El-Far is a partner in the start-up, Lightspeed Studios, won a $500,000 prize on Dragon's Den this week. It probably isn't a huge shock he would be involved in something this creative (as he explains over at the mothership, this is Ron Allen and David Babineau's baby.
Two seasons ago, El-Far won the TSN Russ Jackson Award for academic and athletic excellence in 2006 and was working on his doctorate in computer science while playing football, so it's not a surprise that he might end up being involved with something of this nature.
From the uOttawa press release:
"First Memories builds next-generation photography kiosks that are placed in maternity wards in hospitals and allows families and friends of newborns to take pictures with the baby, share these pictures online and via email and also walk away with a colour photo, all for free. The firm earns profit from sponsorships and advertising.Nice. Not to shill, but it sounds pretty neat.
" 'They reviewed our books and reviewed our technology,' said El-Far, 28, whose brother Fayez also works at the start-up.
" 'They made sure that everything that was said on set was actually true.'
"First Memories is currently in use in eight Canadian hospitals, with rapid growth planned in 2009."
Will it be long before we see these kiosks in places where tourists congregate so they can keep in touch with family and friends and send pics back home? Major shopping malls? Perhaps even sport arenas? Universities with large out of town student and populations and visitors, as a way to keep in touch and send photos?Pay as you go or subsidized by sponsors and advertisers.
ReplyDeleteLots of potential here. Congrats to Naim and his associates for coming up with a winner.
OttawaFan