To serve the growing Canadian demand for next generation connectivity, eleven-x is today launching Canada’s first carrier-grade low power wide area network for IoT (Internet of Things). The eleven-x network, built on the LoRaWAN™ open global standard, offers private businesses, manufacturers and public institutions the necessary connectivity to gain valuable information from remote, inexpensive low power devices.
The appetite in Canada for IoT connectivity is exploding, according to research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), with the market exhibiting a annual growth rate of 16.9 percent. An IoT network will enable businesses and municipalities to take advantage of low power, low cost connectivity enabling new services such as on-premises-based asset tracking, lighting control (streets and buildings), water flow monitoring and metering, health monitoring, environmental monitoring, and soil moisture and nutrient monitoring.
Unlike IoT services provided by traditional Canadian carriers with networks built to address voice and data, eleven-x’s network is purpose-built for IoT, offering a lower cost and lower power option with up to 20 years battery life. This means the network is ideally suited to business, manufacturing, and municipal applications where low power consumption and cost are important factors.
“Initially, the eleven-x IoT network will serve Waterloo Region (Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge) but the company intends to roll out a national network providing coverage in all major Canadian cities over the next 12-18 months, says Dan Mathers, Chairman and co-founder. “The Canadian market is ripe for innovation with respect to the adoption of IoT for businesses and government. Our network, will enable businesses and municipalities to accelerate the applications and business processes that will allow them to offer new products and services and to operate more efficiently.”
eleven-x, a client of the Accelerator Centre since 2015 and a recipient of AC JumpStart funding, has itself exhibited explosive growth since moving into the technology incubator. Founded by experienced technology executive Dan Mathers and former Blackberry wireless experts Ryan Hickey and Fraser Gibbs, the company has grown to almost 20 people. eleven-x also announced today its membership in the LoRa Alliance™. The LoRaWAN protocol, followed by over 400 companies worldwide in the LoRa Alliance, ensures interoperability between all emerging IoT services and applications to help scale adoption.
“The $30,000 in funding provided by AC JumpStart allowed us to hire a full-time staff member who proved invaluable in launching our IoT network,” says Ryan Hickey. “We have also taken full advantage of the incredible mentorship and services provided by the Accelerator Centre in crafting our go-to-market plans.”
ACJumpStart is made possible by and investment from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and is delivered in partnership with Conestoga College, Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo.