SubC Imaging produces cameras and digital relays, with the aim of meeting the video, image and lighting requirements of offshore enterprises. Its products are used in remote vehicle manufacturing, for deep sea mining and in oil service work.
The company is based in Clarenville and has been featured in a series of videos around innovation in local business, created by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
During its time with the Genesis Centre at MUN, a business incubator, it developed a client list that reaches around the world, specifically into the United States, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Singapore.
Within the past two weeks, leading up to its graduation from the centre, SubC Imaging added its 11th hire.
“We’re just getting started. This is just the beginning and we plan on continuing and growing and the sky is the limit really,” said Adam Rowe, who manages the company with Chad Collett and Ron Collier.
Like proud parents, representatives from the provincial government, university, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and ocean technology sector gathered for the graduation event, held at the university’s Bruneau Centre for Innovation and Research.
“When people talk about SubC, two terms are often repeated: world class and a cool group of people,” said Darin King, minister of business, tourism, culture and rural development.
“I certainly believe that sums them up very well.”
He noted, in its earliest years, the company jumped on growth opportunities and joined in provincial missions to trade shows servicing the ocean technology sector.
“Without the generous help from this province, a company such as ours would have no chance of succeeding. It’s an ideal place to live. It’s an ideal place to develop ocean technology,” said Collett.
Collett thanked the provincial government for its support, but also credited the environment to organizations such as the National Research Council of Canada, the province’s Research and Development Corp., the Atlantic Canada Opportuities Agency and the Canadian Business Development Bank.
In addition to graduating from the business incubation program, the lead hands of SubC Imaging were presented with the Canadian Association of Business Incubation’s David McNamara Client of the Year Award, recognizing the most successful graduate company from an incubator or business accelerator program in Canada.
Entrance to the Genesis Centre at MUN is a competitive process, but accepted startup businesses are provided everything from office space and networking events to advisory boards and technical resources at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
A senior project manager with the university’s Autonomous Oceans Systems Laboratory, Neil Riggs worked with the Genesis Centre as a mentor for the company over the past several years. He said he suggested to Collett, more than once, that he build up SubC’s base in St. John’s as opposed to Clarenville.
Collett went a different way.
“He looked an older man in the eye ... and told him the way he was going to do it because he really believed in it,” Riggs said after the speeches at the graduation event, crediting Collett and joking that mentors are not always right.
“I think it’s inevitable, with leadership like that, that this company is going to do well going forward.”
In all, 36 companies have graduated from the Genesis Centre since 2000, including Celsius game studios, Verafin and Virtual Marine Technology.
http://subcimaging.com/gallery/
http://subcimaging.com/2014/11/photo-of-the-week-spiny-lobster-and-blue-angelfish/
