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Government of Canada invests $1.35 million in new airborne sensing lab so local companies can develop cutting-edge technologies

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PacifiCan funding will help local businesses to harness data, test new technologies, and bring innovations to global markets by accessing this ‘lab in the sky’ at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus

KELOWNA, BC, Feb. 26, 2025 /CNW/ – British Columbia is home to talented innovators creating technologies needed here in Canada and around the world and driving advancements across industries. To support local businesses and enhance collaboration between industry and academia, the Government of Canada is investing in new technologies to help bring more made-in-B.C. innovations to global markets.

Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), announced $1.35 million in PacifiCan funding for the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus (UBCO) to create Western Canada’s first airborne sensing lab. This lab will help B.C. small and medium-sized businesses develop remote sensing technologies for environmental monitoring, security, and hazard detection.

Remote sensing technologies use sensors to collect data about the Earth’s surface without direct contact, offering groundbreaking applications in various industries. With this funding, UBCO will equip a small aircraft with infrared, radar, and hyperspectral sensors, enabling the collection and analysis of high-resolution data.

The airborne sensing lab will help local companies test and refine new technologies, accelerate existing projects and gain a competitive edge in the global sensor data market, which is projected to reach $25 billion by 2027. Many of the lab’s key partners are local companies developing artificial intelligence (AI) software that analyzes sensor data, helping to strengthen the Okanagan’s growing digital technology sector.

This project builds on the UBC Survive and Thrive Applied Research (STAR) lab, a PacifiCan-funded initiative that is developing high-impact technologies for the health, sports, and defense sectors. The addition of the airborne sensing lab will allow UBC STAR to expand into new areas, such as agriculture and forestry. This expansion will also help Indigenous communities more sustainably manage land and marine resources by providing access to the lab’s advanced data collection tools.

Today’s investment, made through PacifiCan’s Regional Innovation Ecosystems program, is expected to generate $4.5 million in revenue, $1 million for research and development, and support more than 10 local small and medium-sized businesses. It will also create training opportunities and high-quality jobs, including for women and youth.

Quotes

“British Columbia is home to incredible talent and innovation, and this investment will help local businesses take their technologies to the next level. By supporting the development of the first airborne sensing lab in Western Canada, we’re giving B.C. companies the tools they need to expand into global markets, strengthen the local tech sector, and create new opportunities for collaboration with Indigenous communities. This is a great example of how industry and academia can work together to drive economic growth and sustainability.” 

-The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

“This is a very exciting partnership between UBC research capabilities and leading Okanagan companies. We are delighted to bring the world real innovation from the Okanagan, solving problems here at home while creating export opportunities contributing to the region’s economic growth and resilience.”

-Dr. Keith Culver, Director UBC STAR, University of British Columbia

Quick Facts

PacifiCan is the federal economic development agency dedicated to British Columbians. PacifiCan works with partners who are building innovative businesses, creating quality jobs, and supporting inclusive growth throughout our province.PacifiCan’s Regional Innovation Ecosystems program invests in sectors across British Columbia, building an ecosystem that includes underrepresented groups and allowing companies to innovate locally and compete globally.

Associated Links

PacifiCanRegional Innovation Ecosystems programUniversity of British Columbia – Okanagan CampusUBC STAR (Survive and Thrive Applied Research)

Stay connected
Follow PacifiCan on Twitter and LinkedIn
Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378
TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388

SOURCE Pacific Economic Development Canada

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SpeedBuilder Systems Celebrates 25 Years of Building Technology and Lasting Relationships in the P&C Insurance Industry

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From its beginnings with a rating solution to an integrated insurance platform, SpeedBuilder Systems marks a quarter-century of helping insurers adapt, innovate, and grow.

COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SpeedBuilder Systems, Inc. (SBS), an award-winning provider of software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for the property and casualty (P&C) insurance industry, is celebrating its 25th anniversary, marking a quarter-century of delivering flexible insurance technology and building long-term relationships with its clients.

Founded on October 10, 2001, by Rod Giess, president of SpeedBuilder Systems, the company began with a vision and a rating solution designed to help insurers bring products to market more efficiently.

“When I started SpeedBuilder Systems, my goal wasn’t to be the biggest. It was simply to be the best at delivering quality technology that would help our clients get to market as quickly as possible,” said Giess. “I believed then, as I do today, that innovative insurance companies deserve access to sophisticated technology, regardless of their size.”

As the business developed, Giess recognized the need for a policy administration system to complement the company’s rating solution. What began as two complementary capabilities has grown into the BindExpress Suite, an integrated insurance platform supporting policy administration, rating, underwriting, billing, claims, and other core insurance operations. Designed for small to medium-sized property and casualty insurers and managing general agents (MGAs), the platform provides the flexibility to accommodate unique business requirements while supporting growth and changing market demands.

Throughout its history, SBS has maintained a consistent philosophy: technology should support an insurer’s business objectives rather than dictate how the organization operates. That approach is reflected in the company’s commitment to configurable software, long-term technology planning, and close collaboration with its clients.

“I’m very proud of how far this company has come, but what means the most to me are the relationships we’ve built along the way,” Giess continued. “Our clients have trusted us with an important part of their businesses, and we’ve never taken that responsibility lightly. I’m grateful to our clients for their continued partnership and to our team, past and present, whose dedication and hard work have brought us to this milestone.”

As SpeedBuilder Systems looks ahead, the company remains committed to helping insurers adapt to an evolving industry while maintaining greater control over their technology and business operations. The company will continue investing in its technology, strengthening client relationships, and supporting insurers as they pursue new opportunities.

About SpeedBuilder Systems

Founded in 2001, SpeedBuilder Systems, Inc. provides enterprise-class insurance software solutions for small and medium-sized property and casualty insurers and MGAs. Its BindExpress Suite® is an integrated set of components including policy administration, rating, automated underwriting, agent and consumer portals, product configuration, billing, claims, automated workflow, and document generation. The company’s AlwaysCurrent Architecture™ enables customers to tailor the system to their unique requirements while adopting future product enhancements without costly retrofitting of customized code.

For more information, visit www.speedbuildersystems.com.

Media Contact
Amy Gillespie
SpeedBuilder Systems, Inc.
agillespie@speedbuildersystems.com

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SOURCE SpeedBuilder Systems, Inc.

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Ally Financial reports third quarter 2026 financial results

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ally Financial (NYSE: ALLY) today reported its third quarter 2026 results. View full press release in PDF.

The news release, presentation and financial supplement can be accessed in the following ways:

Ally Financial Press Room at https://media.ally.comAlly Financial Investor Relations website at https://ally.com/about/investor/

Ally will host a conference call at 9 a.m. ET to review the company’s performance. The call will include a review of the results, followed by a question and answer session.

Conference Call Information: Conference call participation is available via webcast or dial-in. The webcast will be live on Ally’s Investor Relations website in the Events & Presentations section (https://www.ally.com/about/investor/events-presentations/index.html).

To join the conference via dial-in, please pre-register via the following link at least 15 minutes before the call begins: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI8d7b2a06520a45f6ac94fe9a466d5343. Upon registration, you will be provided with the conference dial-in number as well as a unique registrant ID.

A replay of the call will be available via webcast on the Ally Investor Relations website.

About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) includes the nation’s largest all-digital bank and auto finance business, driven by a mission to “Do It Right” for its customers and communities. Ally is a U.S. financial holding company with $203 billion in assets and 9.7 million customers (as of September 30, 2026). Ally Bank, Member FDIC, offers online banking products, including high-yield savings and no hidden fee checking, and was the first major U.S. bank to eliminate overdraft fees. Ally also provides investing solutions through Ally Invest, including online brokerage, automated investing, IRAs and personal advice. As a leader in auto finance, Ally provides consumer and dealer financing, insurance, and vehicle remarketing services. Ally’s seasoned corporate finance business provides capital to equity sponsors and middle-market companies. Visit ally.com.

Contacts:

Dan Ignacio
Ally Investor Relations
704-444-5107
dan.ignacio@ally.com

Peter Gilchrist
Ally Communications (Media)
704-644-6299
peter.gilchrist@ally.com

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SOURCE Ally Financial

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ITURAN LOCATION AND CONTROL LTD. SCHEDULES THIRD QUARTER 2026 RESULTS RELEASE AND CONFERENCE CALL FOR NOVEMBER 24, 2026

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Conference Call Scheduled at 9am Eastern Time

AZOUR, Israel, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ituran Location and Control Ltd. (NASDAQ: ITRN), announced that it will be releasing its third quarter 2026 results on Tuesday, November 24, 2026.

The Company will be hosting a video conference call later that day via Zoom, starting at 9am Eastern Time, 6am Pacific Time and 4pm Israel time. On the call, management will review and present the results and will be available to answer investor questions.

To participate in the Zoom call, please register at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9R8KjpHlR4GccJZZdrYPEQ  

Following registration, you will be sent the link to the conference call which is accessible either via the Zoom app, or alternatively from a dial-in telephone number. If you have an issue with registration, please contact the Ituran investor relations team, well in advance of the call.

For those unable to participate, the call will be available for replay through the same link, or from a link to the recording on Ituran’s website, beginning within a few hours following the end of the call.

About Ituran

Ituran is a leader in the mobility technology field, providing value-added location-based services, including a full suite of services for the connected car. Ituran offers Stolen Vehicle Recovery, fleet management, as well as mobile asset location, management and control services for vehicles, cargo and personal security for the retail and insurance industries and car manufacturers. Ituran is the largest OEM telematics provider in Latin America. Its products and applications are used by customers in over 20 countries. Ituran is also the founder of the Tel Aviv-based DRIVE startup incubator to promote the development of smart mobility technology.

Ituran’s subscriber base has been growing significantly since the Company’s inception to over 2.7 million subscribers using its location-based services with a market-leading position in Israel and Latin America. Established in 1995, Ituran has approximately 2,800 employees worldwide, with offices in Israel, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, India, Canada and the United States.

For more information, please visit Ituran’s website, at: www.ituran.com

 

 

Company Contact

Udi Mizrahi

Deputy CEO and VP Finance, Ituran

udi_m@ituran.com

(Israel) +972 3 557 1348

International Investor Relations

Ehud Helft

EK Global Investor Relations

ituran@ekgir.com

(US) +1 212 378 8040  

 

 

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SOURCE Ituran Location and Control Ltd.

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