Backgrounder
October 2, 2009
Coral CEA
Coral CEA will help Ontario companies compete for a part of the growing global demand for Communications Enabled Applications (CEA’s) and succeed in the global marketplace. It will do this by connecting small Ontario technology companies, large multinational technology firms and customers from around the world.
The organization will also help new and existing Ontario companies grow by offering business development and commercialization services, support for intellectual property management and protection, and by providing access to industry expertise and equipment. Collaborations with larger firms will give these companies access to potential customers worldwide.
In its first five years, the initiative expects to create approximately 200 new high-tech jobs while retaining close to 90.
ABOUT CORAL CEA
Coral CEA is focused on Communication Enabled Applications (CEAs), a global market expected to exceed $2.75 billion by 2010.
CEAs are software applications that enable different technology platforms and devices to communicate with each other. More than that, CEAs have the potential to turn any number of existing products into smart systems — systems that are capable of analyzing information, identifying problems, and taking corrective action.
These new computer applications have the potential to save time and increase productivity in many industry sectors, including clean technology, healthcare, safety and security. The potential uses for CEAs are virtually limitless.
Coral CEA will create a collaborative, open-source environment to support the development of CEAs.
The organization will focus on commercialization, and provide support services to innovative companies to help them take advantage of a growing market, build their businesses and create new jobs in Ontario.
Coral CEA will help its member companies — small companies, large companies and potential customers of CEA solutions:
- For small companies, membership provides access to shared hardware and software capabilities to develop CEA applications — the kind of tools that are expensive for small companies to acquire on their own. Small companies also get access to significant business services support — such as legal and copyright advice, and connections to customers — to help them move their solutions to market.
- For large companies — like IBM, Nortel, RIM, Cisco Systems — membership provides cost effective access to a number of potential partners capable of filling a gap in their own product offerings.
- For commercial members — potential customers of CEA applications — Coral CEA provides a way to get a specific challenge addressed — quickly and efficiently.
FOUNDING MEMBERS
The founding members of Coral CEA include: IBM Canada Ltd, Nortel, the Eclipse Foundation, the Information Technology Association of Canada and Carleton University.
IBM Canada Inc.
IBM is one of Canada's leading providers of advanced information technology, products, services and business consulting expertise. IBM is contributing the required technology and expertise to make complex information and communications technologies (ICT) capabilities available as web services — so member companies can take this technology and easily transform it with reduced cost and risk, and without the need for an ICT expert.
Nortel
Nortel is a globally recognized leader in delivering communications capabilities for business. It is contributing technology and expertise to make complex ICT capabilities available to member organizations.
The Eclipse Foundation
Eclipse is a non-profit company that uses a similar ecosystem approach to help its member companies build, deploy and manage leading-edge software. Ottawa-headquartered Eclipse is the world’s most successful open-source community. It is contributing its significant knowledge on how to build software development communities and collaborations, along with the intellectual property framework that makes these collaborations successful.
The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC)
The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) is the voice of the Canadian ICT industry, representing a diverse community spanning telecommunications and internet services, ICT consulting services, hardware, microelectronics, software and electronic content. The association is helping to provide national reach and scope to Coral CEA.
Carleton University
Carleton University boasts one of the largest and most research intensive departments of electrical and computer engineering in Canada, and is recognized as a world leader in software engineering and computer systems engineering. It is helping to expand knowledge of Communication Enabled Applications (CEAs) and build the capacity of skilled knowledge workers familiar with both ecosystem commercialization and CEAs.
ONTARIO’S INNOVATION AGENDA
Supporting innovation is part of the McGuinty government’s five-point plan for growing Ontario’s economy. Ontario’s Innovation Agenda is the government’s plan to help turn great ideas into good jobs for the future and better lives for Ontario families.
Backed by $3.2 billion in spending over eight years, Ontario’s Innovation Agenda focuses on supporting innovation and growth in sectors where Ontario has the research and business strengths to dominate high-growth global markets. Advancing the digital universe through new digital media and ICT is one of Ontario’s key priorities.
See also:
- News Release: Ontario Boosts Ottawa’s Technology Sector
- Backgrounder: Communication Enabled Applications (CEAs)
