Atlantic Canadian mobile and gaming firms on the hunt for global opportunities
March 2, 2015 – Moncton, NB – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
They run the gamut from well-established companies to new startups. Some have reaped the highest honours the industry can bestow, while others are just starting to make their mark. Some are part of Atlantic Canada’s computer gaming industry and others stem from the region’s mobile application development sector. What they have in common is that they are all part of Atlantic Canada’s booming information and communications technology (ICT) sector.
Starting today, Atlantic Canadian ICT companies are taking their products to the world stage, by participating in two of the world’s largest tradeshows, all with support from the Canada/Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development (IBDA).
From March 2 to 5, the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technology Industries (NATI) is leading a delegation from Atlantic Canada to participate in the 2015 Mobile World Congress (MWC), in Barcelona, Spain. The MWC is one of the largest exhibitions for the mobile industry in the world and features over 1,900 exhibitors. The Congress will convene industry leaders, visionaries and innovators to explore the trends that will predict the future of the sector. Last year’s event drew 85,000 attendees from over 200 countries.
Nova Scotia Business Inc. is leading a delegation of 16 Atlantic Canadian gaming companies to participate in the 2015 Game Developers Conference (GDC) March 2 to 6 in San Francisco, California. The GDC attracts over 24,000 attendees from around the world, and is the largest event where programmers, artists, and others involved in the development of interactive games gather to exchange ideas and shape the future of the industry.
Quick Facts
- The Government of Canada, through ACOA, is investing $53,512 in the mission to the Mobile World Congress and the four Atlantic provincial governments are providing a combined investment of $22,933, also through the IBDA.
- The Government of Canada, through ACOA, is investing $67,200 in the mission to the Game Developers Conference, and the four Atlantic provincial governments are providing a combined investment of $28,800, all through the IBDA.
- IBDA funding for the Game Developers Conference and Mobile World Congress will go towards supporting business-to-business meetings with pre-qualified partners, as well as other related mission costs.
- The Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector in Atlantic Canada is comprised of over 1,600 companies developing products and services in a variety of sectors, including software development, IT services, market solutions, gaming, system integration and training, electronics, geomatics and digital media.
- Mobile World Congress and the Game Developers Conference are world-class events where ICTcompanies can get first-hand exposure to developing technologies, trends and markets. The ICT sector contributed $69.5 billion to the Canadian GDP (in 2007 constant dollars) in 2013, accounting for 4.4% of Canadian GDP. (Source: Industry Canada, Canadian ICT Sector Profile, October 2014)
- The IBDA is a federal/provincial agreement between the Government of Canada (ACOA, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, and Industry Canada) and the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada and is designed to help Atlantic Canadian businesses enter, explore and succeed in international markets. The IBDA is a key component of a pan-Atlantic effort to foster business relations, attract foreign investment and nurture technological co-operation.
Associated Links
Backgrounder
The following Atlantic Canadian SMEs are participating in Mobile World Congress March 2-5, 2015
Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. – Fredericton, NB
Founded in 1997, Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA) is Canada’s leading independent solutions provider of quality assurance and software testing services through a team of over 100 professionals. Headquartered in Fredericton, NB, PQA has additional delivery offices located in Halifax, NS, Moncton, NB, Calgary, AB and Vancouver, BC.
Mariner Partners – Saint John, NB
Mariner is a world leader in Software Defined Monitoring for managed and unmanaged Internet Protocol (IP) video and broadband networks. The company’s software helps operators centrally manage the complexity required to deliver new video services with real-time visibility. Mariner xVu™ allows service providers to offer a reliable, high-quality viewing experience; rapidly isolate IP video network issues; and cost-effectively reduce truck rolls and call volume to ensure a superior broadband and TV service.
Master Merchant Systems – Dartmouth, NS
Founded in 1988, Master Merchant Systems is a global retail solutions company with over two decades of experience in developing and implementing retail management solutions. Master Merchant Systems has become one of the premier retail management systems/point of sale providers for the telecommunications industry and is represented in over 40 markets globally.
NewNet Communications Technologies – Bedford, NS
NewPace Technology Development, recently acquired by NewNet Communications Technologies, develops, deploys and supports modern telecommunications software for mobile network operators. Its products include solutions for text messaging (SMS), multimedia messaging (MMS) and emerging technology such as Voice over LTE, Video over LTE, Rich Communications Suite (RCS) and WebRTC. NewPace and NewNet have over 70 global customers.
Huminah Huminah Ltd. – Dartmouth, NS
Huminah Huminah Animation is an artist-owned and operated full production studio that specializes in broadcast animation production. The company has facilities in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Hamilton, Ontario. Since 2004, Huminah Huminah Ltd. has been producing animated television shows and interactive content in 2D (Toonboom, Flash) and 3D.
Adroit Vista Predictions Inc. – Wolfville, NS
Adroit Vista helps business-to-consumer enterprises create a state-of-the-art foundation for measuring and managing customer experience using machine learning and big data over single or multiple channels, ultimately helping companies improve customer experience.
The following Atlantic Canadian SMEs are participating in the Game Developers Conference, March 2-6, 2015
Hard Chill Games – Lunenburg, NS
Hard Chill Games is a newly-formed independent game developer with plans to build adrenalizing gaming experiences in bite-size consumable chunks, and start to establish a reputation for creating imaginative visions, thought-provoking narrative, and innovative game mechanics. Hard Chill Games is a new venture founded by a lifelong gamer and programmer who spent eight years developing triple-A console and handheld games published by EA and 505.
Orpheus Interactive – Halifax, NS
Orpheus Interactive is a video game development company that uses cutting-edge technology, versatile tools and its team’s experience in studios of all sizes to create new, leaner processes that allow it to constantly evolve and improve its games - both during development and after the launch with the help and feedback from players.
REDspace Inc. – Bedford, NS
REDspace describes itself as the ‘pioneers of digital awesomeness’. An Emmy-Award winning company for its work developing the Nick App for Nickelodeon, REDspace focuses its development efforts on application design and development, website design and development, and game design and development.
Twisted Oak Technologies – Halifax, NS
Twisted Oak has extensive experience in Unity3D development and high-tech interactive consulting from a co-op of excellent engineers, and is often recommended directly to technical projects by the Unity Technologies team. Twisted Oak’s 3D and Interactive Consulting team consists of a variety of specialized engineers with experience in graphics programming, augmented reality/virtual reality, networking, machine learning, and large project architecture.
Huminah Huminah Ltd. – Dartmouth, NS
Huminah Huminah Animation is an artist-owned and operated full production studio that specializes in broadcast animation production. The company has facilities in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Hamilton, Ontario. Since 2004, Huminah Huminah Ltd. has been producing animated television shows and interactive content in 2D (Toonboom, Flash) and 3D.
Alpha Dog Games – Halifax, NS
As an exclusive Unreal® Engine developer, Alpha Dog Games is on the cutting edge of the world’s most powerful game engine. One of the few experts in using this engine for mobile development, the company has garnered significant interest and respect from developers around the world. Alpha Dog Games also integrates its games with Facebook and Twitter, which adds human social connection and competitiveness.
Fourth Monkey Media – Lunenburg, NS
Fourth Monkey Media is a leading independent game development company with a highly-skilled and experienced management team, providing affordable, first class game production and co-production services since 2011. With its team of 14 seasoned professionals, Fourth Monkey is a small but mighty independent developer. Fourth Monkey Media is active in all major areas of game development, such as art creation and graphic design (2D and 3D), programming, game design, project management, QA and additional services like porting.
Vesuvius Media – Halifax, NS
Vesuvius Media is a relatively new gaming company to the Atlantic region, having moved to Halifax from Athens, Greece last October, coinciding with the launch of its new game, Nocturion. The company focuses on browser-based strategy games that can be played on Facebook and is looking to broaden its reach by going mobile and exploring other platforms like Steam. In addition to Nocturion, Vesuvius Media is the publisher of Universe Online, and a third game is currently in development.
Sculpin QA – Charlottetown, PEI
Sculpin QA offers a versatile and professional team of app and game analysts based out of Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. With a permanent staff and a schedule that can be adapted to meet clients' needs, as well as working with a wide variety of leading industry publishers and developers, Sculpin QA provides quality assurance, certification, playability testing, and game support services such as community management, billing support, and technical assistance.
Celsius Game Studios – St. John’s, NL
Celsius Game Studios is a small independent video game development studio whose goal is to build a sustainable business making awesome video games of all shapes and sizes. Currently in development is Drifter, a sandbox space trading game that features a massive galaxy with thousands of stars to explore. The company’s most recently released game is the critically acclaimed inertial space shooter Red Nova. The long term goal is to grow the studio to take on even more interesting projects.
Unified Softworx – St. John’s, NL
Founded in 2013, Unified Softworx aspires to create unique player experiences by bridging the gap between great tools and great games through a driving passion for game development.
Other Ocean Interactive – St. John’s, NL
Other Ocean Interactive develops games for multiple platforms including Xbox, PlayStation, PC, iOS, Android, Nintendo DS, Wii, and more. The company operates a development studio in St. John's, Newfoundland as well as a quality assurance and community management studio, Sculpin QA, in Charlottetown, PEI. Although the majority of the company’s development work is done in Canada, a group of well-seasoned executives and individuals in Emeryville, California handle business development, pitching to clients and holding discussions with some of the biggest names in the industry.
Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. – Fredericton, NB
Founded in 1997, Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA) is Canada’s leading independent solutions provider of quality assurance and software testing services through a team of over 100 professionals. Headquartered in Fredericton, NB, PQA has additional delivery offices located in Halifax, NS, Moncton, NB, Calgary, AB and Vancouver, BC.
Stompy Bot Productions – Saint John, NB
Launched in 2012, Stompy Bot Productions is a digital producer-publisher which specializes in working with dedicated developers to publish, market and sell digital games and media online. The company is the exclusive Heavy Gear digital games license holder and publisher of Heavy Gear Assault, a next generation PC title using Epic Game's latest Unreal® Engine 4 technology.
Jalloo – Miramichi, NB
Jalloo exists to help promote and develop the Animation and Games industry in the Atlantic provinces. The Annual Jalloo Festival of Animation and Games, plus a variety of activities during the year, allows professionals the opportunity to network, meet new professionals just entering the industry, meet with guest speakers and take part in professional development through discussions, panels, and workshops.
Current Studios – Halifax, NS
Current Studios opens doors for companies and brands that are early adopters of technology by creating stunning experiences presented in ingenious ways. Current believes in innovation, imagination and integration. The company brings together video and audio production, animators, game and mobile developers and programmers who specialize in connecting mobile devices to the physical world. The company’s mission is to look at the world through tomorrow’s lens and envision new ways to connect their clients and their consumers today.
Contacts
Kelsie Corey
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Rob Moore
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
613-941-7241
Ronald Levesque
A/Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
506-851-2085
Ronald.Levesque@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
