As 2024 winds down, there’s no better time to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels Ottawa’s vibrant business community.
Learn how Solink, Wind River and Shop ANTHONIA are finding success here in Ottawa and beyond, in our November edition of the Ottawa Business Success Snapshots.
Solink Unveils AI-Powered Upgrades, Strengthening Its Position in Video-Surveillance Innovation
Late last month, Ottawa-based video surveillance software company Solink announced new AI-powered product upgrades aimed at changing what’s possible in providing security and operational insights for businesses worldwide.
These newly launched AI features, including Sidekick AI, bring an exciting level of functionality.
With real-time alerts and the ability to interact with the system through simple, plain-language questions, users can now quickly determine everything from top-selling products to company compliance with safety protocols – offering business operations a new level of visibility.
Founded in 2009, Solink has become a global leader in cloud-based software that integrates with over 300 business solutions. From restaurants and retail to manufacturing, their software platform provides real-time security and analytics, helping clients detect fraud, reduce losses, and enhance their operational efficiency.
Through the software, customers can quickly search video footage from digital security cameras and match it up to point-of-sale records to help identify specific events, helping them spot workflow inefficiencies and detect incidents of fraud and theft.
Today, with over 30,000 customer locations in 32 countries, Solink continues to make waves as a trusted security partner.
And as they look toward expanding their market, Solink’s AI advancements are a clear demonstration of how Ottawa companies continue to innovate on a global stage.
- For more information, read the full release on the Solink website.
- Invest Ottawa’s services and programs help technology businesses by shortening their growth path. Learn more about Invest Ottawa’s Venture Path.
Wind River Launches eLxr Pro, Pioneering AI and Critical Workload Solutions with Ottawa Expertise
This month, we’re also thrilled to spotlight Wind River’s latest innovation, the eLxr Pro platform. Developed with contributed expertise from their talented Ottawa-based team, eLxr Pro represents a cutting-edge leap in Linux-based enterprise solutions.
A bit about Wind River
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Wind River has established a strong base in Canada’s capital. Their Ottawa team continues to advance the company’s mission to provide world-class software solutions to aerospace, defence, and industrial markets.
Launched in late September, Wind River’s eLxr Pro platform was introduced to meet the rising demand for secure, reliable, and high-performance software, particularly in industries where critical systems need to run safely, reliably and efficiently – everything from aerospace and defence, to healthcare, automotive and telecommunications.
Built specifically for AI, machine learning, and other critical applications, eLxr Pro stands out as a software platform that helps businesses run complex tasks securely and efficiently on Linux systems.
The Ottawa Connection
For nearly two decades, Wind River’s Ottawa team has helped lead the company’s open-source and Linux R&D efforts.
Recently, the Ottawa Linux R&D team played a lead role in developing and launching the new eLxr Pro Linux offering. The platform’s innovative architecture enables clients to manage and deploy AI and machine learning applications with enhanced security – optimizing performance even in the most challenging operational environments.
With the availability of local talent in the cloud space, Ottawa will continue to be an important part of Wind River’s strategy to remain the market leader in these industries.
With its eLxr Pro offering, Wind River is helping to place Ottawa expertise at the forefront of global tech innovation, demonstrating the city’s strength as a hub for high-impact technology development.
- For more details, read Wind River’s official release.
- Discover how Invest Ottawa supports groundbreaking tech companies like Wind River through our tailored business growth support and services.
A Passion for Beauty: Expanding the Vision of Shop ANTHONIA
As a passionate artist since childhood, Anthonia Bejide has always had a love for beauty.
From her early days as a beauty advisor at MAC Cosmetics, Anthonia transitioned a passion for expressing beauty through makeup into Shop ANTHONIA – a thriving Ottawa-based business focused on makeup artistry, photography, and beauty education.
“I never imagined I could turn my passion into a career, she wrote via email. “Today, I’m proud to be an Ottawa-based makeup artist, beauty educator, photographer, and entrepreneur, and I absolutely love what I do.”
Fueling the next steps in the entrepreneurial dream
In 2020, she launched her first line of high-quality synthetic makeup brushes—a decade-long dream that propelled the growth of her business.
Now Anthonia is looking to finish 2024 strong by taking the next big step by introducing comprehensive online beauty courses and specialized workshops – something she says has long been requested by those who have been unable to attend her in-person sessions.
“I’m excited to expand my business by launching online courses,” Anthonia shared. “These courses are tailored to meet the needs of both everyday women and professionals, covering everything from natural, timeless looks for special occasions to makeup techniques for productions.”
With the hopes of addressing a significant gap in beauty education, Anthonia also shared plans to soon introduce in-depth workshops specifically designed for Black women.
She says this addresses a crucial gap in beauty education by providing in-depth sessions specifically for Black women who she explains are often underserved by the industry.
“I can’t wait to share my knowledge and empower others in the beauty community,” she said.
Entrepreneurship Programs Spark Growth
Anthonia highlights the Starter Company Plus program, made possible through funding from the Government of Ontario and delivered by Invest Ottawa, as being an early contributor to helping her develop her business idea. She explained how the program gave her the confidence and drive to take her brand and her business seriously.
“In 2018, a friend introduced me to Invest Ottawa,” she remembered. “I began attending their free seminars which I found both fascinating and incredibly helpful. When I saw the opportunity to join the Starter Company Plus program, I immediately applied.”
According to Anthonia the experience gave her the skills to write a solid business plan, helping her secure a grant to launch the makeup brushes that would provide a product to help fuel her business growth.
“The program was an amazing experience,” she said. “It taught me the fundamentals of starting and growing a business, including how to create a proper business plan. This plan was necessary to help me secure a grant that allowed me to develop and launch my line of makeup brushes.”
What’s next for Shop ANTHONIA?
According to Anthonia, it’s full steam ahead in preparing for a big 2025 that will be all about broadening her reach: expanding her freelance services, launching new online courses, and merging her makeup expertise with her passion for photography.
“I’m excited about what the future holds,” she said. “In the coming year, I plan to finally launch online beauty courses to share my makeup expertise with a broader audience. This has always been a goal of mine, and I’m excited to bring it to life to help grow my business.”
“I’ll also focus on expanding my freelance makeup services, building relationships with new clients, and pursuing larger opportunities,” she added.
But before the new year begins, Anthonia says she is focusing on the upcoming holidays, highlighting a 40% discount she’s offering on her brushes. She also beamed with excitement about hosting more makeup workshops where she’d have the opportunity to share her expertise with fellow enthusiasts and aspiring artists – including a Makeup and Wine workshop focused on makeup for busy women.
- For more about Shop ANTHONIA’s workshops, online courses, and special events, follow Anthonia on Instagram @anthonia.bejide or visit her websites anthonia.ca and shopanthonia.ca.
- To hear about programs, opportunities and events for non-tech entrepreneurs, sign up for our Small Business programs mailing list
- To learn more about Starter Company Plus and how you can join the next cohort, visit our Starter Company Plus page.
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