OTTAWA – With the global Internet of Things market predicted to swell to US$1.1 trillion by 2021, more complex applications and the need for greater security are driving innovation within the industry
This is a trend which a new tech accelerator announced today will attempt to address.
L-SPARK, a Canadian software-as-a-service (SaaS) accelerator, and Telus have partnered to launch the “Secure IoT Accelerator” program in collaboration with BlackBerry and data analytics company Solace. The Secure IoT Accelerator program is intended to enable Canadian Internet of Things (IoT) ventures by providing them global market reach capability with a secure by design technology, reads the release.
“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, in the release.
“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,” added Charles Eagan, CTO, 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 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, reads the release. 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 get:
• 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, adds the announcement.
Ideal applicants must have a Canadian headquarters as well as the required team and financial capacity to execute projects during the accelerator program timeframe.
Visit www.l-spark.com/secureiot to learn more.
