23 April 2016Ottawa’s first trade mission to India generates business opportunities for local companies_ (press release) _ The Ottawa trade mission to India, with Mayor Jim Watson and a delegation of 35 business and industry leaders, generated investments and opportunities in technology, education, film production and tourism. The resulting list of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), strategic partnerships and mutually beneficial agreements between Ottawa companies and their Indian counterparts has an estimated total value of over $80 million. The 35 delegates from Ottawa represented technology companies, academic institutions, business and tourism associations, as well as Invest Ottawa, the city’s economic development agency. During stops in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, participants announced a series of agreements for investments and business cooperation in Ottawa, or to expand operations in India. The delegation focused on building trade linkages and attracting investments, which is a significant component of “Partnerships for Innovation”, the City’s economic development strategy. “This has been a successful trade mission, generating a dozen investment announcements and partnerships that are helping to build Ottawa’s global reputation and relationships between Ottawa and Indian companies and organizations,” said Mayor Watson. “The announcements included major deals that represent important access to markets and financial resources in India. They are significant for the businesses and organizations involved, and in many cases, they are the first critical steps in forging lasting and prosperous relationships.” Participants met with business leaders, decision-makers and government officials and explored a range of business development opportunities with their Indian counterparts in the technology sector and other industries. The delegation also included Ottawa companies with a focus on film production, online education solutions, as well as water and wastewater management, real estate development and legal services. Ottawa technology companies that design and manufacture cellular, satellite and fixed wireless systems were well represented on the five-day mission that took place from April 17 to 22, as well as companies with expertise in hardware, software and optics. There are more than 1,700 knowledge-based companies in Ottawa with approximately 68,000 employees. This talent pool, with expertise in hardware, software, semiconductor and optics, can motivate partnerships and leverage investment with the ever growing technology sector in India. Representatives from the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Algonquin College, the Kanata North Business Association and TWU Global Education Academy were also on the trade mission, successfully promoting Ottawa as a leading knowledge and innovation centre in Canada. The delegation worked to attract investment and build opportunities in training and research for postsecondary institutions. Mayor Watson also met with representatives from several municipal and state governments. Following a successful meeting with the three mayors of New Delhi on Monday, Mayor Watson signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the three municipal leaders of Indian’s national capital region to explore collaboration between the City of Ottawa and Delhi’s North, South and East Municipal Corporations in the areas of trade, education, municipal administration and tourism, particularly ahead of Canada’s 150thanniversary in 2017. Mayor Watson also met with his counterpart in Bangalore, as well as the Minister for Bangalore Development, and the Principal Secretary for IT, Science & Technology, both from the Government of Karnataka. They discussed challenges in municipal administration, the importance of public transit, and opportunities for collaboration in innovation and entrepreneurship. During the mission, delegates had an opportunity to participate in major events and receptions in which all delegates were able to network with Indian government officials, decision-makers, and industry and academic leaders. B2B meetings in each destination city were coordinated in partnership with the Canadian High Commission to India’s trade commissioners, the Indo-Canadian Business Chamber and the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Mayor Watson and the delegation visited one of the largest Bollywood film production studios in India, Yash Raj Films, where Mayor Watson promoted Ottawa as a prime Bollywood filming location, due to its low cost and beautiful landscapes. ** Highlights of the Ottawa Trade Mission: ** * Ottawa’s Kivuto Solutions E-learning company will collaborate with Golgotias University in India to expand digital textbook resources in India. * Kivuto also formed a reseller partnership with Edukinect India, a Microsoft Learning Partner in technical education. * National Jewels in India will establish their Canadian Brand in Ottawa with inCa Synergies with an estimated investment that may exceed $250,000. * qEW Films Inc, with diverse coverage of markets in Canada, India and UAE, signed a MOU with Anmol Pictures for a co-production aiming for a 2017 shoot in Ottawa. * Clearford Water Systems Inc., a provider of unified water management and sanitation systems, commissioned its first Clearford One™ installation in India, valued at approximately $150,000. * EION Inc., a wireless technology company in Ottawa, and Adino Telecom Limited in India formed a strategic partnership worth an estimated $50 million during the period of the partnership. * SKILLSdox Inc., an online education company with a team of 22 in Ottawa, showcased their media partnership with School of Skill and the Times of India, valued at $30 million. * Invest Ottawa, the city’s economic development agency, announced a MOU with NASSCOM 10,000 Startups (National Association of Software and Services Companies) in India. * The City of Ottawa announced an MOU with Amity University to strengthen its presence in Ottawa and facilitate exploration of Amity University locating a campus here in collaboration with a local partner. During the tour of the Amity campus in New Delhi, Mayor Watson was awarded the Amity Distinguished Leadership Award for his dedication to public service and his efforts to strengthen the Canada-India relationship. * Invest Ottawa solidified its relationship with Reliance GENNEXT as the parties agreed to jointly evaluate and explore opportunities in relation to marketing, promotion and facilitation of growth of their accelerator programs. For additional information, visit ottawa.ca or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-9656 ). You can also connect with us through Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .