As summer wraps up, and as unbelievable as that is, we’re proud to share success stories from around the Invest Ottawa ecosystem in hopes of highlighting amazing entrepreneurship stories from a variety of sectors in the Ottawa market.
Read below to learn more about The Urban Botanist, Cisco Systems and Heartee Foods in the August edition of our Ottawa Business Success Snapshots.
The Urban Botanist – building a passion project on all levels
While finishing her studies at Carleton University and working as a full-time flight attendant in 2017, founder of The Urban Botanist Emma Terrell remembers feeling increasingly disconnected from the nature she loved growing up. And as she explains, she knew she had to do something to change that.
“I was constantly on the go, flying from one place to another, and I craved a connection to nature, something grounding,” Emma shared in a virtual call.
As a way to bring a piece of the natural world into her life again, she started creating terrariums. And what began as a personal project soon grew into something much bigger, as people in her networks and beyond started to ask for not only the terrariums but also the know-how to do it themselves.
“That was how the plant the seed was planted for The Urban Botanist,” she explained. “People wanted to make their own and learn about how they worked, so I started hosting very intimate, small little workshops at a friend’s restaurant or at my house or here and there, and that quickly, quickly grew.”
Today, Emma considers herself a multifaceted entrepreneur – and for good reason. Along with selling a variety of products and DIY kits aimed at helping people grow their green thumb and connect with nature at home, she also designs, fabricates and installs vertical green moss walls and living instillations and sells 100% organic made-in-Canada fertilizer solutions for the at-home plant lover as well.
But aside from products, she’s also a plant personality and online influencer, sharing her love and passion for bringing nature inside through educational online content, corporate events, and trade shows across the country. She also continues to deliver workshops in Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto, with hopes of expanding to additional cities as well.
Fine-tuning the business with Invest Ottawa’s pilot e-commerce program
As her passion evolved into a thriving business with multiple revenue sources, she was presented with the opportunity to participate in Invest Ottawa’s pilot E-commerce Program, and she took the opportunity to optimize her expanding venture.
“I have a lot of different revenue streams that I am forever trying to determine which ones I need to invest time in,” she explained. “This program was expansive in realizing that I can do it all in a lot of ways and fine-tuning how each of those systems works so that they perform better. It’s expanded my mindset and how to look at my business differently.”
Emma says one of the program’s main benefits was getting connected to Ottawa’s community of entrepreneurs.
“I was also just excited to be a part of a community again and to connect with other local business owners and hear about their experiences,” she said. “By having this network of people that now I can tap and touch base with, I’ve already learned things about how website functions that I didn’t know about before.”
On August 20th Emma realized a dream to have her own TV show with the launch of Inside & Out – a wellness series presented by Gusto TV to help you connect with your physical and spiritual health on the inside and outside. The eight-part series is now available through the Gusto TV app, Amazon TV, and Roku and will air in over 160 countries in three languages.
- To keep up to date with Emma – be sure to follow The Urban Botanist on Instagram and subscribe to the YouTube channel here.
- To hear about free entrepreneurship workshops and exciting programs for non-tech entrepreneurs, such as our pilot e-commerce program, sign up for our monthly entrepreneurship newsletter.
Cisco Systems: Powering the 2024 Olympics with Innovation and Security
The 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games have captured the attention of the world – and global technology leader Cisco Systems has played a pivotal role in helping to make it possible.
Building on a 12-year legacy of supporting the Olympic Games in London, Rio and Tokyo, Cisco became a ‘triple partner’ in 2024 as an official network equipment partner, videoconferencing software partner, and cybersecurity infrastructure partner, helping to ensure the seamless operation and delivery of the global event through its cutting-edge solutions.
Cisco engineering teams are cheering on Team Canada at Paris 2024 from their Kanata office.
Cisco’s Canadian and Local Connection
With over 2,300 talented employees in Canada as part of its global talent roster, Cisco is actively invested in the Canadian business and technology ecosystem.
Since it began operating in Canada, Cisco has invested over $1 billion CAD in research and development, skills, training, innovation, and venture capital.
Most recently, Cisco Canada achieved #1 Best Workplace in Canada from Great Place to Work for the second consecutive year, and several of the company’s R&D sites are located in Canada, including one in Kanata, giving the company a significant presence here in Ottawa.
Invest Ottawa and Cisco have a strong working relationship that supports ecosystem development and innovation in the region, making Ottawa a destination for telecom development and growth.
Bringing Paris 2024 to Life with Cisco Technology
Cisco’s network infrastructure equipment and software served as the backbone of the Games, supporting and enabling everything from dynamic displays to access control to ticketing to worldwide broadcasts.
The deployment of private 5G technology also revolutionized what was possible in media coverage for this year, providing immersive images – particularly during the Opening Ceremony on the Seine and the sailing competition in Marseille.
Cisco’s videoconferencing software, Webex, was also customized and called upon to help manage the recruitment and training of 45,000 volunteers, ensuring smooth and secure communication between the Organizing Committee and volunteers across various official sites.
Ensuring Security and Reliability on a Global Stage
Ensuring robust cybersecurity is one of the most significant challenges of delivering the Olympics. This year, the effort included securing over 100 Olympic sites and protecting them from sophisticated attacks, safeguarding the digital experience for all participants, and maintaining the overall integrity of the event.
A Legacy of Innovation and Trust
As Cisco continues to grow and innovate in Ottawa, its role in the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games stands as a testament to the company’s ability to power large-scale global events with cutting-edge technology and unwavering reliability.
- For more information on Cisco’s software, network, and cybersecurity solutions, visit their website here.
- For more information about services that can help you with your expansion, from our Global Runway and Talent Sourcing programs to Area X.O., visit Whyottawa.ca.
Heartee Foods – Making locally grown food a sustainable reality
Rob, a serial tech entrepreneur, and Jon, experienced in medical device sales, designed container farms that can be manufactured and distributed across the country. Together, they identified a challenge and designed a way to grow fresh, sustainable produce hyper-locally.
Connecting to Area X.O for growth solutions
Founded in 2020 by co-founders Rob Imbeault and Jonathan Murray, Heartee Foods is revolutionizing the way exotic mushrooms are grown and distributed.
The innovative Canadian company is working to overcome the challenge of short shelf-life for exotic mushrooms by developing hyper-local growing solutions, and their unique approach ensures fresh, sustainable produce for local communities.
Good news for those interested in learning more about how their innovations are helping to revolutionize the smart farming industry – Heartee Foods will be a participating demonstrator at GCXpo (formerly TCXpo) – the pioneering Canadian smart mobility tech demo day at Area X.O on September 26th.
The company started with just one container in downtown Ottawa, but its rapid growth soon highlighted the need for additional farms and a more robust infrastructure. Recognizing the substantial amount of research and innovation required, the ag-tech company communicated their challenges to a member of the Invest Ottawa staff. This connection led to an introduction to the team at Area X.O, operated by Invest Ottawa, which proved pivotal for their development.
Area X.O, operated by Invest Ottawa, played a crucial role in overcoming the company’s challenges. Heartee Foods is a current tenant of Area X.O and benefits from introductions and collaborations where Heartee’s unique technology can entice other ag tech clients.
Thanks in part to FCC and other collaborators and partners at Area X.O, Heartee Foods is now among the top two retailers in the country, with products available in Loblaws and Sobeys stores.
Heartee Foods continues to grow and is looking to expand by adding more farms at Area X.O and even renting building space on the grounds. Recent discussions include opportunities to integrate new technology into the growing chamber for the mushrooms, and a current horticulture experiment on site in Field 2 at Area X.O has been testing the use of the spent substrate as a fertilizer to provide nutrients in the soil.
- Heartee Foods will be a participating demonstrator at GCXpo (formerly TCXpo) – the pioneering Canadian smart mobility tech demo day at Area X.O on September 26. To join us for this one-of-a-kind demo day event at Area X.O., register here.
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