L-SPARK, TELUS, BlackBerry and Solace Launch Accelerator for Emerging Canadian IoT Ventures

March 27, 2019

L-SPARK, Canada’s leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) accelerator, and TELUS have partnered to launch the Secure IoT Accelerator program in collaboration with BlackBerry Limited and Solace

The Secure IoT Accelerator program is intended to enable Canadian Internet of Things (IoT) ventures by providing them with global market reach capability with a Secure by Design technology.

With the global IoT market predicted to swell to USD $1.1 trillion by 2021, more complex applications, and the need for greater security, are driving innovation within the industry, a trend the Secure IoT Accelerator aims to address.

“TELUS is dedicated to fostering a thriving and secure IoT ecosystem in Canada, capable of both serving the needs of Canadians and providing reach to markets around the globe. Ensuring that next-generation security products and services are available to that ecosystem is vital to its success, so we are proud to support L-SPARK’s Secure IoT Accelerator,” said Ibrahim Gedeon, CTO, TELUS. “The mentorship and resources that participants receive as part of the Secure IoT Accelerator, including access to the world-class TELUS LTE-M network, provide a springboard for these companies’ growth and, ultimately, strengthening the entire Canadian IoT market.”

“Adoption of IoT products and services by Canadian firms is accelerating at a rapid clip, and industry analysts predict the global connected IoT devices market will grow at a CAGR of approximately 19% through 2023,” said Leo Lax, Executive Managing Director of L-SPARK. “We’re excited to create an accelerator program that provides the tools and technology necessary for Canadian IoT innovators to scale their businesses and compete internationally.”

“We believe the winners in IoT will be the companies that realize security is not an added cost but a valuable differentiator,” said Charles Eagan, Chief Technology Officer, BlackBerry. “It’s incumbent upon all manufacturers to deliver safe and secure IoT devices that consumers and enterprises can trust, and the Secure IoT Accelerator program is an excellent place to start.”

“The desire to help developers and entrepreneurs grow their ideas into game-changing applications and successful business ventures is at the heart of everything we do, as reflected by our tagline: That’s Possible,” said Paul Fitzpatrick, Solace’s chief business development officer. “We’re proud to partner with leaders at BlackBerry, TELUS and L-Spark to make world-class data distribution part of the Secure IoT Accelerator.”

Utilizing the strengths of its strategic partners, the acceleration program will support its portfolio companies in developing innovative IoT products and services that leverage the combined capabilities of TELUS Global Connectivity and IoT Cybersecurity services, BlackBerry’s secure operating system, and Solace’s industry-leading data movement capabilities. Woven together, these capabilities will enable the development of seamless out-of-the-box product and service experiences, ensuring privacy and security by design with built-in connectivity, end-to-end security, streamlined device management and end-user managed access and provisioning.

Companies taking part in the four-month program will receive:

  • Exclusive access to LTE-M ready software development kits (SDK) from the corporate partners to facilitate the development and demonstration of new applications prior to the general market availability of the platform
  • Technical mentoring from TELUS, BlackBerry and Solace experts
  • Business mentoring from L-SPARK to accelerate company growth and facilitate business development opportunities with corporate accelerator partners as well as outside entities
  • All other benefits associated with L-SPARK acceleration programs, including access to L-SPARK’s extensive SaaS, cloud and IoT technology community.

The Secure IoT Accelerator program is currently accepting applications from growth stage companies developing IoT products in a variety of industries including: automotive; healthcare; access management; smart home and building; retail and supply chain management; logistics and fleet management; natural resources; asset management; among many others.

Ideal applicants must have a Canadian headquarters as well as the required team and financial capacity to execute projects during the accelerator program timeframe.

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit www.l-spark.com/secureiot to learn more. Applications are being accepted until April 30, 2019.