Chinese Incubator Partners Up with InvestOttawa, Names Initial Four Startups

The Chinese Zhongguancun Development Group (ZDG) has officially announced the selection of four Ottawa-based companies chosen to be a part of their ZDG incubation program. The new program is being launched in partnership with InvestOttawa.

InvestOttawa recently shared headlines in BetaKit for another startup program it sponsors, in Ottawa-based GrindSpaceXL. That program currently has 14 companies in it, and we detailed each one here.

GREenergyTEC, iNano Medical Inc., Viscore and CanShielding were among 40 Ottawa-based companies vying for a spot in ZDG’s International Incubation Centre in Canada’s capital, which officially opened yesterday.

The connection with ZDG seems significant at first glance. For the companies, it likely means some serious ins with potential large Chinese clients. ZDG mentioned in its release that several of the companies are looking at securing facilities in China as well.

“The ZDG Incubation Centre will help these four companies—and many others in the months and years to come—fast-track their technologies, and get a leg-up on their international competitors by having better access to the Chinese market,” said Invest Ottawa CEO Bruce Lazenby. “The fact that ZDG sees Ottawa on par with Silicon Valley speaks to the strength of our high tech companies and of their remarkable capacity for innovation.”

Here’s the four companies and what ZDG will do for them:

iNano Medical Inc. has developed a few different technologies for the Life Sciences sector. “APNS” (Alleria Perpherial Neuro Stimulator) will help anesthesiologists locate nerves in the peripheral areas of the human body, while “IEVS” (INano Eye Videoscope) will help optometrists screen for and diagnose glaucoma, an eye condition that can lead to blindness. The new technology is “faster and safer than any other technology currently in the market.”

ZDG said it’s currently negotiating $1 million investment for the company.

GREenergyTEC has developed a technology that will produce electricity from the simple act of cars driving on a road, producing electricity from the pressure of cars. A highly reliable greentech energy source, it can feed the grid at peak times (rush hour traffic) and can be tied into the matrix of other electricity sources such as solar and wind.

The company is in the process of negotiating a 50 meter demonstration project in Zhonguancun Innovation Park (ZPark) in Beijing. The road demo will show how the energy generated from the technology provides electricity to surrounding streetlights and LED monitors.

CanShielding has developed a 100 percent lead-free shielding fabric that can replace the heavy and potentially toxic lead vests that are currently used in hospitals. The higher shielding of their fabric protects doctors and their patients against radiation from Xray and Gamma Ray, while the reduced weight will make wearing this protection gear for long periods of time more comfortable.

Viscore wants to help large companies improve the agility of their computer networks. Ideally for virtualized enterprise IT systems, Viscore’s “Ocean Computing Network” makes all computers within an organization work together rather than alone. “This strategy will improve companies’ computing experience with increased speed, reduced energy usage and ultimately lower capital costs,” read a release.

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