Innovation Lives Here – In NL
November 26th, 2013
The NL provincial government has launched a media campaign “Innovation Lives Here” to promote the innovative work being done by entrepreneurs, industry and research institutions. The campaign will feature a number of NL innovators and entrepreneurs telling their stories, and will increase awareness of business and innovative projects that are happening in the province. The campaign will feature television commercials, cinema feature spots and a new website, www.innovationlivesherenl.ca, which includes the commercials, short videos and information on other innovation success stories.
Innovators and entrepreneurs featured in the campaign include:
Provincial Aerospace is a world leader in maritime surveillance, working with governments and militaries around the world. Uniquely positioned in the marketplace as a full-service aerospace and defense company, Provincial Aerospace leads the way with innovative mission system designs and integration, aircraft modifications, surveillance operations, logistics and in-service support. Having flown maritime surveillance aircrafts for over 35 years for government, military, and industry clientele, the company has evolved into a world leader in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and maritime patrol aircraft operations and systems. Additional information can be found at: www.provincialaerospace.com.
Best Boy Entertainment is a multi-media production company with productions focused on docu-dramas, children’s educational games, as well as television and interactive web content. Their first gaming venture, a children’s educational game called Zorbit’s Math Adventure, has just launched in English speaking countries around the world. It will soon be launched in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. The company currently employs more than 40 people, and is already looking to expand to meet the demands of their world marketplace. Additional information can be found at: www.bestboy.ca.
SubC Imaging is a dynamic knowledge-based company providing leading-edge imaging solutions for underwater applications. Creating innovative and reliable solutions for complex problems that arise in the professional underwater market, Sub C’s high-resolution underwater cameras and interfacing are unlike anything in the market. The business has expanded to accommodate manufacturing, assembly, and research and development. Over the past two years, SubC has successfully established contacts and generated sales throughout the world, with clients in industries like offshore oil & gas, ocean observatories, aerospace and defence, deep sea mining, hydrographic surveying, and ROV manufacturers. SubC Imaging currently has seven full time employees. Additional information can be found at: www.subseaimaging.com
Magine Snowboard, located in Port Au Port, is carving out a big name for themselves in the snowboard industry. Magine builds custom snowboards using local resources and innovative, environmentally sustainable materials. Fueled by a passion for the environment and the local community, the base of each board is made from locally cut wood, coated with ecologically sensitive resins, and then topped with unique graphics designed by a local artist. Quality, craftsmanship, and ecological responsibility are handcrafted into each and every board that the company produces. Currently, the boards are being distributed to retailers in Corner Brook and St. John’s as well as retailers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Alberta. Additional information can be found at: www.maginesnowboards.com.
C&W Industrial Fabrication and Marine Equipment is a fabrication company located in Bay Bulls. The company has been in operation since 1972 and employs up to 70 people at peak time. They specialize in the manufacturing of seafood processing equipment, onshore and offshore factory vessels, and custom aluminum work. For the last seven years, C&W has been working with an American transient ocean engineering company that makes ROV systems for the oil and gas industry. C&W has been responsible for manufacturing stainless steel protective casings for these ROV units, called ROV Cursor Guides. As a complete ROV package, these units are then sold to oil companies and used in exploration hotspots around the world. Additional information can be found at: www.cwindustrial.com.
Verafin Inc. – With a background in robotics, the owners of Verafin were able to establish a unique approach to preventing financial crimes. Their solution combines advanced artificial intelligence technologies with sophisticated pattern recognition techniques. The software is programmed to think about transactions the same way a person would, giving it the ability to spot suspicious account activity. Additional information can be found at: www.verafin.com.
Bluedrop Performance Learning Inc. is a leading provider of unique eLearning solutions for regions, industries, groups, and individuals in over 100 different countries. Their learning platforms are helping people all over the world gain employable skills and develop small businesses by keeping up with evolving technology. As a winner of the Clinton Global Initiative Award, the company is focused on helping people efficiently acquire in-demand skills at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. Additional information can be found at: www.bluedrop.com.
Cardiac Gene Discovery at Memorial University/Dr. Terry Lynn Young: Researchers at Memorial University have discovered the gene responsible for ARVC (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy), a deadly genetic heart condition commonly found in this province. Discovery of the gene was made by Memorial’s interdisciplinary cardiac genetics research team, led by Drs. Terry-Lynn Young, a molecular geneticist; Patrick Parfrey, a clinical epidemiologist; and Sean Connors, a cardiologist. As a result of their discovery, doctors are able to perform life-saving intervention on those diagnosed with this condition. Though initially thought that this genetic mutation was exclusive to Newfoundland, collaborations with international heart research institutes have uncovered cases in other countries. Memorial’s gene discovery is now helping to save lives around the world.
Memorial University – STePS2 /Dr. Claude Daley: The Arctic is poised to be a strategic location of research and industrial activity in the near future. Offshore oil and gas, shipping, and fishing companies need to know how harsh conditions can affect valuable equipment and tools, making the Faculty of Engineering’s Sustainable Technology for Polar Ships and Structures (STePS2) a valuable and essential piece of research. Claude Daley, Chair of Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering with the Faculty of Engineering at Memorial University, is the principal researcher of STePS2. Given the harsh, difficult conditions of the Arctic, Mr. Daley and his team rely heavily on the use of the high performance computer models to produce accurate and important research data. These models allow the team to learn valuable lessons regarding ice loads and structural capacity that might be otherwise learned at great cost through experience in the field.