November 13, 2014 — Fredericton — Today, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced that the founders of Ara Labs Security Solutions are the latest successful applicants for permanent residence through the Start-up Visa Program.
Supported by the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF), Ehsan Mokhtari and Hadi Shiravi Khozani’s start-up company has developed a platform for the real-time monitoring of fraudulent behaviour affecting the advertising campaigns of its customers. Formerly of Iran, both founders were PhD candidates at the University of New Brunswick prior to launching their company and obtaining a venture capital investment from the NBIF.
Alexander made the announcement at the University of New Brunswick’s National Research Council – Institute for Information Technology Building, where he noted that Mr. Mokhtari and Mr. Shiravi Khozani are the first successful Start-up Visa Program applicants in Atlantic Canada.
The Start-up Visa Program, the first of its kind in the world, links experienced Canadian venture capital funds, angel investor organizations and business incubators with foreign entrepreneurs who want to launch their start-up companies in Canada.
It is an important part of the Government’s plan to build a fast and flexible economic immigration system, with a primary focus on meeting the new and emerging needs of the Canadian economy.
Kevin Menard
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
