February 2016 – AC Demo

February 25, 2016

AC Grad Client Outlook Forms strategic partnership with lifeIMAGE

NEWTON, Mass.–(Business Wire)–lifeIMAGE, a leading medical image exchange network connecting health care networks, providers and patients, announced today that it has formed a strategic relationship with Client Outlook that will make its renowned visualization platform a core component of the lifeIMAGE offering. Through this partnership, Client Outlook’s FDA Class II diagnostic and clinical imaging viewing solution eUnity, broadly recognized as healthcare’s fastest and most scalable image viewing platform, will become the default viewer across all apps and services on the lifeIMAGE enterprise image exchange platform.

lifeIMAGE sought out a partner to ensure long-term access to cutting-edge viewer technology for its rapidly expanding customer base. Client Outlook, an independent organization exclusively focused on the development of its visualization platform, is consistently at the forefront of imaging innovation and has demonstrated the ability to scale its FDA-approved viewer to thousands of users at large healthcare enterprises. Its standards-based tools are interoperable with every picture archiving and communication system (PACS), vendor-neutral archive (VNA) and electronic health record (EHR), matching lifeIMAGE’s core commitment to connect image data from all sources, to any user or system.

“We wanted our customers to have assured availability to the highest quality viewing technology of today backed by an organization sharing the same commitment we’ve shown to future innovation and interoperability. We get the best of both worlds for our customers by making Client Outlook a core part of the lifeIMAGE platform,” said Matthew A. Michela, CEO and President of lifeIMAGE. “Our combined solutions create a game-changing enterprise image management opportunity for the imaging market.”

Under the terms of the partnership, Client Outlook and lifeIMAGE will collaborate to ensure the interoperability of image data across their services. Client Outlook will introduce a unique workflow that enables the fast transmission of studies and clinical information displayed on its viewer through the lifeIMAGE network, and lifeIMAGE is now the only major image exchange provider offering enterprise access to the eUnity universal viewer. Institutions seeking an integrated and single viewer experience for exams produced both inside and outside their network can deploy eUnity enterprise-wide because of this relationship.

“In partnership with lifeIMAGE we see the clear opportunity to significantly improve image data interoperability while improving physician workflow and clinical outcomes,” said Steve Rankin, President and CEO of Client Outlook. “We look forward to combining our technology with the lifeIMAGE platform to create a powerful enterprise imaging solution for our joint customers.”

February 25, 2016

Stratford AC and UW Stratford partner for inaugural Game Design Camp

Students, game designers, developers, educators and industry leaders will join forces this weekend at the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus to compete in developing a novel one-button video game.

The inaugural Game Design Camp will provide an immersive hands-on experience in game design and commercialization. Racing against the clock, teams will be challenged to develop, design and test a one-button game for future development.

A panel of experts will judge the final designs and the top five teams will be awarded team prizes valued more than $2,600. The winning team will receive support and services from the Stratford Accelerator Centre to further develop their game.

Professor Jane Tingley will lead the camp alongside a team of UX, UI, interactive designers and successful entrepreneurs, including David Debono of Boom Gaming, a graduate of the Accelerator Centre program. These experts will provide mentorship and support throughout the event.

“The Game Design Camp will provide participants with the opportunity to explore an idea for a one button game and develop its commercial potential and marketability.” said Professor Tingley. ‘We are excited to partner with the Stratford Accelerator Centre and Games Institute to bring this event to the Strafford Campus.”

The Stratford Accelerator Centre partnered with the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus and Games Institute for the camp which received funding in partnership with the Canadian Digital Media Network, a federal Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research.

“This camp is an amazing opportunity for the participants to collaboratively create something unique, have access to a variety of industry experts, and learn new skills.” said Becka Borody, Manager, Operations, at the Stratford Accelerator Centre. “We are excited to be a part of this event and look forward to helping the winning team further develop their idea through the Stratford Accelerator Centre.”

More information about the Game Design Camp can be found online.

February 24, 2016

Clearpath Robotics Joins John Deere Supply Base

(Kitchener, ON, Canada – February 23, 2016) Clearpath, developer of OTTO – the self-driving vehicle designed exclusively for material transport, has been chosen to supply self-driving vehicles for assembly line conveyance to John Deere’s operation in Horicon, Wisconsin.

“Clearpath’s goal is to redefine manufacturing with OTTO self-driving vehicles,” said Matt Rendall, Chief Executive Officer at Clearpath Robotics. “John Deere is a pillar of America’s manufacturing economy and we are thrilled to supply them with OTTO vehicles to drive productivity.”

OTTO enables customers to improve throughput, reduce costs, and to stay flexible with the changing needs of their material flow process. The solution provides infrastructure free navigation, obstacle avoidance, human-safe collaboration, and a payload capacity of 3000 lbs. Customers using OTTO self-driving vehicles typically experience a return on investment in 18-24 months. For more information about OTTO, visit www.clearpathrobotics.com/otto.

About Clearpath Robotics

Clearpath Robotics Inc. develops self-driving vehicles for industrial material transport. The company provides hardware, software and services to enable enterprise self-driving vehicle development, deployment and fleet operation. Clearpath works with over 500 of the world’s most innovative brands in over 40 countries, serving markets that span industrial materials handling, mining, military, agriculture, aerospace and academia. Clearpath is an award-winning company with recent awards, including Robotics Business Review Top 50 Company, Edison Award for Innovation, Business Insider Top 40 under 40, and Canada’s Top 100 Employers. Visit Clearpath Robotics at www.clearpathrobotics.com.

February 18, 2016

We’re pleased to announce the AC Graduate Association

As we approach our 10 Year anniversary and prepare to announce our 50^th and 51^st Graduates, we knew it was time to take the next step in building and strengthening our powerful alumni community.

It’s our firm belief that we’re strongest when we work together – that’s why we’ve developed the Accelerator Centre Graduate Association. Centred on creating programs, tools, resources, and most importantly opportunities for the Graduates of the AC – The ACGA is focused on using the power of the group to increase success.

“The Graduates of the Accelerator Centre have always been highly engaged with us and with each other, but as the number of Clients and Graduates continues to grow, there’s been a strong interest in creating new opportunities to connect, learn, and to give back” said Paul Salvini, CEO of the Accelerator Centre. “The ACGA is about keeping the bonds between companies strong and allowing the strength of this incredible network to foster success for all our Graduates.”

The ACGA was formally launched a special Graduate event on Feb 17. We’re looking forward to the Graduation of our 50^th and 51^st!

February 9, 2016

CEO Paul Salvini and Client POET featured on CBC News

There’s been a lot of talk about how the low Canadian Dollar has been impacting the economy, but it’s proving somewhat beneficial for the Canadian technology sector.

AC CEO Paul Salvini and Matt Neill, CEO of AC Client POET Retail spoke to CBC news on why the low dollar might have an upside for innovation in Canada.

February 9, 2016

Clearpath CEO Joins Robotic Industries Association (RIA) As A New Board Director

Matt Rendall selected as one of RIA’s four at-Large Directors

(Kitchener, ON, Canada – February 9, 2016) Clearpath Robotics’ Chief Executive Officer, Matt Rendall, has been selected to join the Board of Directors for Robotic Industries Association (RIA) as one of four at-Large Directors.

“I am honored to take on the position of Director at-Large within RIA,” said Matt Rendall, Chief Executive Officer at Clearpath Robotics. “RIA is an indispensible resource for the robotics industry, an industry that is entering a hyper-growth phase. I’m hoping to bring a fresh perspective on emerging technologies like self-driving vehicles and mobile manipulation, as well as start-ups and venture capital.”

The Director At-Large positions were announced at RIA’s Annual General Meeting on February 2, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. The RIA board is comprised of 22 directors who meet four times per year to plan the strategic direction of the association.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Matt Rendall to the RIA Board of Directors. Matt has the experience, insight and expertise to represent the mobile robotics community on our board,” said Jeff Burnstein, President of Robotic Industries Association.

Robotic Industries Association drives innovation, growth, and safety in manufacturing and service industries through education, promotion, and advancement of robotics and related automation technologies. The organization has a staff of 18 people working at the association’s headquarters office in Ann Arbor, Michigan and currently serves over 375 organizations around the world. RIA is part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the umbrella association for RIA, AIA, and MCMA. For more information about RIA visit www.robotics.org.

About Clearpath Robotics
Clearpath Robotics Inc. develops self-driving vehicles for industry. The company provides hardware, software and services to enable self-driving vehicle development, deployment and fleet operation. Clearpath works with over 500 of the world’s most innovative brands in over 40 countries, serving markets that span industrial materials handling, mining, military, agriculture, aerospace and academia. Clearpath is an award-winning company with recent awards, including Robotics Business Review Top 50 Company, Edison Award for Innovation, Business Insider Top 40 under 40, and Canada’s Top 100 Employers. Visit Clearpath Robotics at www.clearpathrobotics.com.

Clearpath Robotics graduated from the Accelerator Centre in 2008.

February 4, 2016

Pout Acquired by Everalbum

AC JumpStart Client joins Silicon Valley startup as they expand into Waterloo Region

The AC is excited to share that AC JumpStart Client Pout has been acquired by San Francisco-based Everalbum. The announcement was made this morning by Everalbum Co-founder Andrew Dudum.

“This acquisition is part of a company wide effort to build the most seamless, mobile first photo experience on iOS and Android,” said Dudum. “Today, we strengthen that ability by adding some of the best design and engineering minds to our team. Pout’s vision for a community of fashion conscious users was to help them explore their unique sense of fashion through photos. ”

Pout was created by engineer Laura Smith and designer Riley Donelson as a way of building and fostering a community of people who are passionate about beauty and fashion, allowing them explore, discover and share their experiences, styles and techniques through photos and videos. The app has already found great success, striking a chord with both users and large brands in the fashion industry.

Pout began in the University of Waterloo’s Velocity program, and subsequently joined the second cohort of Accelerator Centre’s AC JumpStart program to help grow and scale their business to a broader audience.

The acquisition process began when Donelson traveled to San Francisco to begin exploring and learning about funding options for Pout. He arranged lunch with a former University of Waterloo classmate, who invited Dudum to join them as another friendly connection. While his classmate had to cancel, Donelson and Dudum decided to go ahead with the meeting and quickly discovered many commonalities in their companies’ ambitions, passions, and experiences.

Everalbum is unique combination of a productivity-app and a cloud-storage solution, whose aim is re-imagine the experience of the family photo album; capturing, storing, and allowing people to share their memories.

Donelson and Dudum continued to stay in touch, and after a few months, Dudum mentioned Everalbum’s desire to establish a second office in Waterloo Region due to the strength of the ecosystem and the talent pool. Everalbum moved into Kitchener’s Lang Tannery building in November and talks about acquiring Pout quickly ensued.

“We’re proud that this acquisition continues our relationship with the Waterloo tech community, said Donelson. “Pout joins a list of successful startups emanating from University of Waterloo, Velocity, Communitech, and the Accelerator Centre. We’re excited to continue the movement started by our tech peers, like Google, Kik, and Shopify, in establishing a Canadian ecosystem which we are proud to be a part of.”

“We’re really excited to join Everalbum,” says Donelson. “From the beginning it’s been an amazing fit with Andrew and the team, and this will allow us to take Pout to a whole new level.”

Smith and Donelson will join the Everalbum team in Kitchener, working on getting to know the Everalbum team and continuing to grow the Pout community and brand on a global scale.

About AC JumpStart

AC JumpStart is a one-year funding and mentorship program designed to help companies accelerate their business growth. The program offers $30K in funding and $10K worth of mentorship from our team of in-house experts. Apply.

February 2, 2016

Great Leadership Is All About Authenticity

When it comes to leadership, the words that often come to mind are “strong”, “bold” or maybe even “tough”.

We expect our leaders to be fearless and know how to make decisions.

A good leader absolutely needs confidence and must be willing to make difficult decisions. A great leader must also be able to build trust. Nothing builds trust like authenticity.

Someone who is authentic is willing to be transparent. Is willing to admit to a mistake or misjudgment. They speak from the heart. They aren’t afraid to be vulnerable.

Being authentic and vulnerable isn’t about crying or giving insincere pats on the back. In fact, nothing will sell you out faster than trying to fake authenticity. You can smell it a mile away. Faking authenticity will destroy your credibility.

Let them see you sweat

Some people take the advice “never let them see you sweat” a little to literally. It’s fine advice if you’re about to start an arm wrestling competition or facing off against an angry dog. It’s terrible advice if you want to lead a functioning team.

Too many people think of vulnerability as a weakness. In fact, there is nothing more courageous than admitting you have flaws or that you’ve made a mistake. It shows you are willing to be accountable. It builds trust. If your team can trust you, they will respect you. Those are the most productive teams.

Finding your authentic self

Not everyone demonstrates emotion the same way. You don’t have to fundamentally change who you are. If you’re not comfortable with showing emotion, you can still show your authentic self.

The first step is to really know yourself. Be honest and understand your weaknesses. Listen to the feedback of others. It’s not a condemnation, it’s just admitting that you are human and have flaws.

Don’t be afraid of your humanity

You know that guy who can never admit that he’s made a mistake? Don’t be that guy.

Be open to saying, “Yeah, I was wrong about that.” If you mess up, say you’re sorry. If you need help, ask for help. If there’s something you don’t understand, ask for it to be explained. Those are not signs of weakness or incompetency.

On the other hand, if you are someone who really believes that you’re always right, you have more work to do. Just because you think it, doesn’t mean it’s true.

Start by being aware of your thinking and your feelings. Check in to make sure you are dealing with fact and not interpretation.

I often tell my clients to tap into what they “Think, Feel and Want.” In any situation where there’s tension or disagreement, take a breath and take a moment to work through “What do I think is going on right now? How do I feel about it? What do I want?”. When you have access to what you think, feel and want you’re reactions are a choice and much more authentic.

Check it out with the other person. This is not easy but when you’re direct, it removes any ambiguity. It should not be an accusation. You are just checking to make sure you have the right information. Hopefully the other person is authentic with their response, but you can’t control that. However, it will make your thoughts and feelings perfectly clear.

It takes practice

For many of us, being vulnerable and authentic takes practice. As a society, we are taught to hide our feelings and lack of perfection. Leaders who are open to showing their true selves, and allow other to do the same, build teams that trust each other.

Teams built on trust are more productive, aren’t afraid to be innovative and can handle change better. After all, they aren’t wasting time trying to hide their flaws.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jackie Lauer is a Corporate Culture Guru and founder of Heart of Culture, a passionate leadership coach and often invited keynote speaker. She is also the Accelerator Centre’s Leadership and Culture mentor. Known for her no BS approach and sense of humour she’s here to help you transform your company’s culture into a thriving workplace.