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Recent Developments

  • The establishment of the Digital Animation Centre in partnership with Silicon Graphics Canada.
  • The signing of an agreement with Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. to establish a Network Computing Centre of Excellence.
  • The Financial Post/Branham Group recently compiled a list of 25 emerging and innovative software companies across Canada. Of those identified, five are St. John’s based.

 

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Catalysts for Deal-Making and Future Growth

Softworld '98

The Province played host to an important IT event last year, drawing a record 775 delegates that resulted in a number of favourable outcomes. Softworld, an annual international conference sponsored by the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), brought together information technology executives from around the world for deal-making. Discussions covered many topics including strategic alliances in the areas of software research and development. The total number of deals recorded up to the close of the event was 30. Others have taken place since that time.

Successes:

  • DP Solutions Inc., based out of Greensboro, N.C., recently established an operation in the town of Grand Falls-Windsor in the newly opened IT Development Centre in the College of the North Atlantic. The company, which produces computerized maintenance management systems was drawn to the area by a number of factors including a well-educated and stable long-term work force. Plans include the hiring of 25 people this year which is expected to rise to 50 by the end of 1999 and go to as high as 100 by 2000.
  • Keltic Technologies, now MITI Information Technology Inc. and The Fifth Business have identified a need for Avirtual@ teams in technical, training and other business endeavours. The goal of this partnership is to build virtual teamwork platforms for the Canadian marketplace. The companies expect to target local oil and gas customers before expanding their offering to a wider market.
  • Keyin College, an independent post-secondary college that has been providing educational services for almost twenty years in Newfoundland & Labrador and, more recently in other parts of Canada, signed a deal with communications specialists (NewTel Communications) and multimedia experts (IDON EAST Corporation) to provide advanced training over the internet

Finally, the conference generated considerable benefits for the tourism industry. Approximately $1.5 million was spent by organizers, mostly on local goods and services, in preparation for and execution of the event. Also, it is estimated that the conference generated approximately $900,000 in direct delegate expenditures within the region.

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