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Ryerson Digital Media Zone
Company typeBusiness incubator
IndustryExperiential Learning
FoundedApril 7, 2010
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
Key people
Sheldon Levy, Valerie Fox, Hossein Rahnama
Websitedigitalmediazone.ryerson.ca

Ryerson University's Digital Media Zone (DMZ) is a Canadian business incubator located at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, Ontario. Started in April 2010, the Digital Media Zone provides overhead, business services, advice and a rich network of contacts. As a hub of digital media innovation and experiential learning, entrepreneurs and researchers can accelerate product launches and contribute to Canada’s growing success in the digital economy.[1]

History

In his March 2009 address to the Empire Club of Canada, Ryerson University President Sheldon Levy announced his intention to make digital media a top priority for the university and a driver of the university’s innovation and city building agendas. On April 7th, 2010, the Digital Media Zone was founded.

On December 15, 2010, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty toured the DMZ, meeting with ARB Labs, EDGE Lab and Flybits. The premier held his daily media availability session in the DMZ to showcase the success of bringing education and innovation together to create business and jobs.[2]

On January 26, 2011, the Government of Canada officially designated 2011 as the Year of the Entrepreneur at the Digital Media Zone. The Honourable Ted Menzies, Minister of State (Finance) and the Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) announced the official designation on the Prime Minister’s behalf.[3]

On May 22, 2012, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales visited the DMZ as part of the 2012 Royal Tour to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Premier Dalton McGuinty and Ryerson President Sheldon Levy escorted Prince Charles through the DMZ, where he greeted Ryerson staff and chatted with teams about their latest innovations and projects. Prince Charles met with Bionik Labs, a medical engineering research and development corporation, 500px, a photography website and iPad app, Greengage, a sustainability smartphone app, and Flybits, a Canadian leader in context-aware computing.[4]

As of June 2012, there have been 45 companies incubated and accelerated, more than 88 projects initiated, 438 jobs fostered and created through newly formed companies and market-driven research (plus 60 new jobs at Ryerson University), and 12 alumni companies. Furthermore, the DMZ has hosted more than 460 tours, including government delegations, captains of industry and international journalists.

Application process

Applicants are selected through StartMeUp Ryerson, a business startup program run by Ryerson’s award-winning Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), and a committee of industry leaders, faculty experts, peers and mentors. Ryerson University students, Ryerson alumni and non-Ryerson University students are welcome to apply.

Program

Entrepreneurs accepted into Ryerson's Digital Media Zone are from diverse academic disciplines, backgrounds and business stages. The DMZ is available to all entrepreneurs, not just those affiliated with Ryerson University, who have a unique idea that has commercial or social value and a comprehensive business plan demonstrating feasibility and entrepreneurial capability. The DMZ's program structure is flexible and inclusive. Companies can enter at different stages through a variety of supported pathways. They can remain and grow through rental agreements until they feel ready to move on. Equity exchanges for eligible companies are optional.

The DMZ operates using a four-prong model:

  • Educate: The Digital Specialization (DS) Program, offered by Ryerson University, teaches digital skills to students who receive academic credit in the areas of business and social innovation.
  • Ideate: StartMeUp Ryerson offers the service of helping budding entrepreneurs come up with and document a viable business idea.
  • Incubate: Startups in the DMZ Incubation Program focus on validating their business model, R&D, iterating on their prototype, seeking out pilot customers and isolating the market for their product. The DMZ Incubation Program is a semi-structured 4-month program with an optional additional 8 months where fees may apply. Payment details are determined primarily by team size, with possible options for equity exchanges or in kind contributions.
  • Accelerate: The Acceleration Program consists of a three-phased structured program ranging from 6 to 18 months with equity funding available.

Research and Development

The DMZ is home to several research labs where researchers at all stages of their post-secondary career collaborate with industry partners to solve authentic business problems. Current research teams include Flybits, which specializes in pushing cloud-based information to users based on location, activity, and user profiles, as well as EDGE Lab, a multi-disciplinary research lab devoted to the study of learning, play and social innovation.

Current Ryerson Digital Media Zone teams

  • ARB Labs
  • Bionik Laboratories
  • EatSleepRIDE
  • Electric Courage
  • Fanfare
  • Greengage
  • HireWinston
  • HugeMonster
  • Jobdeals
  • Kytephone
  • Peytec
  • Phosphorus Media
  • Professor Pass
  • realSociable
  • Screen Goddess
  • SoapBox (HitSend)
  • Sojo
  • Sound Selecta
  • Spenz
  • StackRocket
  • TAD
  • TapGage
  • Three Red Cubes
  • Tiny Hearts
  • unBrokr
  • Venngage
  • Viafoura
  • Virtual Next
  • WhatImWear.in
  • WhoPlusYou

Notable Ryerson Digital Media Zone alumni

  • 500px
  • Bright Bunny
  • Burstn
  • Crowdfield
  • Finizi
  • Kela Medical Inc
  • LeanIn
  • ReadyChat
  • Scanly
  • Shape Collage
  • StackRocket
  • Teamsave
  • Vitalhub

References

  1. ^ "Ryerson Digital Media Zone Launches New Website". TechVibes. 2010-09-10. Retrieved 20012-06-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ "Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty visits Ryerson's Digital Media Zone". Ryerson University. 2010-12-17. Retrieved 20012-06-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ^ "Government of Canada officially designates 2011 as Year of the Entrepreneur at Ryerson's Digital Media Zone". Ryerson University. 2011-01-26. Retrieved 20012-06-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  4. ^ "His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales visits Ryerson University". Ryerson University. 2012-05-22. Retrieved 2012-06-21.



Valerie Fox

Valerie Fox
BornJanuary 8, 1954 (1954-01-08) (age 70)
New York
Alma materSyracuse University
Carleton University
University of Ottawa (BA)
Algonquin College
Sheridan College
Adler Graduate Professional School
Occupation(s)executive director, graphic designer, professional coach

Valerie Fox (born 1954) is an executive director, graphic designer and professional coach. She is known for her work at IBM Canada, as well as for developing and founding the Ryerson Digital Media Zone (DMZ), an incubator for digital media businesses, where she is principally responsible for making industry and institutional connections, and for bringing partnerships and collaboration to the DMZ. She holds multiple patents, including one for the concept of the “Universal Shopping Cart” and four patents for the “Synchronized Multi-Tablet Internet/TV System.”

Career

Valerie began her career at IBM Canada in 1993 where she was the National Practice Lead of User Experience Design. In 1999, she worked as the the Creative Director for the Official Sydney Olympics website. In 2004, she became a Professional and Executive Coach. In 2006, after leaving IBM Canada, Valerie began her career at Ryerson University, becoming the Director of Innovative Technology Solutions. In April of 2010, she founded the Ryerson Digital Media Zone,

Awards and recognition

Valerie received the Outstanding Achievement award for her role on the IBM Executive Design Consultancy Board, as well as an Award of Excellence for the Sydney Olympics website design. In 2012, Valerie received the prestigious Canadian Women in Technology (CanWIT) Sara Kirke Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, provided by the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATAAlliance).

References




Hossein Rahnama

Hossein Rahnama
BornMay 8, 1980 (1980-05-08) (age 44)
Toronto? London, UK?
Alma materRyerson University (BC S, MS, PhD)
Occupation(s)mobile application developer, entrepreneur, professor

Hossein Rahnama (born 1980) is a mobile applications developer, entrepreneur and professor. He is the Research Director of the Ryerson Digital Media Zone (DMZ) where he leads the DMZ’s market-driven research arm and facilitates industry partnerships with DMZ companies and teams. He also the founder of the DMZ research team Flybits where undergraduate and graduate students work together to break new ground in mobile and pervasive computing. Further, Hossein is the Research Director of the Ubiquitous Computing Group at Ryerson University and an instructor for the Department of Computer Science. Hossein has more than 15 publications and patents on ubiquitous and pervasive computing.

Career

As an undergraduate student at Ryerson University, Hossein began his career at Rogers Communications as a wireless applications developer in 2000. In 2003, he worked at Alpha Global Labs as a software and knowledge engineer. Prior to his doctoral studies at Ryerson, Hossein was a mobile applications architect at Primus Telecommunications Europe in London, England. From 2007 to 2010, Hossein served as the Vice President of Research and Innovation at Appear Networks located in Kista, Sweden. In 2009, Hossein completed his doctoral studies at Ryerson and in 2010, he became the Director of Research at the Ryerson Digital Media Zone.

In June of 2010, under Hossein’s direction, the DMZ research team launched the Mobile Transit Companion for the Paris Metro Authority (RATP). This mobile application, which is now live in Paris, provides passengers in transit with live, customized, useful data at their fingertips.

In November of 2011, the Flybits team launched GO Mobile, GO Transit’s first official mobile application for Toronto.

Awards and recognition

  • ORION Innovation Award 2011
  • Isadore Sharp Award for Outstanding Recent Graduate 2011
  • Selected as Ryerson University's Top 30 Under 30, 2009[1]
  • Selected by Royal Canadian Institute as one of Canada's 25 most influential scientists for 2009
  • Ontario Centers of Excellence International Scholarship 2008
  • Semi Finalist for Harvard Business School's 2008 Business Plan Competition
  • Apple Computers student scholarship at WWDC 2007, 2008
  • Ryerson NSERC Innovation Challenge Award 2007
  • Best Research Seminar Award – Department of Electrical Engineering, Ryerson University 2007
  • Nomination for Canada’s 2006 Governor General Gold Medal Award
  • Front runner in SIMAGINE International Mobile Development contest at 3 GSM conference held in Barcelona, Spain 2006

References

  1. ^ "Top 30 Under 30" (PDF). Ryerson University. 2009-06. Retrieved 2012-06-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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