BRAMPTON, Ontario – Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, in partnership with the DMZ, announced the launch of the Catalyst Cyber Accelerator, Canada’s first commercial accelerator specifically designed for scale-up companies in cybersecurity and related fields.
Headquartered in Brampton’s Innovation District, the Catalyst Cyber Accelerator will help Canada’s cybersecurity ecosystem by providing Canadian scale-up companies in cybersecurity and related fields the essential tools they need to grow and succeed nationally and internationally.
The Catalyst Cyber Accelerator is supported by the government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and Rogers Communications Inc., in partnership with the City of Brampton. Rogers, Royal Bank of Canada, Herjavec Group, Torys LLP, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Siemens Canada will join a “Corporates-in-Residence” program and provide guidance and mentorship to companies at the Catalyst Cyber Accelerator. Other major companies are expected to join the program in the coming weeks.
Scale-ups in the Catalyst Cyber Accelerator will benefit from DMZ’s internationally-recognized accelerator programming, including mentoring on product strategy, marketing, talent acquisition, investment attraction, growing sales and more. They will make connections with DMZ’s network of 300+ investors and have free desk space usage. The scale-ups will also have access to over $500,000 worth of exclusive business services and perks provided by over 60 globally recognized businesses.
“Our government is here to support workers and Canadian businesses. With funding through FedDev Ontario, the new Catalyst Cyber Accelerator will provide Canadian cybersecurity scale-ups with the skills and resources needed to grow and compete, while contributing to increased safety in the digital economy. Congratulations to Ryerson University and all partners on the launch of this important programming.” – Mélanie Joly, minister of economic development and official languages.
“Strong cybersecurity capabilities are critical to Canada’s digital economy. We are proud to partner with Ryerson to help Canadian companies scale and bring cybersecurity solutions to market that help tackle the challenges and opportunities of the connected world.” – Alexander Brock, senior vice president, technology strategy, innovation & partnerships, Rogers Communication.
“We are thrilled to launch Canada’s first Cybersecurity Accelerator in Brampton. It is a great fit with our Innovation District in our downtown core and with our growing cluster of Cyber Security related firms. This addition moves us one step closer to growing Brampton as a centre of excellence in Cybersecurity.” – Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton.
“Ryerson University is proud to announce this unique new accelerator as we continue to lead in the development of entrepreneurship in the cybersecurity ecosystem,” said Steven N. Liss, Ryerson’s vice-president, research and innovation. “Through our commitment to collaboration, training and research in this sector, Ryerson supports the success of Canadian cybersecurity scale-ups as they transform the digital space, making an impact not only here in Canada but around the world.”
“We’re incredibly excited to be launching the Catalyst Cyber Accelerator, in partnership with DMZ, one of the world’s most successful accelerators,” said Charles Finlay, executive director of the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst. “The Catalyst Cyber Accelerator will be a key hub for Canada’s scale-up cybersecurity entrepreneurs, helping them innovate and compete nationally and internationally. Cybersecurity impacts us all and we are excited to participate in building Canada’s Cybersecurity sector as one of the strongest in the world.”
“In 2020, cybersecurity will be more prominent than ever to protect our privacy, rights and freedoms, which is why we’ve partnered with Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst to create a scaleup program that will propel cybersecurity innovation in Canada,” said Abdullah Snobar, executive director, DMZ. “The Catalyst Cyber Accelerator will make a concentrated effort to successfully grow businesses tackling diverse issues in the industry and will work to elevate the narrative around our national cybersecurity ecosystem.”
“Herjavec Group is thrilled to partner with the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst to prioritize the development of Canada’s cybersecurity ecosystem. We pride ourselves on bringing new cyber tools and services to market for enterprises so this is an incredible way to be on the front lines of accelerating cyber business growth & adoption nationally. Hundreds of Herjavec Group employees in Canada have unique views on what it takes to build a thriving technology business from scratch so we are excited to share our expertise with promising Canadian security startups.” – Ira Goldstein, chief operating officer, Herjavec Group.
