NETWORK LEGACY: Wavefront - Wavefront
Funded 2011-18
www.wavefront.ca
NCE contributions
$19.6 million
Headquarters
Vancouver, British Columbia
Transforming businesses through mobile and IoT innovation
Canada has a long history of global leadership in telecommunications. Maintaining this leadership in an increasingly wireless world depends in large part on the success of hundreds of small and medium-sized homegrown companies. A critical issue for these companies is how to identify and connect with the resources, partners and opportunities needed to commercialize new products and services, and expand into new international markets. In 2007, Vancouver-based business accelerator Wavefront broke new ground with a suite of services that began helping companies in British Columbia. Four years later, the centre was looking to go national.
Among the results
- Wavefront has created more than 170 new companies, many through its Venture Acceleration Program for early-stage companies. Alumni include Awesense, which deployed a smart grid analytics solution with BC Hydro to reduce power theft issues; Mobify, which created a mobile shopping platform for enterprise retailers; and Cropsense, an innovator of agriculture technology.
- Wavefront’s usability testing services have helped organizations like Car2Go launch its first Canadian operations in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Eventbase, an event app platform, gain their first customers: The Vancouver Olympics, SXSW, Sundance Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival and Salesforce.
- Through its Global Market Entry Program, Wavefront has introduced more than 175 Canadian companies to global markets in 34 countries, including Sendum Wireless. As a result, Australian mobile operator Telstra has deployed Sendum’s asset monitoring solution through its Business & Enterprise portal.
- In collaboration with VIATeC and Accelerate Okanagan, Wavefront launched the RevUp program for growth-stage companies with strong market potential. The program educates companies on sales, marketing, operations and raising capital. Twelve companies have participated in the program.