Coffee Briefings are timely deliveries of the latest ITWC headlines, interviews, and podcasts. Today’s Coffee Briefing is delivered by IT World Canada’s editorial team!
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What’s new this week
Trulioo acquires Denmark-based digital workflow solutions provider HelloFlow
Trulioo, a global Canadian identity verification firm, today announced it has acquired Denmark-based HelloFlow, a no-code, drag-and-drop builder of client onboarding, monitoring and digital workflow solutions.
The acquisition is expected to accelerate the delivery of an enhanced end-to-end identity platform by combining Trulioo GlobalGateway, the company’s global data and identity services network for both business and individual verification, with HelloFlow’s full suite of orchestration, onboarding workflow and risk management capabilities. With this acquisition, Trulioo says its customers will be able to use a single unified platform to optimize their onboarding workflows for seamless user experience while continuing to meet Know Your Customer, Anti-Money Laundering and other regulatory and fraud prevention requirements.
Google commits $1.5 million to support Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs in Canada
Google Canada has announced a C$1.5 million contribution to the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses (CCAB) over the course of two years to support Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs across the country.
Google says one million will go towards cash grants and CCAB memberships for Indigenous businesses, and to the redevelopment of CCAB’s Tools and Financing for Aboriginal Business (TFAB) platform which provides practical tools, training, and networks to support Indigenous businesses. The company will provide CCAB with the remaining $500,000 in the form of donated Search ads to help the council reach a broader audience, promote its programs and share research with the public.
Global satellite services operator selects Toronto-based Clear Blue Technologies’ Smart Off-Grid solar power systems for Africa
Toronto-based smart off-grid systems provider Clear Blue Technologies International last week announced that YahClick, a UAE-based global satellite broadband service provider, has selected Clear Blue as its preferred Smart Off-Grid, solar power system provider for large deployments of its telecommunication customer sites across Africa.
Initial orders from two YahClick customers, worth C$425,000 in revenue across 44 sites, commenced shipping in Q4 2021. Follow-on shipments for these and other YahClick customers are expected throughout 2022, beginning in Q1. Initial installations under this partnership will begin in early 2022 for sites in Nigeria and Zambia, with an estimated target of close to 1,000 sites to be installed over the next 12 to 24 months, said Clear Blue Technologies.
Startup Canada extends its flagship Startup Global Program to a full-year program
Startup Canada last week announced that Startup Global 2022 has been extended to a full year of programming, expanding on the July-November schedule of 2021. Startup Canada says, with this annual flagship program, it aims to better prepare founders and key industry partners as they will no longer be as limited in the time they can spend within the program growing their businesses, connecting, and preparing to launch into the global marketplace. Running from February to November of this year, Startup Global is a series of free live webinars, educational initiatives, and pitch competitions meant to recognize the importance of exporting to the Canadian economy, convening different sectors connected to the exporting ecosystems, and equipping founders to take their ventures to the international stage.
Also new in this year’s programming is the addition of exclusive in-kind support for the top 100 pitch competition semi-finalists. Provided by Startup Canada’s partners, this support includes pitch bootcamps, one-on-one mentoring through the Mentorly platform, as well as partner advisory circles which will offer cohort members exclusive, direct connections to a vast network of private sector experts, explains Startup Canada. This year Startup Global is presented in partnership with UPS and the Trade Commissioner Service along with Export Development Canada, Mastercard, Scotiabank, Ebay, and Google Canada.
More information on the Startup Global Pitch Competition and a link to register for the program can be found here.
Cloudflare enhanced partner program to support SASE & Zero Trust managed services
Cloudflare last week announced it has updated its Channel and Alliances Partner Program to specifically enable partners that provide services around Cloudflare products with recurring revenue streams as they equip businesses of all sizes and types with Cloudflare’s Zero Trust and SASE solutions. Some of the ways in which Cloudflare says it has enhanced its partner program include new program paths, new managed service partner (MSP) accreditation, and new support and go-to-market motions. More information about the updated partner program can be found here.
More to explore
Staying informed is a constant challenge. There’s so much to do, and so little time. But we have you covered. Grab a coffee and take five while you nibble on these tidbits.
ITI, a technology transformation company based in Quebec City and Laval, Quebec, has acquired Zycom Technology, an IT infrastructure and managed IT services company based in Toronto, Ontario.
IBM brings Canada’s first universal quantum computer to Quebec
IBM, in partnership with the Canadian government, has chosen Quebec to house its first universal quantum system in Canada and the fourth one deployed outside of the U.S, the company announced on Feb. 3.
The top skills IT professionals need to succeed
Cyber security and cloud skills are crucial for IT professionals to advance their careers over the next five years. That’s a key finding of the newly released 2021 Canadian IT Skills Report.
Starlink satellite internet launches premium tier for remote businesses and ‘super users’
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has introduced a premium tier that offers better performance during inclement weather.
Montreal-based software company launches new employee onboarding platform
Montreal-based software company GSoft is launching a new product aimed at making the employee onboarding process more engaging and consistent with the new normal of hybrid and remote work.
New Salesforce tool to help businesses manage their reopening strategies
Cloud-based software company Salesforce has announced the launch of Safety Cloud, a service that helps businesses better manage their entry protocols at events and/or in the workplace by streamlining COVID-19 testing and health status reporting on a single platform.
Telus launches PureFibre X with Internet speeds of 2.5 Gbps in Edmonton and parts of B.C.
Telus Communications today announced the launch of PureFibre X, a new tier of home Internet with symmetrical upload and download speeds of 2.5 Gbps, in Edmonton, Alberta, and in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley in British Columbia.
Moving and Shaking the Real Estate Industry
Growing up in Vancouver, Ian Wong didn’t dream of transforming a trillion dollar industry. That dream took shape in 2014 when he co-founded one of the biggest disruptors in the real estate market.
UBC researchers and AWS team up to discover new strains of RNA viruses
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have found a new way to rapidly discover new strains of RNA viruses using Amazon Web Service’s (AWS) Cloud Innovation Centre to analyze raw DNA/RAW sequence data from public sequencing databases.
Growing the future cybersecurity workforce
With uncertain timing and changing health measures, the demand for secure remote access isn’t going away. As more organizations adopt a hybrid workforce, the resulting network complexity will require advanced security products and increased IT support.
ITWC Podcasts
Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Trending
Amazon more than doubles its base pay to retain corporate and tech employees, Microsoft’s CEO says the Activision Blizzard deal will help with building its metaverse, and Google is hit with more fines.
Listen to the latest episode of Cyber Security Today
This podcast reports on the background of the ALPHV ransomware gang, email used in cyberattacks on Ukraine, what may have been behind the theft of cryptocurrency at the Wormhole platform and more.
Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Tendances (Hosted by Direction Informatique)
If you live in Quebec or prefer to consume the latest technology news in French, our sister publication Direction Informatique has you covered. Follow them on Twitter as well.