Growing International Markets for Vineyard Aerial Data Insights
News Release
Funding supports Halifax’s VineView as it establishes a strategic presence in the world’s leading wine regions
February 9, 2018 – Bedford, NS – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Helping innovative small and medium sized companies grow their business and enter into new markets is critical to enhancing Atlantic Canada’s economic success. Thanks to an investment of $500,000 from the Government of Canada, VineView, which provides high-quality data to grape growers about the health of their vines, will be able to expand its presence in international markets.
Darrell Samson, Member of Parliament for Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook, today announced the repayable assistance on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
The contribution, being made through ACOA’s Business Development Program, will help the data analytics firm establish itself in the world’s foremost wine regions. Headquartered in Halifax, with offices in Napa Valley, California and Toulouse, France, the company uses aerial images, taken by drone and airplane, to provide valuable data to vineyard owners. Data analytics enable grape growers to optimize yields, improve grape quality, manage irrigation and reduce damage from environmental factors like grapevine infection and frost.
This investment builds on commitments made by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces to drive economic growth in the region through the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which involves targeted actions to create opportunities for all Atlantic Canadians, support long-term growth and position the region to capitalize on emerging opportunities in a variety of areas including trade.
Quotes
“The Government of Canada is committed to building a strong culture of innovation that focuses on creative and entrepreneurial people, state-of-the-art technology and competitive companies. As it helps grape growers throughout North America and Europe improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of their operations, VineView is creating wealth and sustained economic growth in Nova Scotia.”
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA
“In order to grow a strong and sustainable economy in Atlantic Canada, our government is encouraging small and medium-sized businesses like VineView to innovate, pursue the commercialization of research and development, and generate value-added opportunities in resource-based industries such as agriculture. This pioneering company is building its strategic presence amongst the world’s leading wine regions by continuing to provide vintners with the world’s most advanced measurement of vine health.”
- Darrell Samson, Member of Parliament for Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook
“With this funding, we will be able to enter new markets and secure our position as the global market leader in the vineyard space. This investment not only impacts how we are able to scale globally, but it will help us expand our team, fund resources required to accelerate our research and development projects, and enhance our product offering going into this year’s growing season.”
- Richard van der Put, CEO, VineView
“We have a small and developing wine industry here in Nova Scotia where the planting of a vineyard is capital intensive, requires detailed understanding of many factors and is a multigenerational commitment. These emerging technologies not only have the potential as a grape growing tool to greatly expand our understanding of fundamental aspects of quality and productivity in the vineyard, they are applications which will no doubt be developed to benefit many other plant cropping systems and land use efficiencies.”
- Jonathan Rodwell, Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Devonian Coast Wineries
Quick Facts
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Vineview was created in January 2018 through a merger of Halifax’s SkySquirrel Technologies Inc. and VineView Scientific Aerial Imaging of California.
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Data analytics company SkySquirrel Technologies Inc. was founded in 2012 in Cape Breton by CEO Richard van der Put who remains CEO of VineView.
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Dr. Matt Staid, former president of VineView Scientific Aerial Imaging, and a former lead scientist on many NASA projects, is the new company’s chief scientific officer.
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In 2015, SkySquirrel was named one of the Canadian Innovation Exchange’s Top 20 Winners and received a Vintage Report Innovation Award.
Contacts
Alex Smith
Director of Communications and Outreach
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Phone: 902-426-9417 | 902-880-3839 (cell)
E-mail: alex.smith@canada.ca
Emily Ennett
Marketing & Business Development Manager
VineView
Phone: 902-442-0742
E-mail: Emily.ennett@vineview.ca