We’re here to stay, we’re here to innovate, we’re here to hire, we’re here to compete, and we’re here to give back to Nova Scotia.

Sean Kelly, Director of Business Development

Geospectrum Technologies Inc.

Ocean tech is nothing new to Nova Scotia. It’s just finally getting the recognition it deserves, says Sean Kelly. We have always been here, from the famous longtime shipbuilders in Lunenburg who were the forefathers for ocean tech, to the defense tech companies like GeoSpectrum Technologies. 

GeoSpectrum Technologies Inc. specializes in underwater acoustic transducers and systems. Based in Dartmouth, GeoSpectrum has been recognized as one of the world’s leading providers of specialized surveillance software for a variety of applications including military, marine mammal monitoring, and ocean observation.

“Our growth has been on just the good side of huge and uncontrollable, and we can attribute a significant amount of that to NSBI. Even when things have gotten very much out of hand in that we’ve been growing so fast, it was really nice to bring NSBI to the table and say, “Okay, we need some help here,” or, “we need some advice here.” 

NSBI is here to help, whether it be in chain-of-supply, or in trying to find a new connection for a new fabricator.

“It could be as simple as just some advice of who do we talk to in the New England states because we really want to work with some people in the ocean tech industry down there and there’s like a million of them. We’re worried that we’re going to team up with the wrong ones. And all of a sudden, we’ve got someone from NSBI speaking to the Consulate General down there making connections. Those connections have led to some really good current and future growth for us.” 

NSBI staff have partners, insight and tools for companies wanting to make gains in international business. GeoSpectrum has accessed export development programming and a business development incentive through NSBI. 

Kelly says GeoSpectrum has specific hiring needs, with long training ramp-ups. Plus their company’s culture is to have long-term employees. So the payroll rebate reduces the financial risks and costs of hiring, which is enabling the company to hire more efficiently, and dedicate more time and energy to training and developing new employees rather than putting pressure on them to begin performing from day one. 

“This is a very big benefit for our company because it keeps our production cycle aligned with the sales cycle. Consistency in our business impacts revenues and a higher level  of innovation and productivity.”