BlackBerry and L-SPARK Launch New Accelerator Program to Fuel Canadian Technology Innovation

OTTAWA, ONTARIO – September 20, 2018 – BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) and L-SPARK, Canada’s largest software-as-a-service accelerator, today announced they have partnered to help small and medium-sized technology enterprises (SMEs) grow their businesses and bring new products to market using BlackBerry QNX technology.

As part of the program, BlackBerry will help participating companies research and develop product prototypes in areas such as robotics, device security, sensor fusion (e.g. lidar, radar, cameras and GPS), functional safety, analytics, medical devices and autonomous vehicles.

“Partnering with BlackBerry to accelerate the growth of high-potential Canadian SMEs is the most effective way to grow the next great, global, technology company,” said Leo Lax, executive managing director, L-Spark. “But more importantly, it is a great way to elevate the entire Canadian technology community to reach and thrive within the global marketplace.”

“BlackBerry is proud to play an integral role in the growth of Canada’s innovation economy,” said Grant Courville, VP, Product Management and Strategy, BlackBerry QNX, BlackBerry. “The new accelerator program is a great opportunity for us to better interact and collaborate with Canadian software companies and help bring to market innovative products that will shape the way we’ll live, work and play in the future.”

L-SPARK will turn to the expertise of the National Research Council-Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), and its network of Industrial Technology Advisors, to reach out to companies with business models and technologies that could benefit from working with the BlackBerry QNX product group. Ultimately, six companies will be selected to join the accelerator program for six months of intensive, one-on-one, training aimed to grow and scale each company and bring new products to market.

From nuclear power plants, surgical robots, and life-critical medical devices to connected and autonomous vehicles, trains, and traffic lights – BlackBerry’s QNX technology powers safe, reliable and secure systems for global companies like Audi, Cisco, Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, General Electric, Intuitive Surgical, Lockheed Martin, and Siemens. 

For more information, or to apply to the accelerator program, please visit https://www.l-spark.com/accelerator/blackberry.

About BlackBerry

BlackBerry is an enterprise software and services company focused on securing and managing IoT endpoints. The company does this with BlackBerry Secure, an end-to-end Enterprise of Things platform, comprised of its enterprise communication and collaboration software and safety-certified embedded solutions. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company was founded in 1984 and operates in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa. The Company trades under the ticker symbol “BB” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.BlackBerry.com.

About L-SPARK

L-SPARK is Canada’s leading accelerator for Software as a Service (SaaS) companies. Since the launch of their first cohort in January 2015, L-SPARK has accelerated 36 companies across Canada. With over 10,000 investors, corporate partners and startups now in their network, L-SPARK has curated a forceful Canadian tech community for participating companies to join.  

BlackBerry and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of BlackBerry Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.

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Media Contacts:

BlackBerry
(519) 597-7273
mediarelations@BlackBerry.com

L-SPARK
Jim Glade
646-480-0356
jim@publicize.co

Investor Contact:

BlackBerry Investor Relations
(519) 888-7465
investor_relations@BlackBerry.com