Soft Landing program helps Canadian startups and SMEs connect with customers and investors abroad
Waterloo Region, September 11, 2017— The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN) has accepted 41 companies into the fall 2017 cohort of the Soft Landing program, reaching a milestone of helping Canadian technology companies grow their businesses in international markets over 500 times.
Since 2012, the CDMN Soft Landing program has helped mature startups and small-to-medium-sized companies travel and operate outside of Canada to reach new markets, close international sales, secure investment and connect with new partners abroad. In total, it has resulted in 513 landings in 52 countries world-wide, helping 380 companies across Canada close over $53M CAD in new revenues and over $55M CAD in investment.
“The CDMN Soft Landing program helped to fund a trip to the USA where we were able to secure key partnerships, resulting in cost savings and increased revenue for our company,” said Ryan Hickey, COO of Eleven-X, who landed in Las Vegas, United States in 2016. “Meeting our partners face-to-face strengthened our relationship and lead to favourable deals and accelerated growth.” This fall Eleven-X, who specializes in Smart Cities applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) heads to Suzhou, China for its second time in the program.
Successful candidates of the Soft Landing program receive up to $4,000 CAD in reimbursable expenses to help offset transportation and accommodation costs to travel and conduct business abroad. Companies landing at a co-working space, accelerator or incubator may also have workspace costs covered for up to three months.
“Canadian companies participating in the program realize the importance of reaching international markets to scale their businesses,” said Avvey Peters, Managing Director, Canadian Digital Media Network. “They make meaningful connections with customers and investors in global markets, helping them to grow.”
The CDMN Soft Landing program is supported primarily by the Government of Canada through the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) program. For more information and for details to apply, please visit www.cdmn.ca.
For media inquires, please contact:
Samantha Clark
Public Relations Manager, CDMN
samantha.clark@cdmn.ca
519-221-3466
About The Canadian Digital Media Network
The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN), is a network of 26 regional innovation hubs across Canada, all focused on supporting Canada’s digital entrepreneurs. Designated a federal Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research, CDMN is dedicated to establishing Canada as a world leader in the digital economy. Follow @CDMN on Twitter, join the CDMN Group on LinkedIn and like the CDMN Page on Facebook.
Companies included in the fall 2017 cohort of the Soft Landing Program are (destination in brackets):
Acerta (Stuttgart; Germany); AquaAir 247 Inc. (Belize City; Belize); Bio Conscious Tech (San Diego, Los Angeles; United States); Cicer One Technologies Inc. (Shenzhen, Beijing; China); FI.SPAN (New York City; United States); Gamestrat (San Jose; United States); QuestUpon (New Jersey, San Francisco, and Seattle; United States); RallyEngine (Singapore, Bandar Seri Begawan; Brunei); Recroup (Boston, St. Louis; United States); Rewind (Austin; United States); Sandman Media Inc. (San Francisco; United States); Sitata (Sydney; Australia); Target Tape Inc. (Minneapolis, Las Vegas, and Jacksonville; United States); Autzu Inc. (San Francisco, United States); BitCine Technologies Inc. (Los Angeles, Palm Springs; United States); Brizi (Leopoldlaan, Zavantem; Belgium); CO2 Solutions Inc. (Paris; France); Conquer Mobile Inc. (Nuremburg; Germany); DPL (Gouda; Netherlands); E*D Film (Los Angeles; United States); eleven-X (San Francisco; United States, Suzhou; China); Eyedro Green Solutions Inc. (Boston, Pittsburgh, and Cedar Rapids; United States); Finn.ai (Paris; France, Sao Paulo; Brazil, Mexico City; Mexico); Hangry Solutions Inc. (Colorado Springs, Washington DC; United States); Hydrostor Inc. (Sydney; Australia, San Diego; United States); inMotive Inc. (Beijing, Shanghai; China, Bangalore; India); MERJ Media (Seattle; United States); Nobal Technologies (London; England); Perked! Inc. (New York City; United States); Plurilock Security Solutions Inc. (Washington DC, New York City; United States); Poseidon Ocean Systems Ltd. (Hobart; Australia, Fort William; United Kingdom); PowerHub Inc. (Munich; Germany, London; United Kingdom); Precision Machinery (Melbourne, Tarpeena; Australia, Rotorua; New Zealand); Routeique Inc. (London; United Kingdom); Scribendi (Shanghai, Beijing; China); Smats Traffic Solutions Inc. (Bolzano; Italy, Chung Song City; Taiwan); thisopenspace (New York City; United States); Trellis Solutions (Oakland; United States); Windular Research and Technologies Inc. (Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia, Colombo; Sri Lanka); RightBlue Labs (Beijing, Hong Kong; China, Ho Chi Minh City; Vietnam, and WorkTango Inc. (San Francisco, New York; United States, London; United Kingdom).