Tech Roundup for December 2015

Written by: Anthony Reinhart | 26 December 2015 | Monthly tech roundup, News

Photo: (Left to right) Lauren Lake and Mallorie Brodie, co-founders of Waterloo Region’s Bridgit. ( Communitech photo: Peter Power )

Bridgit, whose communication platform helps construction workers manage jobs more effectively, not only won the Google for Entrepreneurs Demo Day for female-led startups in San Francisco, but was named Top Disruptor for 2015 by BNN. Co-founder Mallorie Brodie also shared some advice on pitching to U.S. investors.

Canadian startups know how to develop great technology and attract investment, but often hit a brick wall when trying to sell at home – especially into established firms and government procurement agencies.In a Globe and Mail op-ed, Communitech CEO Iain Klugman and BMO Vice-Chair Kevin Lynch argue we need to solve this problem for the sake of our innovators, large firms and the Canadian economy.

In an interview with Wired, Kik co-founder Ted Livingston described how the mobile chat company is in “a race to create the operating system for society,” with Facebook as its chief competitor.

Magnet Forensics announced a partnership with In-Q-Tel, Inc. (IQT), a not-for-profit strategic investor supporting the mission of the U.S. intelligence community.

Communitech News podcasts featured University of Waterloo entrepreneurship guru Larry Smith, viral-video ninja Ben Roberts and sharing economy critic Tom Slee.

The startup boom is transforming downtown Kitchener and refilling former BlackBerry buildings in Waterloo, but success can have negative impacts, urban theorist Richard Florida warned in a local appearance. Florida also called for high-speed rail to connect the region’s tech sector to Toronto, a call echoed by Thalmic Labs CEO Stephen Lake in a Macleans list of overdue developments in Canada.

OpenText plans to double its revenue through an aggressive campaign of acquisitions over the next few years.

Christie Digital is developing holodeck technology. Enough said.

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Anthony Reinhart

Editorial Director, Communitech

Anthony Reinhart is Communitech’s Editorial Director and a former newspaper journalist. He held staff writing positions at the Guelph Tribune, Waterloo Region Record and the Globe and Mail before leaving the Globe to join Communitech in 2011.

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