Professor's software product leads to creation of UOIT's first spinoff company

WHITBY, Ont. - Officials with the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) were at the Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters today to announce details of the university's first-ever spinoff company, Hoper Inc. The business was founded following the development at UOIT of an innovative software tool designed to enhance the website navigation experience, benefiting organizations and businesses of all sizes, and their customers and clients.

UOIT and Dr. Miguel Vargas Martin, who developed the navdriver software, have partnered with local businessmen Fred Read and Steve Vetzal to launch the company and were at the Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters to announce the Region of Durham as one of the first organizations to use navdriver. The program has been integrated into the Region's main website www.region.durham.on.ca.

A computer software program used to streamline website navigation through online searches, navdriver increases efficiency by modelling the structure of a website, analyzing visitors' traffic patterns and creating a summary of the most important page relationships for each page on the site. The more often a search is completed, the easier it becomes to navigate the website. It is expected to enable customers to find the information they need quickly and simply, providing real benefits to organizations in terms of lower support calls, less website maintenance and network load reduction.

"This cutting-edge technology is unique because it is the only software that enhances navigation based on how people surf a website," said Dr. Vargas Martin, an assistant professor with UOIT's faculties of Business and Information Technology and Engineering and Applied Science. "This provides companies with an increased opportunity to deliver greater customer satisfaction while utilizing employees' time more effectively."

Initially developed during Dr. Vargas Martin's PhD research, navdriver came to fruition after he further advanced the concept upon joining UOIT. When it was time to look for project funding and support in bringing navdriver to market, he and Dr. Mike Szarka, manager of the Technology Transfer and Commercialization office at UOIT, worked on a partnership with Durham business owners Vetzal, who is Hoper president, and Read, vice-president.

Because of its potential for boosting an organization's web efficiency, Hoper has quickly attracted interest from the business community, including large organizations such as the Regional Municipality of Durham. The software aims to be user-friendly, easy-to-install and low-maintenance. It is expected that Durham Region residents will benefit from the software, as it will help provide them with simpler access to online information.

"The Region of Durham is pleased to be the first host of this innovative software, as it fits in with our goals of encouraging business growth and partnerships in the business community," stated Regional Chair Roger Anderson. "By partnering with UOIT, we will enhance the delivery of services to our customers. This partnership is a win-win solution."

Hoper has received funding support from the Ontario Centres of Excellence and the Ontario Partnership for Innovation and Commercialization. The company's first employee has been hired; a graduate from UOIT's Master of Information Technology Security program, the first of its kind in Canada. Launching its first spinoff company only four years after beginning classes is a significant achievement for a university.

"We are extremely pleased by the launch of Hoper and by the prospects for navdriver's success and the benefits it will bring to users and businesses," said Dr. Ronald Bordessa, president of UOIT. "At UOIT, our faculty is dedicated to research work that will make a difference for society and Dr. Vargas Martin's software product is an excellent example of the great work happening every day on campus. It's also another affirmation of UOIT's commitment to seeing innovative ideas from the concept stage through to commercialization."

About UOIT
As an innovative university, UOIT delivers a leading-edge learning environment that uniquely combines academic knowledge, research opportunities, hands-on skills and a vibrant student life. UOIT's 5,000 students are taught by professors who are experts in their fields from around the world. As Ontario's first laptop-based university, the university offers more than 30 challenging undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of Business and Information Technology, Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Sciences. UOIT's commitment to research excellence has resulted in millions of dollars in grants and awards, including five Canada Research Chairs. To find out more, visit www.uoit.ca or call 905.721.8668.

Media contact:

Jennifer Santos
Communications co-ordinator
Economic Development and Tourism Department, the Regional Municipality of Durham
905.668.7711 ext. 2607
jennifer.santos@region.durham.on.ca

About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.

Media contact
Melissa Levy
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668 ext. 2513
melissa.levy@uoit.ca