In partnership with the Canadian Consulate in New England, NATI is proposing to organize a group of NL Ocean Technology companies/research organizations to participate in a 2 day initiative tailored to our participants. In step with our friends at OceansAdvance and the Government of Newfoundland & Labrador's Ocean Tech Branch, we want to ensure we maximize this opportunity for the local community.

We are proposing to bring a small number of attendees to Boston/Cambridge for a day of targeted one on one meetings with potential partners, buyers, collaborators, etc, on Tuesday December 1^st, followed by the Maritime Innovation Meeting to be hosted at the U-Mass Dartmouth Advanced Technology Manufacturing Centre (ATMC) in Fall River, MA, the following day on December 2^nd.  The agenda for December 1^st will be determined by the participants' interests - we have several options that range from one on one meetings with targeted contacts, to facility tours at locations like Woods Hole Centre for Marine Robotics and the U-Mass ATMC. Erin Donahue, Ocean Technology Trade Commissioner for New England, will work with NATI and the attendees to arrange for requested meetings and to facilitate access for requested tours.

The networking event on the 2^nd will also offer 4 NL companies/organizations the opportunity to speak and to present their technologies/products/services to the attendees of the event. The event will include 100 -200 marine-focused people as the audience, and is sponsored by New England's foremost ocean technology organizations like MTS, AUVSI and MOTN. The keynote speaker at this event will be Jim Bellingham of the Woods Hole Centre for Marine Robotics.

If you are interested in participating in this initiative, please contact Natasha at natasha@nati.net by Friday, October 16^th. Please note that speaking slots are limited and will be offered on a first come, first serve basis.

Click here for more information on MARITIME INNOVATION: CONNECTING, TRAINING & ADVANCING. 

DEADLINE TO APPLY OCTOBER 30^th, 2015 

NATI is pleased to announce the 2015-2016 Commercialization Officer Internship and Directed Research Program (COIDRP) is officially open for applications. The deadline for eligible companies to apply is Friday, October 30^th, 2015. The COIDRP is based on the need to provide private sector companies with necessary commercialization, directed research, managerial and business planning skills to bring their technologies to the commercial stage. The COIDRP is designed to offer work opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) university and college graduates, and to provide eligible NL businesses with quality commercialization advisory services. Under this program selected companies can access funding support to hire a recent graduate for a period of one year.

Under the COIDRP, selected companies contribute a minimum of 25% ($10,000) of the graduate's salary, to the minimum per annum salary of $40,000, excluding all mandatory employer-related costs (MERC), with the program contributing up to 75% of the graduate's salary to a maximum of $30,000. In addition, the program also offers funding for training and professional development under the same 75%-25% cost shared structure.

The program will provide hands-on work experience for NL graduates and will contribute towards strengthening the innovation and commercialization performance of the province by encouraging SMEs to initiate and expand their business activities. Companies must be in businesses for 3 years in order to be eligible to participate, while interns must have graduated within the past 3 years with relevant training and education to assist the company with their technology commercialization initiatives.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Natasha Hudson at natasha@nati.net or 757-3253.

Please click the following links for more information and to apply:

Company Application Form
2015-2016 COIDRP Terms and Conditions
2015-2016 COIDRP Qualifications for Interns 

Applications can be submitted by email to natasha@nati.net, or by fax at: 709-757-6284.

In response to member demand, NATI is pleased to offer our membership the opportunity to participate in a 2 day Project Management workshop, taking place in St. John's on November 18^th and 19^th, 2015. NATI has contracted with Global Knowledge, the world's leading learning services and professional development solutions provider.

The first day of training will provide an overview of Project Management Fundamentals, methodology and concepts. Day 2 will provide a hands-on training lab in the use of MS Project 2013, the industry standard for project management software.

This training package is valued at $990.00, and is being offered to NATI members at a discounted rate of $99.00 + tax per attendee. This rate includes a working lunch both days. As the training is limited to 12 participants in order to ensure a high quality of instruction and interaction, seats are limited to private sector firms, and are offered as one per NATI member company.

Seats will be allocated on a first come first served basis by registering through the EventBrite link here: http://natipmtraining.eventbrite.ca

Dates for Training Delivery:

• Wednesday, November 18^th, 2015: PM 100
• Thursday, November 19^th, 2015: MS Project 2013

Start & End Times:8:30 am - 4:30 pm Daily
Lunch (provided):  12 noon to 1:00 pm Daily
Training Location:Chartered Accountants of NL Offices, 95 Bonaventure Avenue, Suite 500

DAY 1

Wednesday, November 18^th, 2015
Project Management Overview (PM100)*: Facilitator Elizabeth Grant

Learn the basic concepts and techniques of project management.

In this course, you will be introduced to the project management life cycle and key project management concepts of constraints, stakeholders, scope, risk, and communication.

Students pursuing a university-recognized and/or accredited certificate in Canada or continuing education units in the US must attend at least 90% of class time, participate in class exercises and section-knowledge checks, and score at least 70% on an end-of-class, multiple-choice assessment.

What You'll Learn

• Roles and responsibilities of a project manager
• Project management terminology as you apply basic project management concepts
• Essential management skills and techniques of project management
• Common project challenges
• How you can play a more active role in supporting a project

Who Needs to Attend

• Project team members who want to perform basic project management tasks on their projects or teams
• Business analysts who are working toward their Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) certification
• Anyone interested in becoming a project manager or exploring it as a career
• Anyone who works with project managers, such as IT staff, functional managers and team members, sales representatives, and administrative personnel.
•  

*This training also provides 7 PMI PDUS for those interested in pursuing PMI certification.

DAY 2

Thursday, November 19^th, 2015
Microsoft Project 2013 Level 1 Condensed: Facilitator Don Heale

In this clinic with hands-on labs, you will learn the introductory and intermediate features and functionality of Microsoft Project 2013.

What You'll Learn:

• Basic purpose and operation of the software
• Work with windows, Ribbon tabs and buttons, and views
• Create a new project and create, edit, and outline a task list, as well as establish dependencies by linking tasks.
• Add and assign resources to a project, work with project calendars, and enter project costs, such as standard, variable, and fixed costs
• Apply page setup options, create headers and footers, insert page breaks, and preview and print project information
• Apply task type settings, modify fixed tasks, set task constraints, and define and format the critical path
• Apply pre-set and custom contours, edit resource assignments, identify and resolve resource over allocations, and set and modify a baseline
• Track the progress of a project, update tasks and the schedule, and compare baseline and actual data
• Sort, filter, and group views
• Format views and format the Gantt Chart

 Who Needs to Attend

• New Microsoft Project 2013 users

ABOUT GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE

Global Knowledgeis the world's leading learning services and professional development solutions provider. We deliver learning solutions to support customers as they adapt to key business transformations and technological advancements that drive the way that organizations around the world differentiate themselves and thrive. Our learning programs, whether designed for a global organization or an individual professional, help businesses close skills gaps and foster an environment of continuous talent development.

Offering the most relevant and timely content delivered by the best instructors, we provide customers around the world with their choice of customized private programs, convenient public training scheduling options, flexible delivery formats and continuous learning support to accelerate their success. Our business skills solutions teach essential communications skills, leadership development, business analysis, project management, IT service management and process improvement. With thousands of courses spanning from foundational training to specialized certifications, our core IT training is focused on technology partners such as Amazon Web Services, Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, Red Hat, SAP and VMware. We offer comprehensive professional development for advancements in application development, big data analytics, change management, cloud computing, cybersecurity and networking. Founded in 1995, Global Knowledge employs more than 1,300 people worldwide and is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina.

Sara Jerrett
sara.jerrett@adianl.ca
709-237-7349

Natasha Hudson
natasha@nati.net
709-757-3253

*This initiative is pending & dependent on sufficient company interest.

http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2016/btcrd/0126n04.aspx

Three Newfoundland and Labrador companies will receive a total investment of $750,000 from Venture Newfoundland and Labrador, a venture capital fund established by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and managed by Pelorus Venture Capital Ltd. The fund is designed to provide greater access to capital for innovative entrepreneurs with high-growth potential start-ups.

"Growing an entrepreneurial culture and fostering innovation through venture capital investment presents tremendous opportunity for our province. These three companies are great examples of how we can use innovative ideas to diversify our economy into new areas of business. This seed money will allow them to continue to grow their operations in our province. I believe there is an even brighter future ahead for these three innovative companies."
- The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

On behalf of Venture Newfoundland and Labrador, Pelorus Venture Capital Ltd. is investing $250,000 in each of three Newfoundland and Labrador companies: Clockwork Fox, HeyOrca and Sentinel Alert.

"Today's announcement of investment in three diverse companies in Newfoundland and Labrador is yet another step forward for the innovation economy we are proud to support and help grow. Each of these talented entrepreneurial teams is playing a role in changing and shaping the economic future of Newfoundland and Labrador. We are proud to invest. Our fund is always looking to work with new investors as we grow and ultimately invest in many new ventures."
- Tom Hayes, Managing Director, Pelorus Venture Capital Ltd.

Clockwork Fox Studios develops educational games and technologies. Its marquee product is Zorbit's Math Adventure, a game-based learning system for early math. Zorbit's Math Adventure combines stories and games with the best math pedagogy to improve K-3 learning outcomes.

"We have a highly skilled staff who produce market-leading gamed-based learning products for education. This investment will allow us to produce additional products for schools, and accelerate access to export markets, particularly the US."
- Ed J. Martin President, Clockwork Fox

HeyOrca enables marketing agencies and their clients to seamlessly collaborate on social media content by providing a client facing interface and streamlining the approval process.

"This investment is important for us because we will be able to grow our team and amplify the business model we created and grew in 2015. Today's news means accelerated growth for HeyOrca with the potential of new job creation and expanded entry into new markets. We are negotiating deals in the US and other parts of Canada; this funding ensures we will also be closer to our customers and better understand their needs."
- Joe Teo, Co-founder, HeyOrca

Sentinel Alert is a safety software company designed to help industrial companies reduce worker accidents and send their teams home safe every day. Sentinel Alert was the first Newfoundland and Labrador company to take part in Propel ICT's Launch 36 accelerator in fall 2014.

"One of the key things this investment allows us to do is hire the talent we need to grow Sentinel Alert and compete globally. We're creating new jobs that require talented technical people in a fast moving and innovative market. We are proud to be helping to build the foundation for a new industry, one of innovation that is not geographically or commodity based. This investment helps create a demand for a new type of work and a new type of investment."
- Sarah Murphy, Co-founder and CEO, Sentinel Alert

The Provincial Government is committed to growing a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation that presents economic potential for Newfoundland and Labrador. The Venture Newfoundland and Labrador Fund is a venture capital fund solely for local business that will provide funding to support new start-ups and companies in the very early stages of their development. Along with a $10 million Provincial Government investment, the fund is supported by $2 million from BDC Capital and additional funding from private investors.

QUICK FACTS

• Three Newfoundland and Labrador companies will receive a total investment of $750,000 from Venture Newfoundland and Labrador, a venture capital fund established by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and managed by Pelorus Venture Capital Ltd.
• On behalf of Venture Newfoundland and Labrador, Pelorus Venture Capital Ltd. is investing $250,000 in each of three Newfoundland and Labrador companies: Clockwork Fox, HeyOrca and Sentinel Alert.

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Media contacts:

NATI Knowledge Summit
Wednesday, May 11^th, 2016
www.knowledgesummit.ca

To compete in today's competitive environment, it is necessary to operate with an innovative vision. That's what NATI's Knowledge Summit is all about. Join us on May 11^th, 2016 to hear from expert speakers and find your competitive edge.

Why you should attend:

• Speakers:Hear from expert speakers who will deliver insightful presentations on topics including industry trends, innovation, and leadership.
• Opportunities: The NATI Knowledge Summit is where you'll see why new ideas, technology and continued innovation is crucial to your business success.
• Connections: Form connections with key players and decision makers.

Interested in sponsoring the NATI Knowledge Summit?

NATI's Knowledge Summit and other events are not possible without the support of our members, partners and the community. Sponsoring the NATI Knowledge Summit is a great opportunity for your company, one which will provide exposure and recognition both leading up to and during the conference on May 11, 2016.

Click here for more information about sponsorship opportunities.

www.knowledgesummit.ca

Join NATI on Tuesday, February 23^rd, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m., for a morning information session with Mr. Stéphane Crépeau, Atlantic Canada's ICT Trade Commissioner for Global Affairs Canada (GAC). This information session will include an overview of the new CanExport Program for Exporting SMEs, followed by a Q & A session where Stéphane will answer your questions regarding the program.

CanExport Program Highlights:

• Reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible expenses:
• Requires that the applicant match funds on a one-to-one basis;
• Provides a minimum contribution of $10,000 (requires that the total cost of eligible activities be at least $20,000) and a maximum contribution of $99,999 (which requires that the total cost of eligible activities be at least $199,998);
• Is open, with few exceptions, to all industry sectors.
• Is open, with few exceptions, to companies looking at export markets worldwide.

Eligible costs include travel (for a maximum of 2 employees), contractor fees (i.e. booth expenses, trade show spaces, etc.), Consultants fees (i,e, organizing B2B meeting), etc.

Click here for information on the CanExport Program.

To Register for this event, please contact Natasha or Dyanna at NATI:

Dyanna McCarthy
Marketing and Business Development Coordinator, NATI
p: 709.757.3251
dyanna@nati.net

Natasha Hudson
Business Development Executive, NATI
p:709.757.3253
natasha@nati.net

March 8, 2016 from 12:00-1:30PM
NATI Boardroom, 391 Empire Ave, Suite #5

Are you a growing advanced technology company without the resources to hire a full-time staff member dedicated to recruiting? Consider outsourcing from Acquaint Personnel Services! Join Steve Kavanagh and Charles Luther for lunch and to learn how Acquaint can assist you in all aspects of the HR process. Here are some of the reasons why clients choose to work with Acquaint:

• Specialization in contract (short and long-term) & permanent positions
• Qualified consultants with experience in the industry
• Balanced & detailed job descriptions
• Comprehensive candidate evaluation service - screening, interviewing & reference checking
• Cost effective price structuring

Acquaint offers specific and detailed knowledge of the Advanced Technology Sector, including these core areas:

• Development & Programming
• Cloud Technology
• Gaming
• Internet
• Professional & Management
• Network & Telecommunications
• Microsoft Infrastructure
• Support & Training
• Ocean Technology

Acquaint's recruitment consultants create seamless connections with businesses to provide the human resources that smaller companies are lacking. Through our consultations, we get to know you and your company's needs and will tailor our recruitment services to your specific requirements. We pride ourselves in providing top-rated candidates to our clients and have a successful placement record.

Register now by emailing Dyanna@nati.net

How to Incorporate Design Thinking to Grow Your Business

Date: Friday, June 3^rd, 2016
Time: 8:30a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Location: Admiral's Green Clubhouse, Pippy Park, St. John's
Cost: $20.00 per person
Register via EventBrite here: https://goo.gl/Huomxu

What is Design Thinking, and how can you harness it to drive business opportunity? Join us on June 3rd to find out! Join NATI at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, June 3rd, at the Admiral's Green Clubhouse in Pippy Park for an engaging talk and interactive Q & A session with Catherine Courage, SVP of Customer Experience at Citrix and Docusign. This session's topic will be "Design Thinking for Advanced Technology SMEs: How to Incorporate Design Thinking to Grow Your Business" 

Come learn about the principles of Design Thinking and how Catherine's passion is transforming corporate culture by making great design a driver of innovation and change. As SVP of Customer Experience at Citrix, her team's mission is to create world-class products and services that drive an exceptional total customer experience.

Click here for the slides from Catherine's Design Thinking Presentation.

Catherine's Bio*

A native of St. John's, Catherine Courage is the Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Citrix and Docusign. In this role she is responsible for championing exceptional design to drive innovation at Citrix. Her team is responsible for company-wide brand, advertising, social, web, product design, information experience, and business process reinvention. Their mission is to partner with functions across the company to deliver an outstanding experience for both customers and employees.

Courage began her career at Citrix in 2009 as Vice President of Product Design. Her determination and passion to grow design as a core differentiator led to the competency becoming a company-wide initiative and to the elevation of her role to Senior Vice President of Customer Experience.

When Courage isn't evangelizing design at Citrix, you'll find her discussing the topic at TEDx, Stanford's d.school, the California College of the Arts, Tech Women and Design Management Institute. She co-authored the bookUnderstanding Your Usersand her work has been featured by Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company.

Prior to Citrix, Courage held other design leadership positions at Salesforce.com and Oracle. She holds a master's degree in applied sciences, specializing in human factors, from the University of Toronto.

*Written by L. Dunn, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-dunn/women-in-business-catheri_b_7296758.html

NATI held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 25th, 2016. The AGM provided opportunity for NATI members to receive an overview of the association's activity in the past year; this included highlights of export programs, a summary of marketing efforts and events, and a review of the association's financial reports. Members were given opportunity to voice opinion on all of these topics, as well as to present other business for discussion.

Outgoing Director's Mandy Woodland (Mandy Woodland Law) and June Turpin (Bell Aliant) were thanked for their contribution and commitment to NATI at the board level. Woodland and Turpin will not be returning to serve on the NATI Board for the 2016-2017 term. Outgoing Director's Sam Bromley (Whitecap Scientific) and Peter Rawsthorne (Provincial Aerospace) ran as a candidates for re-election to the Board.

An election of officers took place to fill four vacant positions on the Board of Directors. The NATI membership elected Sam Bromley (Whitecap Scientific), Tony McGrath (EY), Peter Rawsthorne (Provincial Aerospace) and Craig Rowe (ClearRisk and Optimized Insurance) to fill these positions. Chair Chris Dillon (Triware) moved to the position of Past Chair, and Vice Chair Ajay Pande (Nokia) was made Chair of the Board.

Positions will be assumed immediately, and a Vice Chair who will succeed Ajay Pande as Chair in 2017 will be named.

NATI's board of directors has members from some of the provinces most prominent technology companies. These directors, led by the Chair of the board, guide the strategic plan of NATI which is committed to effective policy development and advocacy initiatives.

2016-2017 NATI Board of Directors

Chair - Ajay Pande, Nokia

Past Chair - Chris Dillon, Triware Technologies

Director - Sam Bromley, Whitecap Scientific Corporation

Director - Brad Dobbin, ND Dobbin Group

Director - Kendra MacDonald, Deloitte

Director - Tony McGrath, EY

Director - Danny Penton, Camouflage Software

Director - Peter Rawsthorne, Provincial Aerospace

Director - Craig Rowe, ClearRisk and Optimized Insurance

ACCELERATE NL - Advancing the Business of Technology

WHEN: Thursday, June 16^th, 2016, 8:30 a.m. to noon
WHERE: Salon F, Delta Hotel, St. John's

REGISTER NOW!

Cost: $25.00 for NATI Members, $50.00 for non-members

Attendees will receive a copy of Sean Silcoff's best-selling book,  Losing the Signal: The Rise and Fall of Blackberry

Are you:

• An early stage technology startup founder looking to accelerate your business?
• A technology entrepreneur looking for an edge in growing your company?
• Are you curious about how a technology company can craft a compelling story?
• Are you interested in lessons learned from the rise and fall of one of Canada's most prominent technology companies?

Then join NATI on Thursday, June 16^th, for an interactive morning of presentations and panel discussions with leading experts and entrepreneurs!

Featuring:

Debbie Landa, CEO, Dealmaker Media

Rick Rasmussen, Managing Director, Concordia Ventures

Lindsay Nahamaiche, CEO Jive PR & Communications

Sean Silcoff, Business Reporter, the Globe & Mail & Author,Losing the Signal: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of BlackBerry

Click here to register to attend.

About Debbie Landa:

Debbie Landa has been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years. She is the founder and CEO of Dealmaker Media which was launched in the fall of 2000. Her conferences bring together leading executives looking to discover the next great startup and partners that can accelerate their growth. Over 500 emerging startups from Linkedin, Admob, Rightscale to Box.net have presented at her conferences. She is considered a curator of innovation and has become one of the most influential connectors in Silicon Valley. Before starting Dealmaker Media, she ran business development for a venture "catalyst" firm focused on accelerating growth for emerging startups. Prior to that, she spent 10 years in the fashion industry working with various clothing manufacturers, designing and developing private-label programs for major retailers. She is Canadian and grew up in the tundra, or as we call it, Saskatoon.

About Rick Rasmussen:

Born and raised in Silicon Valley, Rick is a rare breed with direct experience in industry, government, venture capital and education. He's been on executive teams of three separate companies that started with zero revenues, raised rounds from leading VCs, went public and sold for over $1B.

Rick's passion is to connect international companies, governments and economic development agencies with the vast resources available throughout Silicon Valley. I've developed a set of coursework and teach the methodology to organizations worldwide. An internationally known mentor and coach, Rick is well versed in building startup entrepreneurial ecosystems in North America, Europe, Asia and beyond.

About Lindsay Nahmiache:

Recognized as one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women (2013) in the Financial Post, a 2016 Enterprising Women of the Year and PROFIT and Canadian Business W100: Canada's Top Female Entrepreneurs (2016), Lindsay helps companies increase customer engagement through market positioning and measurable communications strategies.

Lindsay drives results by activating and leading teams with complementary strengths. With a focus on business development, communications and leadership, Lindsay is able to align stakeholders (internal and external) in a clear and unified direction.

As co-founder of Jive PR + Digital, an award-winning public relations agency in Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto, Lindsay and her team are known for their ability to break through the communications clutter and craft a brand story that resonates with their clients'​ target audience.

About Sean Silcoff:

Sean Silcoff is co-author ofLosing the Signaland a business writer withThe Globe & Mail, Canada's National Newspaper. During his 22-year career in journalism and communications, he has covered just about every area of business, from agriculture to the credit crisis, toys to airplane manufacturing and steel to startups. He previously worked at theNational Postas well asCanadian Business Magazine, where he oversaw publication of the inaugural edition of the Rich 100, the magazine's annual survey of Canada's wealthiest people. Sean is a two-time winner of the National Newspaper Award, the Montreal Economic Institute Economic Education Prize and the Hon. Edward Goff Penny Memorial Prize for Young Canadian Journalists, and won the 2015 National Business Book Award forLosing the Signal. He led theGlobe & Mail'scoverage of the fall of BlackBerry. Sean has a business degree from Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. and a journalism degree from Carleton University in Ottawa. He lives near Ottawa with his wife and three children.

About Losing the Signal:

Losing the Signalis the internationally acclaimed, best-selling story about the rise and fall of smartphone pioneer Research in Motion (now BlackBerry) under the leadership of long-time co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis. The book, co-written by veteran Canadian business journalists Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff, grew out of a major feature investigation published in September 2013 in theGlobe & Mailabout the downfall of the Canadian company. The piece won a National Newspaper Award and was named one of the best business stories of the year byLongform. Losing the Signalwon the Canadian National Business Book Award and was shortlisted for the Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award.It was named one of best business books of 2015 by theWall Street Journal, Financial Times, BloombergView(Mohamed El-Erian)Globe & Mail, CIO Magazine, Strategy + Business Magazine,Irish Times, Irish ExaminerandVancouver Sun. 

Register Now!

When? Friday, June 24th from 1:30-3:30PM with a Mixer to follow
Where? Granite, 115 Duckworth Street
Cost: None 

What is the current state of Canada's innovation economy and the prospects for our technology companies in a global context? Join NATI and Optimized Insurance on Friday, June 24^th at 1:30pm at Granite for an engaging talk and interactive Q&A session with Waterloo based Neil Desai, an executive with Magnet Forensics, one of Canada's fastest growing technology companies. This sessions topic will be Canada's Innovation Ecosystem -Seeding, Scaling and Going Global.

At this session, Neil will present on the current state of the Canada's innovation economy and the prospects for our technology companies in a global context.  He will provide an overview on some the strategies and tactics being utilized by some of Canada's fasted growing technology companies to position themselves for export-led growth. His reflections will come from both from his current role serving on the executive of one of Canada's fastest growing technology companies and his previous role as a senior official with the Government of Canada.    

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A and discussion on any of these subject areas.

Click here to register to attend. 

Sponsored By:

Neil's Bio

Neil Desai is an executive with Magnet Forensics, one of Canada's fastest growing technology companies. The Waterloo, Ontario-based firm provides digital forensic software tools to police and security agencies around the world.

He previously served as Chief of Staff to the Minister of International Development (Canada). He was appointed by the Minister and Prime Minister in 2011 and was successfully re-appointed to the post in 2012. Neil led a team providing strategic advice on policy, communications, grants totalling $3-billion annually, operations, stakeholder and parliamentary affairs to the Minister on Canada's international development portfolio and other Government of Canada priorities. He put forward and led the implementation of a transformative agenda for the Canadian International Development Agency that included private sector led development initiatives and the merger with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He was named one of the top Canadians influencing Canadian foreign policy by Embassy Magazine and one of the top 99 young foreign policy professionals by the US-based Diplomatic Courier magazine.

Prior to his return to the Government of Canada, Neil served as a Director at the Munk School of Global Affairs located at the University of Toronto. In this role, he supported the development of the school's research agenda and public affairs efforts. He led practical workshops on international affairs for students in the school's signature, Masters of Global Affairs program. He also directed various research projects on behalf of the school.

Previously, Neil served with the Government of Canada as Manager, Strategic Initiatives and Stakeholder Relations to the Prime Minister of Canada from 2007-2010. In this capacity, Neil led projects on behalf of, and provided political advice to, the PM on issues pertaining to foreign affairs, immigration, international trade and competitiveness.

Neil is a Fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. He is also a contributor to the Globe and Mail's editorial page. He holds a master's degree in international political economy from the London School of Economics and a bachelor's degree with honours from Carleton University.

Date: Thursday, July 21^st, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. -12:00 Noon
Location: Fairfield Inn and Suites, Kenmount Road, St. John's
Cost: $25.00 for NATI members, $50.00 for non-members

REGISTER NOW!

Join NATI on Thursday, July 21st, for an interactive and engaging half-day workshop on Gaining the Sales & Marketing Edge through Trust, with Natalie Doyle-Oldfield of Success Through Trust.

Erosion of long term customers, decreasing customer referrals, declining sales, and deceasing margins are all indicators of low trust.

This program is for audiences that want insights on how to improve business performance. Natalie demonstrates how trust in your business creates success for your business. She inspires the audience to create action plans that enable the entire company to contribute to building customer trust. Audiences finish with practical how-tos and are motivated to execute ideas to improve business  performance.

Using case studies participants will:

•             be given concrete ideas to improve business performance

•             identify critical indicators of low customer trust

•             learn the science behind how customers determine to buy

•             identify steps to build, strengthen and protect trust with customers

•             receive practical how -tos

Click here to register.

About Natalie Doyle Oldfield

Natalie Doyle Oldfield is a trust authority, consultant and speaker who works with companies to grow their business, profits and increase customer loyalty. A former Chief Marketing Officer, she is the author of Building Trust with your Customers and creator of The Client Trust Index™ and Becoming a Trusted Advisor. Known as a passionate and energetic speaker, she has presented to audiences throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Natalie has worked in marketing communications and sales in multinational companies for over 20 years. Her experience working with a variety of companies drew her to the conclusion that trust is the most important asset a business can protect. After years of research, and the completion of her Masters degree, Natalie created the Building Trust Model© and The Client Trust Index™ a proprietary business intelligence system to measure client sentiment and experience. She is a keynote speaker and facilitator of corporate seminars and works with organizations to increase profits and customer loyalty. Sessions offer strategies and practical tools to improve relationships, customer experiences and the bottom line.

Natalie has been a part time faculty member in the Communications and Public Relations department at Mount Saint Vincent University, and in the School of Business at the Nova Scotia Community College. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Certificate in Management (Georgia Institute of Technology), Bachelor of Public Relations, and Masters in Public Relations and Communications.

Testimonials

"I would recommend the workshop [communications and versatility training]; it was professionally instructed. I liked that it was a tailored presentation and that you learned practical useful new skills."     -Mandy Woodland, Barrister and Solicitor, Mandy Woodland Law

"The session was a 10/10. We would recommend it for any sales team looking to improve sales, customer relationships  and  customer  experiences. Each  account  rep  and  production  technician  left  with  specific action item to improve customer trust and help them sell more.   The session was excellent, very informative and engaging."     -Ian MacArthur, Sales Manager, CTV Atlantic, Bell Media

"The Sales workshop with Natalie was fantastic!  Not only did she share some real life experiences, we each walked away with some tools that will help us keep our sales goals in focus and on track. Thank you Natalie for reminding us that sales is really all about building trust, and nurturing relationships that can be beneficial for both parties"     -Nicole Osmond Director, Atlantic Canada Futurpreneur Canada

It's our favorite time of year again - time for the Annual NATI Summer Social! This year we're hosting the event at the Merchant Tavern, and we hope to see all NATI members and partners come join us!

Sponsored by:

NATI Members - invitations have been emailed out! Check your inbox and RSVP soon as this event is almost at capacity.

Trade Mission to GDC 2017
San Francisco, USA
February 27^th - March 3rd, 2017

Join the Atlantic Canadian delegation and discover business opportunities in San Francisco at the Game Developer's Conference (GDC). Under the International Business Development Agreement (IBDA), NATI is recruiting 16 Atlantic Canadian companies to participate in the pan-Atlantic business mission to San Francisco during the world's largest conference, exhibit and business to business meeting event for the gaming industry: GDC 2017.

As a participant of the delegation, companies will be provided with services of approximately $9K in value that include:

• Full access to the GDC Conference and Exhibit Hall (This includes access to all keynotes, educational sessions, networking eventsfor one (1) company representative).
• An in-market consultant to assist companies in arranging business to business meetings, and to ensure participating companies get the most out of GDC 2017.
• Entry into several Canada events including:
  • Access to the Canada Booth at GDC Play with dedicated meeting space
  • Invitations to the Canadian Reception and networking events
  • Other VIP events and networking opportunities surrounding the conference

The participation fee per company is $1000.00, including matchmaking. Participants opting out of matchmaking will be charged a participant fee of $500.00.

Participants are responsible for all travel costs, including round trip airfare, accommodation and meals. Eligible companies may be able to apply for additional support for travel costs through their respective provincial government programs, where applicable.

Click here for the application. 

For more information and to apply, contact:

Ron Taylor, CEO, NATI
Tel: 709-757-3252
Email: Ron@nati.net

The deadline to apply is November 25th, 2016. Sixteen (16) spaces reserved for Atlantic Canada are allocated on a first come, first serve basis with 4 spaces allotted per province until October 28^th. Any unused spaces after October 28^th will be allotted to companies who are on the wait list.
 

GDC 2017 - Game Developer's Conference, February 27^th - March 3^rd, 2017 San Francisco USA

GDC attracts over 26,000 attendees, and is the primary forum where programmers, artists, producers, game designers, audio professionals, business decision-makers and others involved in the development of interactive games gather to exchange ideas and shape the future of the industry.

This market defining conference features over 400 lectures, panels, tutorials and round-table discussions on a comprehensive selection of game development topics taught by leading industry experts. In addition, the GDC expo showcases all of the most relevant game development tools, platforms and services helping to drive the industry forward. The conference also features the seventeenth annual Independent Games Festival, the longest-running and largest festival relating to independent games worldwide, where original games compete for the attention of the publishing community, and the fifteenth annual Game Developers Choice Awards, the premier accolades for peer-recognition in the digital games industry.

http://www.gdconf.com

What Is the IBDA?

The Canada-Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development strives to help Atlantic Canadian entities enter, explore and succeed in international markets. The IBDA is the leading component of a pan-Atlantic effort to foster economic relations, attract foreign investment and nurture technological co-operation, to feature the benefits of doing business with Atlantic Canada.

The Canada-Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development (IBDA) strives to increase international business activities in Atlantic Canada by funding projects designed to help small and medium-sized companies explore, enter and succeed in international markets. The funding of the Agreement is cost-shared between the federal government (70%) and the four Atlantic provincial governments (30%).

The IBDA helps Atlantic Canada's companies explore markets near and far and successfully compete in the demanding global marketplace, which helps create a sustainable economy for the region.

Hacking Health St. John's is a chapter of Hacking Health. Hacking Health aims to transform healthcare by connecting healthcare professionals with designers, developers, innovators and entrepreneurs to build realistic, human-centric solutions to front-line healthcare problems.

NATI, in partnership with the Government of Newfoundland & Labrador (BTCRD), and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), invites expressions of interest from eligible NL companies and organizations to participate in a proposed outbound initiative to the New England region, scheduled to take place the week of November 28^th - December 2^nd, 2016.

The project will contract an experienced in-market consultant to assist with pre-visit contacts and arranging for business to business meetings, and will support the overall coordination of the project. The project will include participating and presenting at the annual Maritime Innovations Conference, hosted by U Mass Dartmouth in Fall River, MA on Wednesday, November 30^th, 2016.

In addition to supporting and facilitating one on one targeted meetings, several options are being offered for site visits that include depending on participant preference. Potential site visits include, but are not limited to:

• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI)
• University of Rhode Island (URI)
• University of New Hampshire (UNH)
• Naval Underwater Warfare Center (NUWC)

Proposed Schedule: June 21st to 27th, 2015:
Sunday, November 27^th: Travel to Boston, MA
Monday, November 28^th: Meetings in the Boston Area
Tuesday November 29^th:  Site Visits/Meetings
Wednesday, November 30^th: U Mass Dartmouth Maritime Innovations Conference
Thursday December 1^st: Site Visits/Meetings
Friday December 2^nd: Travel Home

Mission participation will include access to:

• In-market matchmaker/consultant;
• Dedicated meeting space to facilitate one on one meetings; and
• Group ground transport throughout the New England region to facilitate agenda

Participation Fee:$500 participation fee per company/organization.

Participants are responsible for the cost of round trip airfare, accommodation and meals.Eligible companies can apply to the provincial Government's Business Development Support Program for travel cost support, through the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture & Rural Development (BTCRD).

DEADLINE TO EXPRESS INTEREST: September 30^th, 2016

To learn more and to register your interest in this initiative, please contact Natasha Hudson, Business Development Executive at NATI:

Natasha Hudson
p: 709.757.3253
e: natasha@nati.net

In response to member feedback and expressed interest, NATI is undertaking the creation of an Autonomous Systems Network for our members in the autonomous systems space.

The NATI Autonomous Systems Network will support collaborative action and opportunity for companies and organizations that encompass aerial, ground and ocean-related applications. The amount of activity, and indeed, the number of companies, active in this technology sub sector has grown exponentially here in NL, and NATI supports the view of members who believe that a collaborative network for these stakeholders will assist in providing more targeted support to capitalize on the many opportunities that exist in this fast growing sub sector.

We will host an initial meeting to gather member feedback on Wednesday, November 2^nd from 12 noon to 1:30 pm. This will be a roundtable discussion aimed at assisting the Association in understanding the optimal activities and goals of this network, and to gather feedback on the key challenges and opportunities that currently face companies in this space. This discussion will be used to build a framework on which to base the network.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please contact:
Natasha Hudson, NATI Business Development Executive
709-757-3253
natasha@nati.net

News Release
November 10, 2016

NATI applauds Government commitment to a Provincial Innovation Agenda

Ajay Pande, Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technology Industries (NATI), supported details released yesterday by the Provincial Government within The Way Forward, a vision for sustainability and growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"We actively support and encourage the development of a long-term provincial innovation agenda," said Mr. Pande. "Our technology and innovation sector is complementary and collaborative - one success creates more successes that are in themselves sustainable and scalable."

After reviewing The Way Forward document, NATI offered a number of suggestions for the government to consider as it addresses a challenging economy and a difficult fiscal situation.

"Immediate action to set a vision and develop innovation-focused next steps is needed," said Mr. Pande. "Working with areas of high growth potential, refocused trade activity, and with local firms within our province to drive technology as an enabler of innovation offers immense impact for everyone in Newfoundland and Labrador."

In addition to the support of a long-term Provincial Innovation Agenda, NATI, on behalf of its membership, supported the goal of government to improve procurement efficiency and competition and offered further suggestions for immediate focused activities.

"The technology industry already brings more revenue to this province than the fisheries, and more than tourism, and is an enabler of further innovation in those sectors and others - our technology industry is poised for further growth" said Mr. Pande. "To support this growth, we need to look immediately to actions we can take to increase innovation-based learning into our education system, as well as maintain a specific focus on improving health care in our province through innovation and digital solutions. There is a clear case for investment in both areas. Our province needs it, and we can further benefit from these efforts as they will deliver future sustainable tax revenues and employment opportunities in areas that don't have to compete with one another for finite resources. Through a focus on technology-enabled innovation we can collaboratively create new products and improve services to the people of our province while at the same time improving our ability to compete globally."

Media contact:Ron Taylor, (709) 757-3252, ron@nati.net