Latest news with #TechNL
CBC
22-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
N.L. tech companies optimistic they'll see benefit from Ottawa's increased defence dollars
As Ottawa commits to ramping up defence spending by billions of dollars in the next decade, Newfoundland and Labrador tech companies anticipate more business coming their way. In June the federal government, along with other NATO members, promised to spend five per cent of its gross domestic product on defence spending by 2035. Prime Minister Mark Carney had said the new benchmark would have Canada spending $150 billion a year on defence. TechNL CEO Florian Villaumé, who leads the province's tech industry association, said the announcement has local companies excited, including companies that don't currently work in the defence sector. "Now we're talking about how can we take advantage of that opportunity to grow the tech sector, but also to create jobs and keep people here as well," he told CBC News. When there are large investments, Villaumé added, there are opportunities for tech companies to reach new markets. 'Rising tide' Ocean technology company Kraken Robotics CEO and president Greg Reid said about three-quarters of Kraken's business comes from the defence sector. The company already counts the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Danish Navy, the Polish Navy, the Royal Australian Navy and some U.S. companies as clients. He said Carney's commitments to spend more on defence is positive news and he anticipates more work for Kraken, and not just from the Canadian government but other NATO members. "I'll call it 'a rising tide lifts all boats' in the defence sector," said Reid. He added Kraken has already seen an increase in business from clients in other parts of the world and he'd like to see it on the "home front." "We've got capability. We've got people. We're a local manufacturer. And we'd love to be able to, you know, have people down the road point and say 'There's the Canadian champion in subsea technology,'" said Reid. He said Kraken's technology — which includes its Katfish mine-hunting systems, subsea batteries and sonar — can play a vital role in border control and Arctic security, which is increasingly challenging as ice melts and new waterways open. "It's a complicated world out there. There's a lot of ... 'geopolitical hotspots,' and now we're really starting to see it in the Arctic and at home as well," said Reid. Randy Billard, president and CEO of marine simulation company Virtual Marine, said his company began in the oil and gas sector but there are plenty of defence capabilities here too. "We're part of a very specialized group of [experts] here in Newfoundland and Labrador," said Billard. "There's a lot of experts working on ice. There's a lot of experts working on harsh environments. There's a lot of operational experience of people who are operating vessels," he said, which includes military vessels. Billard is also hoping to see some of the defence spending go to Virtual Marine. "I think it should because … you're really feeding an ecosystem here. The ecosystem has a lot of great creative people, a lot of great creative companies, like Virtual Marine." Avalon Holographic co-founder Russ Baker said its holographic displays technology has many defence applications, including mission planning, battle management and after-action reviews. He too welcomed the news from Ottawa and what it could mean for his St. John's-based company. "The increase in defence spending ... not just in Canada but across NATO, is expected to drive a lot of activity and innovation," he said. Baker expects the spending increase to mean the military will be "freed up" to work with smaller companies and is "cautiously optimistic" it will lead to Avalon Holographic seeing more purchases. "We're eagerly waiting to see how that plays out in practice when ... the rubber hits the road of the procurement process." 'Contracting is so complicated' There is some work that can be done to make sure Newfoundland and Labrador companies see a boost, and Villaumé said he'd like to see funding to help companies expand into the defence sector through funding for prototypes and testing. "The idea would be to help them grow that product," he said. Reid would like to see the Canadian government change how procurement contracts are awarded so it happens quicker. "Traditionally, the process of purchasing new equipment has taken so long and the contracting is so complicated that eventually when the technology gets in the hands of the [Canadian] Armed Forces, a lot of time has gone by," said Reid. He cautioned that it can lead to instances where technology isn't as relevant as people thought it was when the procurement process kicked off. Technology is changing rapidly and the government needs to be able to purchase necessary items faster, Reid added.
CBC
30-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
The future of tech is in N.L., according to industry leaders
TechNL, Newfoundland and Labrador's technology industry association, is billing its largest project to date as a shining success. The $32-million Find Your Future in Tech program — which had help from the federal government's Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program to the tune of $27 million — aimed to support those wishing to enter the technology sector through training and education. Over 3,600 people have participated in the program since 2023, said TechNL chairperson Johanna Brown at a celebration in St. John's on Thursday. The original goal was 2,000. Brown said the 2024 segment of the program will have had a 94 per cent completion rate as of the end of the quarter, and 63 per cent of its participants self-identified as members of marginalized groups. CEO Florian Villaumé said the project helped accelerate the growth of an increasingly popular industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. "We created a strong interest across the province for careers in tech, and also created a large pool of talent," Villaumé said in a speech. Villaumé said because of the jobs and promotions the program helped foster, which he said TechNL will be tracking, people should expect to hear more success stories from the province. "That's something that was very important to us, to show that there are opportunities in the tech sector, but also in other sectors using technology," he said to reporters. Craig Tucker of Keyin College said the private post-secondary school was a part of the Find Your Future in Tech program, and offered courses on software development, Amazon Web Services, and artificial intelligence. Tucker said it was a "huge success" in getting new graduates into the workforce. Although some people may be hesitant about entering the technology sector due to concerns about job stability and other risks, business and sales expert Carol Bartlett said the landscape is changing. "Innovation and tech changes weekly," Bartlett said. "If you have, say, sales as a skill, you can work anywhere. "For young kids today, this is one of the most exciting sectors to be in."
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Making it through the trade war means focusing on what can be controlled, say business leaders
Tammy Snook, Ogaga Johnson, Bronwyn Bridges and Johanna Brown say businesses have the power and ability to weather economic tariffs from the United States. (Tammy Snook/X, Ogaga Johnson, PragmaClin, Submitted by Johanna Brown) Four business leaders in Newfoundland and Labrador say there are ways to make it through the trade war with the United States — and it's all about focusing on what can be controlled. Johanna Brown, chair of TechNL, says the uncertainty following economic tariffs reminds her of the same uncertainty she and other business owners felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. "There were good things that came from it, and one thing I would say is that businesses became very resilient, or found a way to be resilient. And after coming out of that, they are better businesses because of it," Brown said Tuesday at a panel discussion hosted by the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs. "This is not great, what's happening, but I do think we have the ability to focus on where can we find the positive in this." Brown says the federal and provincial governments should narrow in on interprovincial trade barriers. "I think it's a chance to [get] task forces together to really dive into that. Because it would not take long to come up with some really meaningful, impactful ways that you can advance that," she said. Lowering those trade barriers, she said, would allow businesses to embrace innovative solutions from other provinces. In turn all provinces would work in a collaborative approach. She said she'd also like to see increased funding through grants that can reach small businesses directly. Brown says she'd like to see the federal and provincial governments take steps to reduce the barriers that hamper interprovincial trade. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press) Ogaga Johnson is the founder and CEO of consulting company Verisult. She says governments need to start funding more Canadian businesses. "If we fund our own, in terms of Canada, in Newfoundland and Labrador to be precise, then we can have more products that are … made here," Johnson said. "That increases our economic wealth and development." Tammy Snook, COO and co-founder of Paskwâw Harbour Strategies, says it's time to diversify to markets outside of the U.S. "Do you have new offerings to potential people that you might not have tapped into yet? Do you currently export or provide services to the U.S.? Are there other markets, such as Asia or Europe or elsewhere in Canada, that you can expand into?" Snook said. "You want to show the return on investment for what it is you're providing. So that your business is not a nice to have, it's a must have." Bronwyn Bridges, CEO and co-founder of medical technology company PragmaClin, says that push to diversify is an essential measure moving forward. "What we've tried to do is make sure that those eggs are in multiple baskets," she said. "And it doesn't mean that there's a lack of focus, but it does mean that there is diversity to other partners who now are going to jump and leap at the opportunity to work with us because we are a Canadian company." Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
CBC
15-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Making it through the trade war means focusing on what can be controlled, say business leaders
Interprovincial trade, diversifying markets ways to navigate uncertain economic climate Four business leaders in Newfoundland and Labrador say there are ways to make it through the trade war with the United States — and it's all about focusing on what can be controlled. Johanna Brown, chair of TechNL, says the uncertainty following economic tariffs reminds her of the same uncertainty she and other business owners felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. "There were good things that came from it, and one thing I would say is that businesses became very resilient, or found a way to be resilient. And after coming out of that, they are better businesses because of it," Brown said Tuesday at a panel discussion hosted by the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs. "This is not great, what's happening, but I do think we have the ability to focus on where can we find the positive in this." Brown says the federal and provincial governments should narrow in on interprovincial trade barriers. "I think it's a chance to [get] task forces together to really dive into that. Because it would not take long to come up with some really meaningful, impactful ways that you can advance that," she said. Lowering those trade barriers, she said, would allow businesses to embrace innovative solutions from other provinces. In turn all provinces would work in a collaborative approach. She said she'd also like to see increased funding through grants that can reach small businesses directly. Ogaga Johnson is the founder and CEO of consulting company Verisult. She says governments need to start funding more Canadian businesses. "If we fund our own, in terms of Canada, in Newfoundland and Labrador to be precise, then we can have more products that are … made here," Johnson said. "That increases our economic wealth and development." Tammy Snook, COO and co-founder of Paskwâw Harbour Strategies, says it's time to diversify to markets outside of the U.S. "Do you have new offerings to potential people that you might not have tapped into yet? Do you currently export or provide services to the U.S.? Are there other markets, such as Asia or Europe or elsewhere in Canada, that you can expand into?" Snook said. "You want to show the return on investment for what it is you're providing. So that your business is not a nice to have, it's a must have." Bronwyn Bridges, CEO and co-founder of medical technology company PragmaClin, says that push to diversify is an essential measure moving forward. "What we've tried to do is make sure that those eggs are in multiple baskets," she said. "And it doesn't mean that there's a lack of focus, but it does mean that there is diversity to other partners who now are going to jump and leap at the opportunity to work with us because we are a Canadian company."
