPower® brand solar panels across more than 100 countries and is the leader in solar innovation with access to over 900 patents and two best-in-class solar panel product lines. With operations in Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe and Mexico, Maxeon products span the global rooftop and solar power plant markets through a network of more than 1,100 trusted partners and distributors. A pioneer in sustainable solar manufacturing, Maxeon leverages a 35-year history in the solar industry and numerous awards for its technology.

Huawei Exec Arrested in Canada can be Extradited to US - Canada Attorney Gen

Canada's Department of Justice said a Huawei executive arrested in Vancouver could be extradited to the United States, because her offense is a crime in both countries, according to documents released Friday.

Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who was originally detained on a US warrant in late 2018, faces an extradition hearing in Vancouver that begins on January 20.

The United States accuses Meng of lying to banks about violating Iran sanctions.

However Meng's lawyers maintain that she cannot be turned over to the United States, because in order for that to happen, her offense would have to meet a "double criminality" standard -- meaning it is a crime in both countries.

Violating US sanctions against Iran, they say, is not a crime in Canada.

However in the documents filed in Vancouver Friday, which were widely cited by media, Canada's attorney general said the "essence" of her banking interactions amounted to fraud, which is a crime in the country.

The first week of Meng's extradition hearing will be devoted to the question of double criminality.

Meng, who lives under house arrest at her mansion in Vancouver, denies the US allegations and says Canadian authorities violated her rights during the arrest.

Her detention at the Vancouver airport in December 2018 caused an unprecedented diplomatic rift between Canada and China, which demands her release.
Just nine days later China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, whom it accuses of espionage. (AFP)

Canada Presents Stable & Affordable Option to Scale Business in the West

As the immigration landscape continues to darken in the United States, Canada has taken advantage of these policies to attract skilled entrepreneurs and companies.

The acceptance of the H1B visa in the United States has continued to fall. 3 years ago, these numbers were above 90% for the right candidates. Today, the figures are closer to 50%. Companies will spend an immense amount of money trying to navigate the process in the United States and they will fail. Additionally, the largest resource will be the time they invest into the process.

The founder of a company may have a chance at getting into the states, but they will have tremendous issues bringing over other members of the team. Canada provides a stable solution for a corporation to grow out their western presence. Canada is within an hours flight of the US and on the same time zones. Additionally, Canada is the birthplace of AI. Ai is a foundation in the Canadian educational curriculum. You will have the most prepared talent available to solve the problems of tomorrow.

Additionally, employees in Canada cost over 10% less than they do for the same exact positions in the states. Your talent in Canada will be more prepared and more qualified. Finally, Canada offers some of the most generous tax incentives in the world for companies solving challenging problems.

Canadian Subsidiary Services was launched in 2019. The founding member Zak, was the first employee and VP of Sales at a series A startup in New York which raised over $15MM in financing. Zak saw the complex challenges of scaling an operation in the US when the development team is based overseas. Through the unique lens of understanding the needs of high growth startups, Zak founded Canadian Subsidiary Service as a one stop solution for international companies looking to scale in the west.

On the team there is an immigration attorney, US & Canadian tax and cross border attorney, corporate attorney, accountants, relocation specialists and government consultants. Canadian Subsidiary Services is your one stop solution to Immigrate, Incorporate & Relocate to Canada.

Interested in western exposure? Setup a call with Zak and the team today to see if they can help.



DISCLAIMER - www.indianweb2.com is Promotional Partner of Canadian Subsidiary Services (CSS)

CCI Clears Stake-Acquisition in Logistics firm Delhivery by Canada's CPP Investment Board

New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) The Competition Commission has approved stake acquisition in logistics firm Delhivery by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

The deal is related to the acquisition of up to 8 per cent equity stake in Delhivery through a secondary purchase from existing shareholders of the logistics firm by CPPIB, as per the notice submitted to the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

The CCI "approves the acquisition of shares in Delhivery Private Limited by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board," the regulator said in a tweet on Tuesday.

CPPIB is a professional investment management organisation. It is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from the government, while Delhivery is engaged in the provision of third party logistics services in India.

Last December, Edtech unicorn BBYJU'S had raised $400 million in funding from CPP Investment Board along with Naspers Ventures, General Atlantic and some existing investors.

Deal beyond certain levels requires approval from Competition Commission of India. PTI VHP

Zone Startups India Launches 6th Edition of Next BIG Idea Contest for Indian Startups Looking To Enter Canada

The "Silicon Valley", for several years now, has retained its charm with aspiring startups and entrepreneurs, globally - all seeking growth, glory and striking gold. However, it has increasingly become difficult for startups from elsewhere, and with little connects, to access the U.S market. More importantly so, it is difficult to access talent, funding, customers etc

Often referred to as 'Silicon Valley North', Canada and its tech ecosystem has been there for much longer than some of the other startup hotbeds. From the first ATM machine being deployed in the 1960's to more recently being home to tech companies such as Nortel and BlackBerry, which spurred several offshoots in the aftermath of them going down; to more recent and large success stories such as OpenText, Shopify, Wave, Kik, Wattpad, Thalmic Labs, 500px and HootSuite.

Over the past 5 years, the Indian startup ecosystem has multiplied ginomorously. More startups are building for the global markets, and many of them aspire a beachhead in North America. This has brought about a need for a market access program that can help easing a startup into a new market, by leveraging established connections.

Zone Startups is the global brand of tech accelerators operated by Toronto based Ryerson Futures Inc., with large operations in Canada and India.

The Next BIG Idea Contest is an annual feature of Zone Startups India's ecosystem development activities, that engages the pan-India startup ecosystem stakeholders, and seeking to discover India's 5 most hi-tech and high-potential startups that are looking to leverage a soft-landing opportunity in Canada as a gateway to North America. The selected startups get access to a bespoke market access program includes mentorship, industry connects, investor meetings and a great international exposure. The contest was launched in 2013, as a joint initiative of Zone Startups India and Government of Ontario, Canada. Over the years, several other partners have come onbaord, and this year it includes Global Affairs Canada, Government of British Columbia and Government of Alberta.

Related - 6 Winning Indian Tech Startups of Next Big Idea Contest 2016 By Zone Startups and Govt. of Ontario, Canada

"Seeing the Canadian and Indian startup ecosystem simultaneously and closely, we could see a natural fit and an opportunity to be an enabler. I'd call the Next BIG Idea Contest our gateway to India, as the 1st edition was launched right after we announced our India market entry. Today, being an established and leading tech accelerator in India, we see the annual Next BIG Idea Contest as our give-back to the ecosystem, by exposing a handful of startups to the Canadian ecosystem and fuelling their international aspirations and enabling the same" says Ajay Ramasubramaniam, Director (India), Zone Startups.

Over the past 5-years, the Next BIG Idea Contest roadshows have been to 16 startup hubs from across the country, and attracted over 1,700 applications, from which 27 startups have been soft-landed in major Canadian cities.

“It was very encouraging to see how numerous high quality grant/visa programs funded by Governments (Canadian Provinces) have been successfully utilized by worthy startups” says Soubhagya Sahoo, CEO & Co-Founder of Gray Routes who won the Next BIG Idea contest 2017 & participated in 2- weeks market access program in Canada last November.

The Next BIG Idea contest boasts of an illustrious alumni, that includes startups such as CitrusPay, Sokrati (selected in 2013 but, chose not to go in the midst of their funding round), Heckyl, Vidooly, ShieldSquare, Plackal, Flip Technologies, AdSparx, Konotor (acquired by FreshDesk), Data Resolve, Uncanny Vision, Gray Routes, Sequretek etc.

As an extension to Next BIG Idea contest, The Aditya Jha Entrepreneurship India Award was introduced in 2017 to recognize social entrepreneurs who have translated their innovative and impactful ideas into technology driven businesses. The award and a grant of INR 5 Lakhs is presented by Mr. Aditya Jha himself, an Indo-Canadian philanthropist & serial entrepreneur.

Jordan Reeves, Consul General of Canada says “Canada nurtures businesses that push the limits of technology. That’s why we’re world leaders in artificial intelligence. Canada is a country built on diversity that welcomes entrepreneurs from all over the world. Indian companies easily fit in and have instant access to markets in North America and Europe. We’re pleased to be partnering with Zone Startups on the Next Big Idea Competition and are excited about showcasing top Indian companies in Canada. Next Big Idea is one more example of the amazing support Zone Startups provides to Indian businesses.”

The next few weeks will see Zone Startups India host roadshows across 20 Indian cities, to launch the contest pan-India. Programs like Next BIG Idea contest allows a number of promising companies to understand the North American Market fit for their products when founders participate in roadshows, go through multiple rounds of selection process & speak to global jury members. The applications for the contest will be accepted online from 29th June 2018 till 15th September 2018.

In recent years, a lot of Indian Startups are now choosing Canada over the US due to later's visa uncertainty trouble, cracking the US immigration system nowadays has also become a very difficult task, a feat which only a lucky few are able to achieve. Canada has emerged as a popular immigration choice amongst Indian entrepreneurs after the US due to the clarity the country offers under its Canadian Startup Visa or SUV programme.

In February, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeu along with his convoy visited India and this is when Zone Startups has been chosen by the Canadian Government and Indian Government to establish a new bi-lateral program to support entrepreneurs from both countries, through a market access program. Read - How Trump’s Stricter Visa Rules is Killing ‘Startup Dreams’ of Indian Entrepreneurs

Zone Startups India Launches 6th Edition of Next BIG Idea Contest for Indian Startups Looking To Enter Canada

The "Silicon Valley", for several years now, has retained its charm with aspiring startups and entrepreneurs, globally - all seeking growth, glory and striking gold. However, it has increasingly become difficult for startups from elsewhere, and with little connects, to access the U.S market. More importantly so, it is difficult to access talent, funding, customers etc

Often referred to as 'Silicon Valley North', Canada and its tech ecosystem has been there for much longer than some of the other startup hotbeds. From the first ATM machine being deployed in the 1960's to more recently being home to tech companies such as Nortel and BlackBerry, which spurred several offshoots in the aftermath of them going down; to more recent and large success stories such as OpenText, Shopify, Wave, Kik, Wattpad, Thalmic Labs, 500px and HootSuite.

Over the past 5 years, the Indian startup ecosystem has multiplied ginomorously. More startups are building for the global markets, and many of them aspire a beachhead in North America. This has brought about a need for a market access program that can help easing a startup into a new market, by leveraging established connections.

Zone Startups is the global brand of tech accelerators operated by Toronto based Ryerson Futures Inc., with large operations in Canada and India.

The Next BIG Idea Contest is an annual feature of Zone Startups India's ecosystem development activities, that engages the pan-India startup ecosystem stakeholders, and seeking to discover India's 5 most hi-tech and high-potential startups that are looking to leverage a soft-landing opportunity in Canada as a gateway to North America. The selected startups get access to a bespoke market access program includes mentorship, industry connects, investor meetings and a great international exposure. The contest was launched in 2013, as a joint initiative of Zone Startups India and Government of Ontario, Canada. Over the years, several other partners have come onbaord, and this year it includes Global Affairs Canada, Government of British Columbia and Government of Alberta.

Related - 6 Winning Indian Tech Startups of Next Big Idea Contest 2016 By Zone Startups and Govt. of Ontario, Canada

"Seeing the Canadian and Indian startup ecosystem simultaneously and closely, we could see a natural fit and an opportunity to be an enabler. I'd call the Next BIG Idea Contest our gateway to India, as the 1st edition was launched right after we announced our India market entry. Today, being an established and leading tech accelerator in India, we see the annual Next BIG Idea Contest as our give-back to the ecosystem, by exposing a handful of startups to the Canadian ecosystem and fuelling their international aspirations and enabling the same" says Ajay Ramasubramaniam, Director (India), Zone Startups.

Over the past 5-years, the Next BIG Idea Contest roadshows have been to 16 startup hubs from across the country, and attracted over 1,700 applications, from which 27 startups have been soft-landed in major Canadian cities.

“It was very encouraging to see how numerous high quality grant/visa programs funded by Governments (Canadian Provinces) have been successfully utilized by worthy startups” says Soubhagya Sahoo, CEO & Co-Founder of Gray Routes who won the Next BIG Idea contest 2017 & participated in 2- weeks market access program in Canada last November.

The Next BIG Idea contest boasts of an illustrious alumni, that includes startups such as CitrusPay, Sokrati (selected in 2013 but, chose not to go in the midst of their funding round), Heckyl, Vidooly, ShieldSquare, Plackal, Flip Technologies, AdSparx, Konotor (acquired by FreshDesk), Data Resolve, Uncanny Vision, Gray Routes, Sequretek etc.

As an extension to Next BIG Idea contest, The Aditya Jha Entrepreneurship India Award was introduced in 2017 to recognize social entrepreneurs who have translated their innovative and impactful ideas into technology driven businesses. The award and a grant of INR 5 Lakhs is presented by Mr. Aditya Jha himself, an Indo-Canadian philanthropist & serial entrepreneur.

Jordan Reeves, Consul General of Canada says “Canada nurtures businesses that push the limits of technology. That’s why we’re world leaders in artificial intelligence. Canada is a country built on diversity that welcomes entrepreneurs from all over the world. Indian companies easily fit in and have instant access to markets in North America and Europe. We’re pleased to be partnering with Zone Startups on the Next Big Idea Competition and are excited about showcasing top Indian companies in Canada. Next Big Idea is one more example of the amazing support Zone Startups provides to Indian businesses.”

The next few weeks will see Zone Startups India host roadshows across 20 Indian cities, to launch the contest pan-India. Programs like Next BIG Idea contest allows a number of promising companies to understand the North American Market fit for their products when founders participate in roadshows, go through multiple rounds of selection process & speak to global jury members. The applications for the contest will be accepted online from 29th June 2018 till 15th September 2018.

In recent years, a lot of Indian Startups are now choosing Canada over the US due to later's visa uncertainty trouble, cracking the US immigration system nowadays has also become a very difficult task, a feat which only a lucky few are able to achieve. Canada has emerged as a popular immigration choice amongst Indian entrepreneurs after the US due to the clarity the country offers under its Canadian Startup Visa or SUV programme.

In February, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeu along with his convoy visited India and this is when Zone Startups has been chosen by the Canadian Government and Indian Government to establish a new bi-lateral program to support entrepreneurs from both countries, through a market access program. Read - How Trump’s Stricter Visa Rules is Killing ‘Startup Dreams’ of Indian Entrepreneurs

Canada-India Launch Bilateral Entrepreneurship Program, With A Focus on Women Entrepreneurs, in Partnership With Zone Startups

Zone Startups, the global brand of technology accelerators, operated by Toronto-based Ryerson Futures Inc., operates multiple own-branded, and corporate accelerators in India and Canada. Zone Startups flagship program in India, Zone Startups India is set up as a joint venture with the BSE Institute and Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada), and partly funded by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Zone Startups India has been at the forefront of operating niche initiatives, empoWer – to accelerate startups founded by women entrepreneurs; and the Next BIG Idea Contest, to provide soft-landing in Toronto and thereby North American market access to Indian startups. Both these programs have had great success stories, and have emerged to be proven platforms for enabling growth of early stage startups.

On the back of empoWer and Next BIG Idea Contest, Zone Startups has been chosen by the Canadian Government and Indian Government to establish a new bi-lateral program to support entrepreneurs from both countries, through a market access program. The program is jointly funded by respective ministries from Canada and India, under the aegis of the Canada-India S&T Agreement.

Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains and Dr. Anita Gupta, Associate Head, NSTEDB, DST will make this special announcement about the new program, on Tuesday 20th February, at Zone Startups India - which will operate this initiative on behalf of both the Governments. Dr Anita Gupta, Scientist – G, Advisor, Associate Head, NSTEDB, DST, Government of India says, “DST, Govt of India are pleased to partner with Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Canada to accelerate innovation value chain and technology commercialization through initiatives having special focus on women entrepreneurs of both the countries. Such a bilateral engagement facilitated by key stakeholders, govt, accelerators, incubators and companies aim to lead ways for better economic and social development of both the countries.”

Matt Saunders, President, Zone Startups says, “We believe that the potential of startups, in todays day and age, tends to be global markets. However, not many have the opportunities and support required to launch their product and services outside their home market. Through this program, we are hoping to open newer markets for startups on both sides of the border in terms of new clients, talent and capital access. With our strong footprint and network in Canada and India, we are well positioned to help companies from both countries to grow in a new market.”

To drive this initiative, the Canadian and Indian Governments have jointly funded the program, to identify 20 startups annually over the next 2 years and support them with a market access program.

Ajay Ramasubramaniam, Director (India), Zone Startups says, “At Zone Startups, our focus at all times is to play the role of a catalyst, and enable startups by way of providing validation, mentorship, corporate connects and investor access. This program, with financial support from the Canadian and Indian Governments is a testament to validation of our efforts in building Next BIG Idea Contest and empoWer as niche, annual initiatives to support the ecosystem. We are proud to be identified as the enabling bridge between the two countries, to build a culture of entrepreneurs, and a network of startups.” Our endeavor is to be able to identify hi-tech, hi-potential startups and provide them with 360 degrees support to help them grow their businesses, he adds.

Zone Startups India has been supporting women entrepreneurs over the last two years through its initiative empoWer. Started in 2016, empoWer is India’s first tech accelerator for women entrepreneurs and have accelerated 35 women led tech startups so far. It has a strong network of around 550 women entrepreneurs across India.

Zone Startups India also recently completed 5-years of its annual Next Big India Contest; wherein it identifies 5 hi tech Indian startups through a competitive application process, and provides them with a market access trip to Canada. In the past 5 years, 27 companies have benefited from this initiative, and some notable names include CitrusPay, Konotor, Shield Square, Maya App, AdSparx, Vidooly etc.

This month, US Embassy had too launched the Nexus Startup Hub at the American Center in Delhi, with emphasis on women entrepreneurship.

Coming back to Canada-India relationship within both's startup ecosystem, in March 2017 India's PayTM had set up its innovation lab in Toronto, Canada.

Moreover, a lot of Indian Startups are now choosing Canada over the US due to later's visa uncertainty trouble, cracking the US immigration system nowadays has also become a very difficult task, a feat which only a lucky few are able to achieve. Canada has emerged as a popular immigration choice amongst Indian entrepreneurs after the US due to the clarity the country offers under its Canadian Startup Visa or SUV programme.