York Technology Alliance YTA News

YTA Reveals Nominees for Technology Leadership Awards

YTA Admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:25:37 GMT

Nine companies to be honoured at YTA Awards on May 24, 2012

Of thousands of tech companies throughout the GTA, how do you select nine to profile as leaders in the sector?

Today, the YTA Technology Leadership Awards Selection Committee has managed just that, narrowing the field to three nominees in each of the categories: Most Promising Start-up, Scale-up Company of the Year, and Company of the Year.

"We are very pleased to announce the nominees for the 2012 YTA Technology Leadership Awards" said Patrick Shaw, YTA Executive Director. "These are exciting, innovative, growing companies creating outstanding successes in one of the most enterprising technology regions of the world. We look forward to profiling our nominees, and welcoming the award recipients to reveal a few of the secrets. In three short years the Awards have become a YTA Marquee Event – and we thank MNP for generously supporting this celebration throughout that period".

The Nominees:

Most Promising Start-up - Sponsored by ventureLAB

Breakeven – Breakeven’s CauseView is the intuitive way to develop, track, and maintain the long-term relationships necessary to sustain fundraising and engage volunteers.
CoreFour – The team has tasted success with their first product that blends secure social networking with advanced class and student management to create an education engagement platform.
MyPlanet Digital – MyPlanet Digital uses technology as a tool for change – helping organizations engage their digital presence; from new business models to better non-profits.

Scale-up Company of the Year – Sponsored by Robert Half

Digital Rapids – Digital Rapids provides video expertise and the latest viewing platforms.
ET Group – ET Group provides collaborative technology solutions for innovative workplaces.
Nulogy – Nulogy ensures the successful delivery of specially packaged items.

Company of the Year – Sponsored by MNP

Enghouse – Enghouse Interactive specializes in communications software and services to enhance customer service and improve person to person communications across the enterprise.
FlexITy – FlexITy’s platforms, applications and services are designed to bring the benefits of IT to enterprises.
PCI Geomatics – PCI Geomatics is a world leader in geo-imaging products and solutions.

On Thursday, May 24, the Leaders of these nominee companies will be recognized at the YTA Awards Luncheon. One executive from each award recipient will join in a panel discussion to reveal some of the ingredients that they have used in their own recipe for success.

Event Details

Thursday, May 24
Richmond Hill Country Club
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Additional information and registration available at www.yorktech.ca/awards.

YTA Contact Info

Pat Shaw
Executive Director
905-415-4558
patshaw@yorktech.ca
www.yorktech.ca

ABOUT THE AWARDS

Nominations from throughout the GTA we sought for each category. News releases, web posting, blogging and social media generated a richness of responses and nominees were vetted by the YTA Awards Committee including representatives from MNP, Miller Thomson LLP, ventureLAB and the YTA staff to determine the unanimous selection of the recipients.

YTA Company of the Year – Sponsored by MNP

YTA Scale-up Company of the Year – Sponsored by Robert Half

This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated excellence in innovation and a commitment to the knowledge-based sector in the Greater Toronto Area while consistently reaching new customers or delivering new services within an existing customer base, increasing revenues, adding employees, encouraging community involvement and embracing sound business fundamentals.

YTA Most Promising Start-up – Sponsored by ventureLAB

This award is presented to a Greater Toronto Area organization that has the greatest potential to demonstrate excellence in their business, and while embracing a commitment to the knowledge-based sector have steadily increased revenue, added employees, and embraced sound business fundamentals including the addition of an advisory board or board of directors.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview is Here! Now What?

YTA Admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:31:49 GMT

- A guest post by YTA sponsor Microsoft TechNet

February 29^th was a really important date in the evolution of Windows. It was the day Microsoft Corporation released the Consumer Preview of Windows 8, and Windows Server "8" beta. I'm sure that many of you were as excited as I was to go out there and download both of these, but a thought struck me as soon as the download completed. Now What? Sure, like most of you, I'm going to find a machine to install each of them on but then what else can I do to understand how both of these will impact our organizations?

Excited About The Future!

We're all consumers, so the excitement level around the Windows 8 Consumer Preview is way up there! Once you download it, to help make your experience better, you should check out all the resources on the Windows 8 Consumer Preview site. As IT Professionals, looking further down the road to when you will be asked to provide guidance to your organization on adopting Windows 8 and deploying it in your environments, check out the Springboard Series content on Windows 8 including the Windows 8 Consumer Preview Product Guide. Start there to help make your time with Windows 8 Consumer Preview much more effective.

On the server side, Windows Server "8" beta has just so much! I have been in this industry a very long time (remember, I have NO hair left on my head!) and I can honestly say that Windows Server "8" is the most exciting release of a server operating system since Windows NT 3.1! In my opinion, the most exciting new features include; shared-nothing Live Migration, Storage Live Migration, new storage options, NIC teaming in the OS, extensible virtual networking and more – all dealing with Private Cloud & Virtualization! We will be covering each of these features and more in the next few weeks on the Canadian IT Pro blog.

Prepare for The Future Today

A key thing to remember is that it will be a while before Windows 8 is released, so you will want to evaluate how it will work with your existing applications and infrastructure. The best way to get ready for Windows 8 is to ensure your environment is on Windows 7 today and not running Windows XP or earlier. Support for Windows 2000 has ended and Windows XP extended support will end on April 8, 2014 – coming up faster than you think! A great resource to help you plan, deploy and manage Windows 7 and Office 2010, as well as learn how to ensure your in-house applications are ready, is the Springboard site on TechNet.

Also,don't wait until Windows Server "8" ships to start to take advantage of Hyper-V and Microsoft Private Cloud offerings. Implement Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V and take advantage of System Center 2012 to deploy, monitor, and manage your Private Cloud infrastructure right from the bare metal! The skills you learn today will help you with Windows 8 in the future.

Finally, I want to ask for your help to allow us to continue to provide you what you need. Twice a year through something we call "The Global Relationship Study" – Microsoft reaches out and contacts you to see how Microsoft is doing and what Microsoft could do better. If you get an e-mail from "Microsoft Feedback" with the subject line "Help Microsoft Focus on Customers and Partners" between March 5th and April 13th, please take a little time to tell us what you think.

Don't forget that you can always give me or my team some direct feedback by send an email to me directly at cdn-itpro-feedback@microsoft.com, connect with me on LinkedIn or catch me online on Twitter at @DamirB.

Getting Started with Cloud Computing

YTA Admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:05:09 GMT

- A guest post by YTA Sponsor Microsoft TechNet

A couple of months ago, I spoke to you about how Office 365 and Windows Intune are great applications to get you started with Cloud Computing. Many of you emailed me asking for more info on what Cloud Computing is, including the distinction between "Public Cloud" and "Private Cloud". I want to address these questions and help you get started. Let's begin with a brief set of definitions and some places to find more info; however, an excellent place where you can always learn more about Cloud Computing is the Microsoft Virtual Academy.  

Public Cloud computing means that the infrastructure to run and manage the applications users are taking advantage of is run by someone else and not you. In other words, you do not buy the hardware or software to run your email or other services being used in your organization – that is done by someone else. Users simply connect to these services from their computers and you pay a monthly subscription fee for each user that is taking advantage of the service. Examples of Public Cloud services include Office 365, Windows Intune, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, Hotmail, and others.

Private Cloud computing generally means that the hardware and software to run services used by your organization is run on your premises, with the ability for business groups to self-provision the services they need based on rules established by the IT department. Generally, Private Cloud implementations today are found in larger organizations but they are also viable for small and medium-sized businesses since they generally allow an automation of services and reduction in IT workloads when properly implemented. Having the right management tools, like System Center 2012, to implement and operate Private Cloud is important in order to be successful.

So – how do you get started? The first step is to determine what makes the most sense to your organization. The nice thing is that you do not need to pick Public or Private Cloud – you can use elements of both where it makes sense for your business – the choice is yours. When you are ready to try and purchase Public Cloud technologies, the Microsoft Volume Licensing web site is a good place to find links to each of the online services. In particular, if you are interested in a trial for each service, you can visit the following pages: Office 365, CRM Online, Windows Intune, and Windows Azure.

For Private Cloud technologies, start with some of the courses on Microsoft Virtual Academy and then download and install the Microsoft Private Cloud technologies including Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V and System Center 2012 in your own environment and take it for a spin. Also, keep up to date with the Canadian IT Pro blog to learn about events we are delivering such as the IT Virtualization Boot Camps and more to get you started with these technologies hands on.

Finally, I want to ask for your help to allow us to continue to provide you what you need. Twice a year through something we call "The Global Relationship Study" – we reach out and contact you to see how we're doing and what Microsoft could do better. If you get an email from "Microsoft Feedback" with the subject line "Help Microsoft Focus on Customers and Partners" between March 5th and April 13th, please take a little time to tell us what you think.

Don't forget that you can always give me or my team some direct feedback by send an email to me directly at cdn-itpro-feedback@microsoft.com, connect with me on LinkedIn or catch me online on Twitter at @DamirB.

YTA Branham300 Reveal Gives first glimpse of Canada’s top tech companies

YTA Admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:02:35 GMT

Cautious optimism and optimistic growth describe the last two years of the Branham300. What will be the mood for the 2012 Branham300 and which companies are leading Canada’s ICT sector?

March 30, Markham – On April 24, 2012, the YTA is hosting the national reveal of the Branham300, sponsored by KPMG, giving YTA members and guests the opportunity to be the first to find out which companies made the list, stayed on the list, and are making an impact in Canada’s ICT sector.

The event features the Branham300 reveal and overview by Wayne Gudbranson, President and CEO of the Branham Group, where he will provide trusted insight into Canada’s ICT sector, including highlighting the GTA companies and YTA members that made the list. The Branham300 Reveal will be followed by a panel discussion featuring leaders who have embraced the challenge of Go Big (or go home) in an economy that has had significant ups and downs.

“The Branham300 is the most trusted barometer of ICT sector success in Canada” said John Kitchen, Vice President & General Manager of Esri Canada and Chair of the YTA, “last year companies from the GTA had a very strong showing, and we are pleased to be able to offer tech companies the opportunity to be the first to know who stayed on the list and which of their peers made the list in 2012.”

“The YTA and Branham Group have a shared passion and commitment to Canadian ICT sector success,” said Wayne Gudbranson, “the YTA Branham300 event is always a highlight of our tour, and with a number of GTA tech companies on the list it’s fun to present with listees in the crowd.”

The Branham300 is the most comprehensive listing of the top publicly traded and privately held organizations operating in the Canadian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, as ranked by gross revenue. The listing strives to raise the profile of the Canadian ICT industry, identify its leaders, as well as illustrate the depth and breadth of innovative technology that is offered by Canadian ICT organizations on a national and international stage.

Each year more than 1,000 leading Canadian ICT companies are approached to participate in the Branham300, all in an effort to ensure that the listing is as accurate a depiction of the entire Canadian ICT industry as possible. As a result, over the past twenty years the Branham300's reputation has grown to become known as the most trusted source of information on the health of the Canadian ICT industry.

About the YTA
The York Technology Alliance is a centre-point for knowledge mobilization committed to fostering a collaborative community where technology companies connect and grow: through peer networking; practical LearningLAB programs such as tech Bootcamps and Seminars; and Keynote Speaker Sessions. The YTA was established in 1982 as a member-directed business development hub meeting the timely learning and growth interests of its technology company members throughout the GTA.

Go Big or Go Home - YTA Presentation from MITACS Elevate

YTA Admin — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:52:41 GMT

At a recent Mitacs Elevate event held in Markham, Pat Shaw, YTA Executive Director, had the opportunity to outline how the YTA can help get companies on the fast track for growth. The event brought together local tech company leaders; over 40 PhD graduates; and organizations responsible for cultivating the ICT ecosystem here in York Region. See below for a copy of Pat's presentation.

The event featured presentations from Jeremy Laurin, CEO of ventureLAB, and Harry Zarek, CEO of YTA member company Compugen, and other ICT leaders.

The York Technology Alliance

View more presentations from YorkTechnologyAlliance

Be recognized as a technology leader in the GTA in 2012!

Tim Shaw — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:05:45 GMT

Enter your nomination for the YTA Technology Leadership Awards and join in the celebration!

January 13, 2012, Markham – The Greater Toronto Area is a world-scale technology and innovation hub. And on May 24, 2012 the York Technology Alliance (YTA) is recognizing the companies that are leading the way.

If you are a technology leader, or know of a great tech company in the GTA, you are invited to complete a nomination form for the YTA Technology Leadership Awards.

“These awards are part of the celebration and recognition of local tech company success. The YTA serves as a hub for encouragement and recognition of sustained business success in the technology sector” says John Kitchen, VP and General Manager of Esri Canada and Chair of the YTA.

Atin Gupta, Lead Partner, Technology at MNP offered his firm’s encouragement to nominees,

“MNP is pleased to once again support the YTA Technology Leadership Awards as Platinum Sponsor and Awards Auditor. The YTA Awards recognize community-nominated leaders as Most Promising Tech Start-Up; Scale-Up Company of the Year; and Technology Company of the Year. This is the third year MNP has taken a lead sponsor role.”

Previous winners of the YTA Technology Leadership Awards include Canadian tech stars gShift Labs; MySpark Technologies; Real Matters; DVS Sciences; Compugen; and Platform Computing.

You can nominate someone today

Join the YTA in celebrating tech sector success in Canada and fill out a nomination form at www.yorktech.ca/awardnomination.

About the Awards

YTA Technology Company of the Year

This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated business leadership and excellence in innovation and a commitment to the knowledge-based sector in the Greater Toronto Region and possibly throughout Canada. Consideration in this category requires increasing profitability, community involvement and thought leadership, and demonstration of sound business fundamentals. A minimum of eight years in business is required for judges to investigate the organization’s growth and track record. A confidential process will be used to validate key performance data.

YTA Scale-up Company of the Year

This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated excellence in innovation and a commitment to the knowledge-based sector in the Greater Toronto Region while consistently reaching new customers or delivering new services within an existing customer, increasing revenues, adding employees, encouraging community involvement and embracing sound business fundamentals. A minimum of three and maximum of ten years in operation is required for judges to investigate positive growth and a proven track record. A confidential process will be used to validate key performance data.

YTA Most Promising Tech Start-up

This award is presented to a Greater Toronto Region based organization that has the greatest potential to demonstrate excellence in their business, and while embracing a commitment to the knowledge-based sector have steadily increased revenue, added employees, and embraced sound business fundamentals including the addition of an advisory board or board of directors. This category is reserved for operations that have been established for three years or less. A confidential process will be used to validate key performance data.

About the YTA – 30 years of innovation.

The York Technology Alliance is a hub for knowledge mobilization committed to fostering a collaborative community where technology companies connect and grow. This is achieved through Peer To Peer networking; practical learning programs such as tech Learning Labs; and Keynote topical issues sessions delivered on behalf of member companies. The YTA, established in 1982, has continuously innovated to meet the learning and growth interests of its technology company members at the centre-point of the Ontario tech corridor.

About MNP

Our suite of accounting, consulting, and tax services combines industry expertise, market knowledge and professional insight to identify opportunities to take your business to the next level. Read more about our available services.

YTA Contact Info

Patrick Shaw

Executive Director

905-415-4558

patshaw@yorktech.ca

www.yorktech.ca

North York General Hospital Wins Top Health Information Technology Awards

Tim Shaw — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:26:41 GMT

TORONTO, Nov. 10, 2011 - North York General Hospital (NYGH) was awarded the Innovation in the Adoption of Health Information award and, together with Cerner Corporation, the Project Team Innovation & Care Delivery award, at the 7^th annual Canadian Health Information Awards Gala last night in Toronto. The gala is co-hosted by the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), and Canada's Health Informatics Association (COACH).

The award was presented to NYGH for the second phase of its eCare project that achieved several Canadian firsts, including the launch of a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system that integrates the latest clinical evidence from medical literature into clinicians' workflow. NYGH was also the first hospital in Canada to implement barcode scanning that uniquely identifies each medication and each patient, across all of its medical, surgical and critical care units. This milestone will reduce the risk for medication errors by alerting healthcare providers if they are about to make an error when administering a medication.

"This award and the positive impacts eCare has made are the result of outstanding teamwork involving informatics personnel, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, dietitians, physiotherapists and more," said Dr. Tim Rutledge,President and CEO, North York General Hospital. "Our eCare Project has benefited all of our patients by improving patient safety and the quality of care we provide."

Since the launch of the second phase of eCare (October 2010), 92 per cent of physician orders are entered via CPOE and 1,300 potential medication/patient mismatch errors have been averted.

eCare is a multi-year project that leaves behind manual systems vulnerable to errors and summarizes mountains of medical literature for healthcare providers, all to benefit patients. Phase two of the eCare project resulted in NYGH achieving a Stage 6 designation from HIMSS Analytics, the research arm of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). NYGH is one of only three hospitals in Canada to have a Stage 6 designation.

NYGH's eCare Project has been possible through the support of many dedicated partners including Cerner, Zynx Health, Dell, IBM, Motorola and Rubbermaid.

North York General Hospital, affiliated with the University of Toronto, is one of Canada's leading community teaching hospitals. We offer our culturally diverse community a wide range of acute care, ambulatory and long-term care services across three sites. The hospital embraces health by providing innovative and compassionate care for the whole family at every stage of life.

gShift Offers SEO Scoring Tool for a High-Level View of Web Presence

Tim Shaw — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:22:09 GMT

New York, NY - November 9, 2011; gShift Labs, the creator of patent-pending Search Engine Optimization (SEO) software that gives marketers control over their organic search campaigns, today announced the release of an online SEO scoring tool, gShift Score™. Available immediately at www.gshiftlabs.com/gshift-score/, any organization can add a few details such as domain name, keywords and competitors and receive a measurement of their web presence based on gShift's powerful Web Presence Optimizer™ software. The announcement was made from Innovation Alley booth #19 at ad:tech New York.

gShift Score provides a single measurement of a web presence based on how a website ranks across search engines. Businesses can achieve a high gShift score by ranking on the first page of a Google search for their target keyword phrases. A higher score would have a ranking in the top three listed sites for the searched keywords. A company with a superior score would have multiple URLs in the top 10 search engine results for the keywords plus a strong social media presence.

Another strong showing of GTA tech companies in the Deloitte Fast 50

Tim Shaw — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:01:34 GMT

GTA companies, including five from York Region, make up strongest geographic contingent in Deloitte’s annual list of fast growth companies.

October 26, Markham – The Greater Toronto Area adds to the recognition of its role as Ontario’s tech hub with an impressive 18 Area companies named to the Deloitte Fast 50.

Four of the Fast 50 companies: Real Matters Inc.; Doxim Inc.; Complete Innovations Inc.; and Nightingale Informatix Corporation are York Technology Alliance (YTA) members with headquarters in York Region.

“It is terrific to see the national recognition for our local companies provided in the Deloitte Fast 50” said Pat Shaw, YTA Executive Director. “These are innovative and exciting organizations thriving in local, national and global markets”.

He continued, “There is a clear correlation of the increase in successful companies and the availability of support and access to collaborative community resources. It’s great to see Real Matters, recipient of the YTA Scale Up Company of the Year Award two years ago making the Deloitte list – in fact being recognized as the #7 fastest growing company in North America! With their YTA peers, many achieving remarkable rates of growth in their own right, they help mark the Region of York and the GTA as the geographic and growth centre-point of the Ontario Tech Corridor.”

Chris Rasmussen, President and CEO of Doxim Inc. also emphasized the value of location to their business, saying, “It’s a great location to source the technology talent we need as our business grows. It’s perfectly located to access pretty much all of the GTA and the rents are significantly lower than downtown Toronto. It all adds up to a great mix of benefits for a growing technology company.”

“The Deloitte Fast 50 is an important catalyst for knowledge based growth firms and provides the type of recognition from their peer community and clients alike to help propel them to the next level of growth,” said Jeremy Laurin, CEO of ventureLAB and YTA Board Member; “Advocating for our members is a key goal of the YTA and the Deloitte recognition helps the YTA and its membership accomplish this goal.”

About the YTA

The York Technology Alliance is a hub for knowledge mobilization committed to fostering a collaborative community where technology companies connect and grow. This is achieved through PeerToPeer networking; practical learning programs such as tech LearningLabs; and Keynote topical issues sessions developed on behalf of member companies. The YTA was established in 1982 and has continuously innovated to meet the learning and growth interests of its technology company members at the centre-point of the Ontario tech corridor.

More than just a Buzzword: How does Canada’s Largest Software Company Continue to Innovate?

Tim Shaw — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:25:57 GMT

OpenText VP, Anthony Gallo, to outline how tech companies can make innovation work for them, no matter what their size, at YTA Keynote Luncheon

Can a company with more than 4,400 employees; offices in countries around the world; and revenues of US$1,033.3 million still be a nimble and innovative organization? How does a company this size innovate at a pace that keeps it relevant?

On September 22, Anthony Gallo, VP of OpenText, will outline how OpenText, Canada’s largest software company, has leveraged the velocity of innovation to build its business.

Anthony Gallo, champion of innovation at OpenText, joined the company when his social media company Vizible was recognized as an important innovative addition to the value OpenText could deliver in meeting the emerging needs of its customers. He will share the insights gained by OpenText as they embraced and acquired numerous companies, with each offering a unique success story of innovation that added to real value – for the company and the user.

“Anthony provides a great perspective on the build or buy debate. He has seen the spectrum of innovation as a founder of a tech start-up who then stayed on to champion innovation within the company that acquired it,” said Pat Shaw, YTA Executive Director. He continued, “Anthony’s insight on not just approaching innovation, but mapping its value to the customer will be valuable to tech companies of all sizes.”

The YTA is launching it’s new Learning Labs education series on Sept. 22 as well, leveraging the information shared during Anthony’s luncheon keynote to define practical innovation practices that will help attendees grow their own businesses. For more information on the YTA Learning Labs series, visit yorktech.ca/learninglabs.

Event Details
September 22, 2011
Richmond Hill Golf & Country Club
8905 Bathurst Street
Richmond Hill, ON
View map.

YTA Keynote Luncheon with Anthony Gallo, VP at OpenText
Build or Buy – either way you must innovate for continued growth in your tech business.
11:30 am – 2:00 pm

YTA Learning Lab – practical approaches and tools to drive productive innovation in your business.
2:00 pm – 5:30 pm

About the YTA
The York Technology Alliance is a hub for knowledge mobilization committed to fostering a collaborative community where technology companies connect and grow. This is achieved through peer networking; practical learning programs such as tech-business focused Learning Labs, Keynote Luncheons and topical peer to peer sessions developed on behalf of member companies. The YTA was established in 1982 and has continuously innovated to meet the learning and growth interests of its technology company members throughout the GTA. Anchored through the involvement of nearly 15,000 hours of senior industry volunteers, the YTA connects with over 3000 participants at events each year. For more information, visit www.yorktech.ca.

About OpenText
OpenText, a global ECM leader, helps organizations manage and gain the true value of their business content. OpenText brings two decades of expertise supporting 100 million users in 114 countries. Working with our customers and partners, the company brings together leading Content Experts to help organizations capture and preserve corporate memory, increase brand equity, automate processes, mitigate risk, manage compliance and improve competitiveness. For more information, visit www.opentext.com.

YTA Announces Dan Duffy of Mid-Range Computer Group as Vice Chair of its Board of Directors

Tim Shaw — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:22:04 GMT

Technology business hub vice chair to represent corporate members; lead 30^th anniversary programs

August 2^nd , Markham, Ontario -- The Board of the York Technology Alliance has unanimously elected Dan Duffy to the role of Vice Chair of the organization for 2011. Dan is a leader with the credentials and corporate stature able to direct and assist the YTA in its community building and growth objectives. Dan is an active participant in the YTA Tech CEO Peer Group, and has presented leadership insights as a speaker in the Lightening Lecture series at the YTA Solutions Showcase.

“Dan is a respected leader amongst his CEO peers and throughout the community and he brings a great track record of contributing to the tech ecosystem”, said Pat Shaw Executive Director of the York Technology Alliance, “This role positions Dan for election to Chair next year and we look forward to his leadership in that role throughout 2012 – the 30^th year of operations for the YTA”.

Dan Duffy, YTA Vice Chair and President of Mid-Range Computer Group Inc. offered his comments on his election, “It is an honour to be welcomed into this leadership role at the YTA. The organization has adapted and served the tech sector for nearly 30 years and I in turn welcome the opportunity to help grow membership and further position YTA services and programs to assist tech growth companies for years to come”.

Dan has served as a board member for the Toronto Users Group for Mid-Range Systems (TUG), the Eastern Canada Regional Users Group (ECRUG), the Cornell Club of Toronto and numerous IBM Business Partner Councils including the Business Partner of the Americas Advisory Council. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Cornell University.

Dan is the president and co-founder of Mid-Range Computer Group Inc; the leading technology business he has guided and grown for 24 years. His background includes selling ERP solutions, hardware and managed services. He has overseen the building of three Mid-Range data centres in York Region, the most recent being the 29,000 square foot state-of-the-art centre at Woodbine and Idema Road in Markham designed to meet Uptime Institute's Tier II standards.

Mid-Range is 100% Canadian owned and profitable every year for 20 years. The company is one of IBM Canada's largest business partners for pSeries, xSeries, Blade Center, SAN and data storage and has been an IBM Premier Business Partner - Systems for 10 years in a row. Mid-Range is a multiple Industry Award Winner too - including Profit Magazine Fastest Growing Companies in Canada designation. The company is a Certified Oracle Integration Partner.

www.yorktech.ca

The York Technology Alliance is a hub for knowledge mobilization committed to fostering a collaborative community where technology companies connect and grow. This is achieved through peer networking; practical learning programs such as tech Bootcamps and seminars; and topical issues sessions developed on behalf of member companies. The YTA was established in 1982 and has continuously innovated to meet the learning and growth interests of its technology company members from throughout the GTA. Anchored through the involvement of nearly 15,000 hours of senior industry volunteers, the YTA connects with over 3000 attendees at events each year.

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Ontario government commits $50 million for new engineering building at York U

Tim Shaw — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:22:44 GMT

TORONTO, June 20, 2011 – York University President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri and the Hon. John Milloy, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, announced a $50 million capital investment today for a new engineering building at York’s Keele campus. One of the largest expansions in the University’s history, the project is expected to have an important impact on the future academic landscape of the University.

Click here to view the release.

York Technology Alliance Announces 2011/2012 Board of Directors

Tim Shaw — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:09:28 GMT

Technology business hub to strengthen focus on knowledge mobilization and building partnerships

June 9, 2011, Markham, Ontario -- The York Technology Alliance (YTA) today elected its 2011/2012 Board of Directors, a solidly diverse and representative group of technology companies. John Kitchen, Vice President and General Manager at ESRI Canada, advances to the role of YTA Chair. A long-time member and previous Vice Chair of the YTA, he successfully led the membership committee in driving increased participation in the alliance’s programs.

"We welcome John Kitchen as Chair of the YTA Board. His YTA experience and the knowledge he brings as a technology company leader will help our organization gain prominence in the GTA as the go-to business growth hub for technology companies,” said Patrick Shaw, YTA Executive Director.

"The YTA plays an increasingly important role in strengthening the technology sector in the GTA," said John Kitchen, YTA Chair. "I’d like to thank the previous board under Marie Wiese’s leadership. They set the stage for us to continue to foster a collaborative community where technology companies can connect and grow. With the help of our new directors, I look forward to advancing the YTA as a hub for knowledge mobilization. Building partnerships will be key to expanding our reach across the region."

Newly elected directors include Andrew Nunes (Fasken Martineau DuMoulin), Tracey Whitehouse (TGO Consulting), and Jeremy Laurin (ventureLAB). Together with other board members from leading consulting, manufacturing, finance, marketing, human resources and government organizations, they will provide expertise to assist the YTA in expanding its programs and services throughout the GTA.

For the full YTA 2011/2012 Board of Directors see http://www.yorktech.ca/boardofdirectors.

The York Technology Alliance is a hub for knowledge mobilization committed to fostering a collaborative community where technology companies connect and grow. This is achieved through peer networking; practical learning programs such as tech Bootcamps and seminars; and topical issues sessions developed on behalf of member companies. The YTA was established in 1982 and has continuously innovated to meet the learning and growth interests of its technology company members from throughout the GTA. Anchored through the involvement of nearly 15,000 hours of senior industry volunteers, the YTA connects with over 3000 attendees at events each year.

YTA Technology Leadership Award Winners Have Seen the Recipe for Success

Tim Shaw — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:53:40 GMT

YTA Awards Luncheon will share key ingredients to the recipe for success on June 14

The winners of the 2011 YTA Technology Leadership Awards have two things in common: They are all innovative tech companies from York Region; and they have taste-tested their own 'secret sauce' for success.
"We are very pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 YTA Technology Leadership Awards" said Patrick Shaw, YTA Executive Director. "These are exciting, innovative, growing companies that are creating outstanding successes in one of the most enterprising technology regions of the world. I look forward to hearing the secrets that they have to share with their peers on June 14".

The Recipients:
Platform Computing (YTA Company of the Year)
Markham-based Platform Computing is the leader in cluster, grid and cloud management software - serving more than 2,000 of the world's most demanding organizations. Platform's workload and resource management solutions have delivered IT responsiveness and lower costs for enterprise and HPC applications. Platform has built strategic relationships with Cray, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Red Hat, and SAS.

DVS Sciences Inc. (Momentum Company of the Year)
DVS Sciences, Inc. is an analytical equipment and reagents development company that produces and markets a high throughput mass cytometer for individual cell analysis based on a novel elemental mass-spectrometry detection technology, and the reagents related to massively multi-parametric biological assays.

mySpark Technologies(Start-Up Company of the Year)
The mySpark Education Platform is an education enabler that allows unprecedented connectivity between student and school. mySpark is dedicated to creating technology that helps our best and brightest reach their potential.

On Tuesday, June 14, the CEOs and co-Founders of these companies will be recognized at the YTA Awards Luncheon, where they will each share some of the ingredients that they have so effectively blended into their own recipe for success.

Event Details
Tuesday, June 14
Richmond Hill Country Club
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Additional information and registration available at http://www.yorktech.ca/awards.

ABOUT THE AWARDS
Nominations for each category were solicited from the Board, members of the YTA and from the community at-large; as well the call was shared through Twitter and posted on tech community sites covering the GTA.
All nominations were vetted by the YTA Awards Committee and followed a detailed analysis and assessment to determine the unanimous selection of the recipients.

A special thank you goes out to MNP for their contribution to this event as Platinum Sponsor, event chair, and for providing the accounting, valuation and business expertise to evaluate the award nominees.

YTA Company of the Year
This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated business leadership and excellence in innovation and a commitment to the knowledge-based sector in the Greater Toronto Region and possibly throughout. Consideration Canada in this category requires increasing profitability, community involvement and thought leadership, and demonstration of sound business fundamentals. A minimum of 8 years in business is required for judges to investigate the organizations’ growth and track record.

YTA Momentum Company of the Year
This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated excellence in innovation and a commitment to the knowledge-based sector in the Greater Toronto Region while consistently reaching new customers or delivering new services within an existing customer, increasing revenues, adding employees, encouraging community involvement and embracing sound business fundamentals. A minimum of three and maximum of ten years in operation is required for judges to investigate positive growth and a proven track record.

YTA Most Promising Start-up
This award is presented to a Greater Toronto Region based organization that has the greatest potential to demonstrate excellence in their business, and while embracing a commitment to the knowledge-based sector have steadily increased revenue, added employees, and embraced sound business fundamentals including the addition of an advisory board or board of directors. This category is reserved for operations that have been established for three years or less.

YTA to recognize leading tech companies at Technology Leadership Awards

Tim Shaw — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:50:09 GMT

Celebrate the achievements of the GTA tech sector on June 14, 2011

05.25.2011– May 25, Toronto - The Greater Toronto Area is among the top 5 world leaders in technology and innovation - This is a community filled with innovative tech companies regularly 'raising the bar and, in fact ‘changing the game’! And, York Region is home to 1/3 of the top Canadian tech companies in the GTA according to the most recent Branham report.

On June 14 the YTA will recognize three of these leading companies at the prestigious Technology Leadership Awards at the Richmond Hill Country Club luncheon.

Now in its second year, with Meyers Norris Penny returning as Platinum Sponsor, the YTA Technology Leadership Awards recognizes community nominated leaders as Most Promising Start-Up; Momentum Company of the Year; and Company of the Year. Last year's winners are among leading tech companies in Canada, with gShift Labs (Most Promising Start-up) being named to the 2010 Branham List as an Up and Comer; and Real Matters (Momentum Company of the Year) and Compugen (Company of the Year) each making the 2010 Branham list of top 250 tech companies in the country.

This year's luncheon will feature the awards presentation, followed by a panel discussion with the Founders and CEOs of each winning company. The panel will provide insights from the leaders of the company on how they have found success in today's tech business.

The YTA is pleased to present these awards as part of its effort to foster a healthy eco-system of executives, companies, technologies and services to help build sustained business success of those in the technology sector.

Event Details
Tuesday, June 14
Richmond Hill Country Club
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Additional information and registration available at www.yorktech.ca/awards

ABOUT THE AWARDS

YTA Company of the Year
This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated business leadership and excellence in innovation and a commitment to the knowledge-based sector in the Greater Toronto Region and possibly throughout Canada. Consideration in this category requires increasing profitability, community involvement and thought leadership, and demonstration of sound business fundamentals. A minimum of 8 years in business is required for judges to investigate the organizations’ growth and track record. A confidential process will be used to validate key performance data.

YTA Momentum Company of the Year
This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated excellence in innovation and a commitment to the knowledge-based sector in the Greater Toronto Region while consistently reaching new customers or delivering new services within an existing customer, increasing revenues, adding employees, encouraging community involvement and embracing sound business fundamentals. A minimum of three and maximum of ten years in operation is required for judges to investigate positive growth and a proven track record. A confidential process will be used to validate key performance data.

YTA Most Promising Start-up
This award is presented to a Greater Toronto Region based organization that has the greatest potential to demonstrate excellence in their business, and while embracing a commitment to the knowledge-based sector have steadily increased revenue, added employees, and embraced sound business fundamentals including the addition of an advisory board or board of directors. This category is reserved for operations that have been established for three years or less. A confidential process will be used to validate key performance data.

Local Tech Companies Named Among Fastest Growing in Canada

Tim Shaw — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 15:55:17 GMT

18 Greater Toronto Region named among the Deloitte Technology Fast 50

Markham, Ontario, September 2010 -- Deloitte recently released its list of the fastest growing tech companies in Canada, including 2 members of the York Technology Alliance (YTA) and 18 companies from the Greater Toronto Region.

"It's great to see that so many tech companies from the Greater Toronto Region are achieving such growth," said Marie Wiese, YTA Chair, "we are especially proud of YTA members Real Matters and Nightingale Informatix that made the list this year. The YTA is pleased to have them as members of the community and to support and encourage their success in every way we can."

Deloitte has a history of supporting tech companies in the Greater Toronto Region, and is a long-time sponsor of the YTA. Pat Shaw, Executive Director of the YTA recognized the valuable role that Deloitte plays in the tech community, "Sponsorship and support from organizations such as Deloitte allows the YTA to provide programs that continue to foster growth among innovative tech companies, supporting our GTA companies in their bid to compete at world-class levels."

The Technology Fast 50, Canada's pre-eminent technology awards program, is a ranking of the country's 50 fastest-growing technology companies based on percentage revenue growth over five years.

Deloitte launched the program over a decade ago to celebrate the achievements of the Canadian technology sector.

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Contact information

Patrick Shaw

Executive Director, York Technology Alliance

p. 905-415-4588

c. 416-629-1696

patshaw@yorktech.ca

http://twitter.com/yorktechca

Connect with Pat on LinkedIn

Marie Wiese

Chair, York Technology Alliance

Marketing CoPilot

p. 866‐288‐2310

marie@marketingcopilot.com

http://twitter.com/mariewiese

Connect with Marie on LinkedIn

The York Technology Alliance (YTA)

The YTA's mission is to foster a collaborative community for technology companies to connect and grow. It is a dynamic member driven community offering opportunities for peer collaboration, networking and knowledge sharing essential to the development of tech businesses and their people. Participation in the YTA uniquely places members at the centre-point of Canada's leading technology corridor, with a connection to more than 5,000 leaders and influencers of the technology cluster in the Greater Toronto Region. The YTA offers 12 unique peer to peer meetings each month, topical issues luncheons, and workshops specifically targeted to thecontinued success of tech companies.

ITAC and YTA Strike Strategic Partnership for 2010/2011

Tim Shaw — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:25:23 GMT

September 9, 2010. Toronto. The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) and the York Technology Alliance (YTA) have formed a strategic partnership in order to work together to serve and represent the ICT industry in the Greater Toronto Area – Canada’s largest technology cluster.

For the one year duration of this initial partnership, ITAC and YTA members will have access to the full benefits of membership with the partnering organization. This provides full access to events and programs, as well as opportunities for engagement in advocacy and policy formation, all shared reciprocally between the members of both groups.

ITAC and YTA share a common vision of strong regional economic development organizations supported by a national Federation of ICT associations. Through timely communication on policy matters and the sharing of member driven issues, programs and best practices, this partnership will effectively align the YTA’s regional strengths with ITAC’s national scope.

“York Technology Alliance is an important influence in the formation of a strong technology cluster in the Toronto area. Through their peer-to-peer networks and learning programs to foster the growth of emerging and mid-size companies, YTA plays an important role in our industry,” said Bernard Courtois, President and CEO of ITAC. “ITAC has always respected the excellent quality of the work it does on behalf of the technology industry and we are looking forward to closer collaboration.”

”YTA members will contribute to the success of this initiative through timely input and feedback on policy development and government communications championed by ITAC,” Marie Wiese, Chair of the YTA, said. “This arrangement provides a direct connection to many fast growth companies in the sector in a manner that ensures both organizations are respectful of the time commitment from all parties needed to provide the thoughtful and thorough input that ITAC offers governments. Aligning our interests in this regard will support the Canadian ICT sector in making its greatest contribution to the economy without duplicating efforts amongst industry organizations.”

ING Becomes YTA's First Platinum Sponsor

Tim Shaw — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:20:33 GMT

The YTA is pleased to announce that ING Direct has signed on as the association's first ever Platinum Sponsor, demonstrating the company's commitment to the tech sector and the local tech cluster.

"We are pleased to support the York Technology Alliance and the important work they do to help local businesses succeed. The YTA is an ideal community for businesses to come together, network, grow and thrive in the fast-paced world of technology," said Brenda Rideout, SVP of Marketing and Chief Information officer for ING.

In addition to their role as Platinum Sponsor, ING Direct has also become the first corporate supporter of the YTA Scholarship Fund. The YTA Scholarship provides funding to a student pursuing a post-secondary education in science, technology, engineering or math at both Seneca College and York University.

See the www.yorktech.ca/scholarships for more information.

Tech Leaders Recognized at Inaugural YTA Awards

Tim Shaw — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:36:39 GMT

YTA recognizes Start-Up, Scale-Up and Tech Company of the Year

Markham, Ontario, June 21, 2010 -- The York Technology Association (YTA) recognized three member companies for their leadership and innovation in the tech sector at the inaugural YTA Technology Leadership Awards sponsored by Myers Norris Penny.

Over 150 YTA members and guests, including Deputy Mayor of Markham Jack Heath, attended the luncheon to honour gShift Labs (Start-Up of the Year); Solidifi Inc. (Scale-Up of the Year); and Compugen Inc. (Company of the Year).

"It is an honour to present these awards to such outstanding technology leaders and YTA members," said Kevin Tribe, Past Chair of the YTA, "they truly demonstrate the drive and innovation that is required to take a company from start-up to scale-up and long-term business success."

After accepting the awards on behalf of their organizations, Krista LaRiviera, CEO and Co-Founder of gShift Labs; Ryan Smith, Chief Technology Officer at Solidifi Inc.; and Harry Zarek, CEO of Compugen Inc., participated in a panel discussion and shared their 'shortcuts to success'; lessons learned in starting and growing their businesses.

"The York Technology Alliance aims to bring together established players and start-ups of all sizes to shorten the time to market of quality technology solutions and it is one organization I am delighted to support," shared Mr. Zarek. He continued, "The critical mass of intellectual capital, investors, and experience within the Region and the GTA make this corridor the most exciting place in Canada to mine for ideas, feedback and opportunities for growth. It's the place to be to turn good ideas into great investments and lasting solutions."

All three award recipients are YTA members and each spoke highly of the importance of the location and resources available to them for being in or accessible to York Region.

"When I'm in business development meetings in the U.S., I like to reinforce the fact that we’re located in Canada’s premier high-tech sector," said Ryan Smith, Chief Technology Officer at Solidifi Inc. "We made a strategic decision to locate in Markham because it gave us access to the great technical community that has developed within York Region and it’s played a significant role in our success." Similarly, Ms. LaRiviere noted her team’s connection to YTA, “gShift Labs is our third start-up and each time we’ve turned to the experience and collaborative nature of fellow YTA members to help us work through issues that they have encountered before but that were brand new to us.”

Marie Wiese, incoming Chair of the YTA, recognized the importance of sharing lessons and successes in the tech cluster, "the YTA is about building community and an ecosystem in which tech companies can thrive. Recognizing and celebrating success is as important as harvesting the experience of those that have been down this road before so that you can take the shortcut to success."

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York Technology Association Announces 2011 Board of Directors

Tim Shaw — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:33:08 GMT

YTA continues to build strength of its board with addition of tech industry leaders.

June 21, 2010 -- On June 17, the York Technology Association (YTA) elected its 2011 Board of Directors, a solidly diverse and representative group of tech cluster leaders.

Newly elected directors include representatives from gShift Labs, Encelium Technologies, HR Strategix, IBM and leading professional advisory firms. A strong slate of returning YTA board members including Aizan Technologies, Atria Networks, CableTest Systems, Compugen Inc, Dapasoft, End to End Solutions, ESRI Canada and Open Text Corporation will ensure continuity and leverage momentum gained last year.

The new Board reflects the membership of the tech ecosystem with representatives from large, midsized and small technology companies, as well as leading professional advisors, banking, local government and key partnerships with post-secondary education institutions.

“The 2011 Board is highly representative of the members of the tech ecosystem and of those companies that the YTA seeks to support in our focus of fostering sustained economic growth of the tech cluster in the greater Toronto region,” says incoming Board Chair, Marie Wiese, Founder of Marketing CoPilot Inc. An industry veteran, Ms. Wiese noted, “Nearly 45% of the Branham 250 top tech companies are located in the greater Toronto region and within the catchment of the YTA. This truly is the centre-point of the tech corridor in Ontario, with a concentration and diversity of tech talent that is not duplicated elsewhere in Canada. We are very fortunate to have the collective talents of such a representative board working together for the good of the entire community.”

The YTA is a member supported economic development cluster mandated to encourage practical learning, innovation and ongoing collaboration amongst technology companies and professional service providers engaged in growing technology related businesses.

"Corporate membership growth by more than 25% this past year is attributed to the great work of our board in raising awareness of the mandate of the YTA and in helping deliver on the promise," said Patrick Shaw, Executive Director of the YTA. "We welcome new and returning members and continue to look to their guidance and assistance in ensuring the programs and events of the YTA deliver great value to the businesses of the cluster and support the ecosystem in the greater Toronto region."

* See here for the complete 2011 Board of Directors.

The YTA acknowledges and extends its deepest appreciation to retiring board members Ted Madden, Peter Ott, Jordan Dolgin, Mark Usher, Andrew Ford and Dan Pelletier for their guidance and dedication throughout their terms.

Participation in the YTA uniquely places its member companies at the centre-point of Canada's leading technology corridor, with a connection to more than 10,000 leaders and influencers of the technology cluster in the greater Toronto region. Technology partners are encouraged to view the programs and events listed on the YTA website and to engage in the community that exists to support their business success in the tech cluster throughout the Region.