February can be a short, but bleak, month. It's an opportunity to take stock and figure out how to implement, alter or abandon the grand plans we develop at the turn of the year.  At HalTech we have been consolidating the information we gathered from listening to clients and stakeholders in the fall and early winter. We have been busy planning and rolling out services, events and knowledge building opportunities around client needs and wants - always with a focus on making companies successful.

In the spirit of collaboration and maximizing client experience we have invited other West GTA organizations to partner on events.  With NSERC financial support, HalTech organized two "Innovation Lunches" both held in the Peel Region.  The lunches, discussing social innovation and the big picture of advanced manufacturing, attracted more than 80 attendee's each and were presented in collaboration with Sheridan College and with the support of the Peel RIC community.  HalTechs' third Demo Night, held at Teatro in Milton, was larger than ever.  We attracted more than 200 interested audience members from Halton and Peel to see and hear sixteen entrepreneurs present their innovations on a cold February evening.

As February comes to an end, we have a new beginning by launching the first two of our Need to Know (N2K) series. Our clients asked and we listened. Partnering with the AngelOne Network and the Golden Horseshoe Manufacturing Network, Haltech brings a seminar series on  financing your company and a webinar series on social media. We'll bring March in like a lion and look forward to spring with new growth all around us. 

Watch our website and newsletter for more developments in March and April.

What do you do when your boss thinks your bright idea might just be a little crazy? You head to HalTech for back up.

That's kind of how the story went for Ben Sainsbury and Dan Gamsby of Javelin Reality, a division of Javelin Technologies Inc., when the two came up with a whole new way for Javelin to do business and a whole new market to do it in.

When they went to John Carlan and Ted Lee, Javelin's owners and managing directors, Carlan and Lee were certainly intrigued, but wondered if the idea might be "a bit cracked." Even so, they encouraged Sainsbury and Gamsby to pursue it, and off they went to HalTech.

There they explained that Javelin is in the business of 3D design software used to create lifelike prototypes of products, projects, and experiences. The big idea was to take this technology into the film and video gaming industries, so that film makers and developers could produce, direct, and edit their own digitally animated scenes. Downloadable software tools would allow them to create virtual sets, visualize scenes or game sequences in advance, decide on camera positions and how to shoot scenes, and determine what equipment and people would be needed on location. The product was to be called Cinema Suite.

The HalTech team provided advice and direction, and pointed Javelin to sources of funding, including a grant from HalTech itself. HalTech also connected Javelin to Sheridan College, well known for its expertise in animation and film.

"Once we had that initial funding and the right educational partner, the magic started to happen," Sainsbury says.

Relationships grew, as did funding support. Cinema Suite has received support from FedDev Ontario and in November 2012, the Canada Media Fund committed $450,000 to Cinema Suite as part of its experimental stream, focused on encouraging the development of innovative, interactive digital media content and software applications.

"HalTech helped us get organized and outline our priorities," Sainsbury says. "They just kept on encouraging us, making connections for us. Lucky for us, they're just the best in doing that. If they can help, they help."

As of January 1, 2013, Cinema Suite is its own distinct spin-off division of Javelin. Javelin Technologies is online at www.javelin-tech.com.