News

TELUS invests in Vancouver-based Vision Critical Communications

Vancouver, B.C. -Vision Critical Communications and TELUS Ventures today jointly announced that Telus has become a shareholder in Vision Critical Communications Inc., a Vancouver-based software company specializing in Internet and new media applications for the market research and polling industry.

Through Internet-based surveys, focus groups and online research panels, Vision Critical Communications puts market research tools directly into the hands of businesses. Vision Critical software products include Panel+, an online application that allows clients to build Internet-based research communities, deploy surveys to participants and receive instantaneous reporting and tabulation. Vision Critical also provides services that integrate 3D animation and virtual reality software for the purpose of testing advertising and new products. "Vision Critical's web-enabled, survey, panel and focus group tools are the future of market research and customer marketing strategies," said Mark Schnarr, TELUS executive vice president, Corporate Development. "It's a great fit with TELUS Ventures' strategy to invest in businesses that fill gaps in services offered to customers and help grow local innovation for our local businesses." Andrew Reid, founder and CEO of Vision Critical, echoed TELUS' enthusiasm for the investment. "Equally important to the minority interest which TELUS has taken in Vision Critical are the synergies across key components of our businesses including hosting services and TELUS' rapidly growing consulting operations." TELUS Ventures has invested $50 million in a total of 17 companies since its creation in July 2001. Companies in the TELUS Ventures portfolio include softswitch technology provider, Telica; micro-payment system developer, Dexit; online photography developer, PhotoChannel; and wi-fi hot spot provider, Spotnick. About TELUS TELUS (TSX: T, T.NV; NYSE: TU) is the largest telecommunications company in Western Canada and the second largest in the country, with more than $7 billion of annual revenue, 4.8 million network access lines and 3.6 million wireless subscribers. The company provides subscribers with a full range of telecommunications products and services including data, voice and wireless services across Canada, utilizing next generation Internet-based technologies. TELUS was a premier founding supporter of the successful bid to bring the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to Canada. For more information about TELUS, please visit www.telus.com.

Posted on November 26, 2004
Permalink