ThinkWrap gains ground in Branham 2011: Top Canadian Technology Companies

2010 brought cautious optimism and expected relief from the worst storm to hit the Canadian economy since the Great Depression, but the reality is still that Canada’s ICT industry encountered many of the same challenges in 2010 as it did the previous two years. The events of the past 24-plus months have continued to reshape Canada’s ICT industry. A number of former ICT industry players succumbed to the economic environment, while many others hunkered down just to make it through. While this year’s Branham300 data does reveal some positive trends, it also indicates that the recovery of Canada’s innovative ICT industry is still a work in progress.

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Geospatial Today’s monthly article from our very own Kevin MacDonald

Click on the below image to read Kevin Macdonald’s latest contribution to Geospatial Today.

Google Geo Developers Blog covers our Interactive Campus Map

5 Great University Campus Maps

Amid the height of “March Madness” from the NCAA basketball tournament in the US and the end of the spring break, it’s a good time to look at campus maps and how students are getting around these days. As universities continue to grow, finding the location of a class is becoming more difficult. Fortunately for today’s students, our Geo APIs can help make campus navigation a lot easier.

University of Ottawa Campus Map

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Geospatial Today spotlights Kevin MacDonald as a Guest Writer

Consumer mapping the right way

GOOGLE MAPS API AT PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE

The following is a guest blog post by Kevin MacDonald of ThinkWrap Solutions

We’re coming to you live from the Michigan International Speedway, where the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE (PIAXP) competition is underway.

This competition will award $10 million in prizes to the teams that win a rigorous stage competition for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 MPG energy equivalent (MPGe).

Vehicles are equipped with telemetry sensors and a GPS that together capture the following key performance indicators (KPI): fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, carbon footprint, speed, distance travelled and location.

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2010 PROFIT 100 ThinkWrap Solutions Inc. #18

When his customers slowed their spending during last year’s economic downturn, Steve Byrne decided to get naked.

Not literally, of course, but the CEO of ThinkWrap Solutions Inc. followed the philosophy of author Patrick Lencioni’s recent book, Getting Naked, to focus on building relationships with clients, rather than just selling.

So ThinkWrap worked with several clients who were feeling financial pain despite knowing they were unlikely to be compensated in 2009.

“These clients have a good memory,” explains Mr. Byrne.

“Sales will follow if you do the right thing to help your clients achieve success,” he adds, noting those investments created positive momentum for ThinkWrap in the early part of this year.

He concedes 2009 was somewhat of a “lost year” for his company, which was forced to reduce its staff compensation to control costs. Mr. Byrne even took himself off the payroll for four months.

But the move meant ThinkWrap weathered the economic storm without resorting to layoffs. The company is now back in hiring mode in both Toronto and Ottawa, where it plans to take another half floor in its Moodie Drive office building.

One of OBJ’s Fastest Growing Companies for the past three years, ThinkWrap’s main business lines include helping public-sector clients deploy enterprise performance management strategies as well as assisting major chartered banks and health institutions develop integrated information management strategies for their clients.

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X PRIZE Foundation to Partner with ThinkWrap on Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Competition Vehicle Telemetry

PLAYA VISTA, CA, October 14, 2009 – The X PRIZE Foundation today announced details of a unique partnership with ThinkWrap Solutions Inc. to benefit the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, a multi-million dollar competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, safe and super fuel-efficient vehicles.

An innovative technology company, ThinkWrap has expertise in the delivery of high performance digital solutions spanning internet mapping, ecommerce, and content management. Working for clients such as Google, Martha Stewart, and Quebecor Media Inc., the firm has implemented projects that range from advanced location based solutions to personalized retail ecommerce sites and real-time integrated SMS solutions, such as the project they developed for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. For the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, ThinkWrap will lead the development and implementation of an online portal driven by actual competition data, featuring a GPS-driven map with interactive vehicle icons and virtual instrument displays that provide near real-time and cumulative feedback.

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2009 PROFIT 100 ThinkWrap Solutions Inc. #16

Google, Martha Stewart and Ryan Seacrest are just a few of the high-profile names the newly rebranded ThinkWrap has worked with to develop solutions that personalize their digital content according to users’ and fans’ demographics.

The company – which launched its new guise at the beginning of April after acquiring Toronto-based Pentura Solutions – even created a colour-coded map that U.S. President Barack Obama used during the 2008 Democratic National Convention and also inauguration speech, which took major concerns sent in by the public via text message and arranged them by state, says ThinkWrap CEO Stephen Byrne.

“The big map we built was actually on the Jumbotron when President Obama was delivering the Democratic National Convention speech … it’s quite exciting and powerful,” he says.

The secret of the company’s success, Mr. Byrne says, is the strong strategic partnerships ThinkWrap has formed with Google and e-commerce powerhouse ATG – whose clients include Nike, Sony and AT & amp;T – leading to a wide variety of custom-built solutions.

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ThinkWrap’s Google Maps Development team are experienced Google Maps developers.

ThinkWrap’s Google Maps Development team are experienced Google Maps developers. They use Google Maps to deliver solutions on both web and mobile platforms, and for clients in retail, entertainment, non-profit and government sectors. The team exists “to help you connect with proven developers.”

The team have just released a new video showing how Google Maps Development took a static map image, used by the University of Ottowa website, and created a fully interactive online map using the Google Maps API:

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Corridor Companies Connect

Ottawa-based Thinknostic Inc. merges with Toronto-based Pentura Solutions Inc., reuniting two colleagues who once worked together at Ebusiness services company Montage. Stephen Byrne, CEO of custom software provider Thinknostic, and Marc Lamoureux, co-founder, Pentura, which specializes in Google Maps integration solutions, believe “the added dimension and synergy in the newly combined business will result in significant positive impacts for existing and future clients, employees and shareholders.” The new company will now have primary offices in Toronto and Ottawa, and operations in Montreal, California, and New York. Its combined components will continue to operate under their existing names for a short period, while branding and product integration considerations are worked out. Neither company’s employees will be affected by the merger, according to Thinknostic and Pentura.

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