Finger Food Advanced Technology Group leverages OCIF funds to support its new advanced technology centre, will add 200 jobs in Calgary


Calgary, AB, Sept. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Finger Food Advanced Technology Group announced today it will open an advanced technology centre in Calgary and leverage support from the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF) to accelerate the incubation of new digital technologies and development of local tech ecosystems.

Finger Food Advanced Technology Group – a leading enterprise technology solution provider founded in Port Coquitlam, B.C. – was approved by OCIF’s Board of Directors to receive up to $3.5 million to support for initiatives at the advanced technology centre, it is creating, in collaboration with companies like Microsoft.

The advanced technology centre is set to provide 200 full-time jobs in Calgary by 2023 for highly skilled design, software development and management professionals.  

“There were many compelling reasons to open a technology centre in Calgary,” said Finger Food Advanced Technology Group’s CEO Ryan Peterson. “With the talent pool, appetite for growth, and partners like Calgary Economic Development and the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund, it was the obvious city to launch our first advanced technology centre. We believe, alongside our strategic partners, we can be a catalyst for growth in Calgary’s tech and business ecosystem.”

The advanced technology centre will be a facility for global innovation; a state-of-the-art space the company says will be dedicated to disrupting traditional thinking, fostering user-centric and innovative ideas, and learning opportunities.

“The OCIF Board chose to support Finger Food Advanced Technology Group’s investment in Calgary on the basis of three key factors”, said Barry Munro, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund. “The company demonstrated strong desire to create highly skilled technology jobs in Calgary in order to support its global client base; its focus on applying its proprietary suite of technologies and processes to solve global issues in areas such as food, health, energy, and transportation; and the positive impact that the creation of the advanced technology centre is expected to have on the Calgary innovation and technology ecosystem.” 

As part of this expansion, Finger Food Advanced Technology Group will expand its longstanding collaboration with Microsoft and will leverage Microsoft’s technology suite throughout the technology centre. Technology offerings to include Microsoft Azure, HoloLens 2, Industrial IOT and Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence technology solutions. Microsoft will also run several accredited certification programs in the new technology centre that will arm clients with new technical skills to capitalize on the emerging digital market.

“The Finger Food Advanced Technology Group has been leveraging Microsoft’s trusted technology suite of services to build cutting edge solutions for customers around the world and now, with this new space in Calgary, they can help even more customers transform their businesses with technology, especially those in the resource sector,” said Mark Speaker, Industry Solutions Executive, Microsoft Canada. “We’re thrilled to support such innovative companies that are leading Canada into the digital economy.”

Finger Food has a presence in Calgary through its clients, that includes leading energy companies such as Enbridge and Suncor Energy.

“Fostering a growing ecosystem is key to scale innovation,” said Sandy Martin, Senior Vice President Digital and Enterprise Technical for Suncor Energy. “That is why Finger Food’s advanced technology centre will be an important part of building momentum to elevate Calgary as a world leader in digital technologies.”

The Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund was launched by The City of Calgary in April 2018 to support investments that spur growth and create jobs in strategic sectors identified in the Economic Strategy Calgary in the New Economy. Finger Food is the sixth submission to be approved for funding.

“When I first met Ryan and the team at Finger Food, I knew this would be a welcome addition to Calgary's tech and business ecosystem,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi, who is a member of the OCIF Board. “By combining engineering expertise and design thinking, their business model lines up perfectly with Calgary’s existing talent pool. I believe opportunities like this are exactly what this fund was created for; delivering innovative solutions globally that are effectively ‘Made in Calgary.’”

About Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund: 

Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund was created as a wholly owned subsidiary of The City of Calgary in 2018 to support catalytic investments within the city that will help diversify and transform the economy. The Fund is administered by Calgary Economic Development and has a volunteer Board of Directors. For more information, visit our website.

About Finger Food Advanced Technology Group

Finger Food Advanced Technology Group was founded in 2009, and builds custom technology solutions to solve some of the most complex problems faced by businesses today. The company utilizes In-house expertise in AI, AR/VR, Blockchain, Robotics, and IoT, to create cloud, web, mobile, machine and advanced-interface solutions for Fortune 500-level clients.  

Media contact:

Finger Food Advanced Technology Group

Nick Malaperiman

Nickm@fingerfoodstudios.com

(1) 604 726 9397

 


            

Contact Data