By Craig McLellan, CEO, ThinkOn
Across Canada, governments make investments in Canadian businesses to support advances in clean energy, health and safety, and digital technology, branding Canada as an innovation hub and fueling business and entrepreneurship at home and abroad.
As CEO and Founder of ThinkOn, I made a commitment to Canadian values as the foundation of our contribution to Canadian business. I’m proud that ThinkOn is a 100 per cent Canadian-owned company with global reach, dedicated to Canadian innovation and data sovereignty. We help organizations thrive by leveraging the power of technology to accelerate growth, and we support Canadian research, education, and social responsibility.
Support for Canadian innovation and entrepreneurship
The Government of Canada recognizes the expanding, diverse, highly educated talent pool in our technology sector, and this commitment to growing and attracting innovative talent from across the globe has made Canada home to the world’s largest tech hubs.[1]
Government support contributes to the growth of Canadian business, helping to boost local hiring, encourage a buy-Canadian mindset, and expand Canada’s global reach. The Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry recently confirmed investments totalling $68.2 million in 17 Canadian tech companies through Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).[2]
Innovation Canada presents a clear mandate for supporting Canadian businesses with their Global Innovation Clusters, Strategic Innovation Fund, and The Canada Digital Adoption Program, stating that, “From funding to expert advice to driving new collaborations, our programs and services are designed to help businesses innovate, create jobs, and grow Canada’s economy.”[3]
MaRS, an innovation incubator and registered charitable organization supported by the governments of Ontario and Canada, recently announced that Canadian organizations rank among the top green technology companies in the world.[4]
As a result, Canadian companies are contributing to our greener economy and gaining a global reputation for innovation.
In 2019, ThinkOn joined the Government of Canada’s Accelerated Growth Service (AGS), a program that provides entrepreneurs and businesses access to resources that help them grow and scale.[5] Since then, we’ve more than doubled our staff, accelerated revenue growth, and secured a Government of Canada Cloud Framework Agreement as the only Canadian cloud services provider available to federal and provincial departments and agencies across Canada.
Innovation in Canada: A safe place to grow
A made-in-Canada approach to technology supported by our government means that when we buy Canadian, we are supporting investments made with Canadian taxpayer dollars and contributing to a more robust economy that benefits all Canadians.
Being Canadian and supporting Canadian values is what sets ThinkOn apart. We uphold our place as an innovator that makes companies thrive, a foundation based on trust and an understanding of what it means to be a Canadian company.
AGS included ThinkOn in their Impact Stories, citing our dedication to “creating cloud-based data management solutions that are easy to understand, simple to deliver, and consistently safe and secure.”[6]
Today, ThinkOn is one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies—with over 1,500 businesses using our solutions, 150 value-added resellers (VARs) and more than 20 data centers located around the world—putting us on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 list.[7]
The Canadian cloud difference, helping Canadian companies thrive
When we founded ThinkOn, we had three core principles in mind. First, the company’s cloud computing services would be easy to understand and simple to deliver. Cloud computing is complex, and in order to accelerate growth for Canadian businesses, we need to deliver value and flexibility while simplifying the process of digital transformation so organizations can thrive.
The second principle is that our cloud computing services would be transparently priced, with no hidden charges. We recognize that many foreign cloud services providers are holding companies hostage by charging outrageous egress and ingress fees and making contractual obligations so stringent that organizations are strangled by cloud applications that no longer served their needs. That way of doing business is not the Canadian way, so at ThinkOn, we put our customers’ needs first and keep our costs low.
Our third core principle is that our customers be kept secure and well-supported. That means a complete commitment throughout the digital journey, from early discussion to implementation, growth, and evolution. Canadians help their neighbours, and our customers are our VIP neighbours. Our support team of expert Thinkers are always available—real people, not chatbots or voicemails. Digital well-being happens in real time and that’s how we respond.
ThinkOn is one of North America’s largest 100 per cent channel-focused cloud service providers. We achieved that through leveraging Canadian talent and innovation, and we’re always paying it forward by keeping our customers secure and helping their companies thrive by making their data thrive.
Canadian Sovereign Cloud: A Compass™ that points to Canadian innovation
A true innovator never rests on their laurels. ThinkOn continues to expand our digital capabilities, furthering our place as a technology leader dedicated to serving Canadian organizations.
Our Canadian Sovereign Cloud provides government-approved data sovereignty for Canadian organizations, protecting sensitive data from foreign access. In order to further that commitment to data security, we are expanding our cloud services to include our own Compass™ Intellectual Portfolio (IP).
For ThinkOn, expanding services in our own IP provides more cloud services and data security for our partners and customers, who can safely collect, store, and manage sensitive data without foreign interference or unauthorized access.
“Data protection is serious business for ThinkOn, and our intellectual portfolio reflects that. Our web-based interface enables features and functionality that allow you and your customers to manage and protect services and data,” says John Slater, ThinkOn’s Chief Security Officer.
As part of our intellectual portfolio, our ThinkOn Compass™ Data Protect services expand our other offerings and provide management features for partners and customers. The web-based services we are offering in Data Protect support unparalleled management methods and critical customer data protection, a must in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Canadian technology: A global success story
Innovation accelerates growth for Canadian organizations, and that’s the value of our technology sector. We have the talent, resources, and ingenuity to compete on a global scale and contribute to the national economy while upholding our Canadian values. Together, we are making an impact and solving some of the world’s biggest challenges in sustainability, compliance, and data security.
As the founder of a Canadian company known for its innovation, business ethics and accelerated growth, all I can say is, “Maple leaf forever!”
Learn more about partnering with an innovative Canadian company: Why Choose ThinkOn.
[1] Invest in Canada, https://www.investcanada.ca/industries/technology
[2] Government of Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, “Government of Canada invests in 17 Canadian companies creating economic growth and good jobs,” https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2023/02/government-of-canada-invests-in-17-canadian-companies-creating-economic-growth-and-good-jobs.html
[3] Government of Canada, Innovation Canada, https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovation-canada/en
[4] MaRS, Junaid Ahmed, “12 Canadian companies rank on the Global Cleantech 100 list for 2023,” https://www.marsdd.com/news/12-canadian-companies-rank-on-the-global-cleantech-100-list-for-2023/
[5] Government of Canada, Accelerated Growth Service, https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/accelerated-growth-service/en
[6] Ibid
[7] Deloitte Fast 50, https://www2.deloitte.com/ca/en/pages/fast-50/topics/canadas-technology-fast-50-program.html