We are pleased to inform you that a delegation from FRANCE, led by the French Trade Commission, will be in Toronto on March the 24th to meet with potential partners in Ontario. This delegation is composed of 12 innovative companies and clusters working mainly in digital content and digital animation. Those companies are keen to build partnerships in Canada and are wishing to build opportunities for Ontario and French businesses.

Get your tickets for INplay before March 18th and save. INplay is a new conference that explores the art and business of kids interactive. Taking place May 18th and 19th at the Liberty Grand in Toronto, INplay will focus on three streams relating to kids interactive properties: research, creativity & content, and business. Visit the INplay website to register and for more info. Don't forget - IO Members receive dicounted tickets!

10 YEARS YOUNG!
 As we head into our 11th year of business this winter, we wanted to take the time to thank all of you - clients, partners, supporters and friends - we’ve had a great first decade! No, it hasn’t always been easy - we started at the height of the dot.com implosion.  And yes, it hasn’t always been pretty - the death throes of traditional media have been painful to watch. But it has always been interesting.

Interactive Ontario member Digital Shock Inc. takes the iPhone industry by storm with their latest collaboration with Newtoy Inc. (Published by NGMOCO) called “We Rule”. It is a fantasy adventure game that already has iPhone and iTouch owners eager for the release.

Here we grow again...

E-axis.com Inc, is pleased to announce a new addition to the E-axis team. Shawn Preece-Hall  will joining the team in the role of New Business Manager. "We are very excited to add Shawn to the team, his experience and knowledge will greatly enhance the e-axis offering," says Chance Harrington, Director, Business Development, E-axis.

A note from the Ontario Media Development Corporation:

OMDC is digitally transforming the way we do business and making it easier for you, our clients to apply for tax credits and to our programs by going green in 2010-11 with a paperless, secure Online Application Portal (OAP).
 
Now, you will be able to apply online (including uploading and storing corporate documents), track the status of your applications and communicate with OMDC regarding your applications through the OAP.

- Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit (OIDMTC) applications are now being accepted online through the OAP.

TORONTO, ON – February 19, 2010 - Spongelab Interactive, an Ontario-based educational gaming company, with its third major international award, earns critical acclaim by making science fun! Spongelab Interactive has been awarded first prize in the Interactive Media category from the Journal of Science and National Science Foundation’s 2009 Visualization Challenge for the second consecutive year. This award is published in the February 19, 2010 issue of the Journal of Science (Science: Vol. 327. no. 5968, p. 949) and featured on the National Science Foundation’s website.

Interactive Ontario and six Ontario interactive digital media companies went to KidScreen in New York City this past week, with the support of Telefilm Canada and the OMDC. The INplay booth received much interest for our Ontario interactive properties and the INplay Conference, which is taking place in Toronto, May 18-19, 2010. Thanks to all the companies who stopped by the Interactive Ontario/INplay booth to say hello!

                

From Mediacaster Magazine

New funds to support content creation and development in music, film, television and interactive digital media have been announced by the Ontario government.

Through the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) and its Partnerships Fund, an additional $2.9 million in funding support will be invested to leverage an existing $7.1 million in partner contributions.   Full Story

Congratulations to IO member, The Ant Firm. They have been chosen as a finalist in the Venture London Business Competition. Check out the full details here: http://www.venturelondon.ca/index.html

The OMDC Intellectual Property (IP) Development Fund assists Ontario corporations by providing a refund of 30% of prior costs incurred in direct support of eligible early stage development activities to bring screen-based content properties closer to production or market ready stage. Qualifying Ontario corporations may apply for expenditures incurred over the course of a taxation year that relate to a slate of early stage development activities undertaken by the corporation. Eligible expenditures are those incurred after March 31, 2009 up to and including March 31, 2010.

Everyone has a story to tell, Radio Canada International invites all Canadians and permanent residents to tell us about their origins by entering ROOTS (or its French-language cousin RACINES), its brand-new short film and multimedia production competition.

The deadline for entries is March 7, 2010. The competition is open to amateurs and professionals alike, but you must be at least 18 years old to enter.