Waterloo’s Dejero secures $3.5 million from BDC Capital to further develop first responder market
Kitchener, February 11, 2021 – Dejero of Waterloo, Ontario, has received $3.5 million in non-dilutive funding from BDC Capital’s Growth and Transition Capital division to expand its mission-critical connectivity offering in the first responder market. Dejero’s solutions enable organizations to send large amounts of data wherever single-carrier coverage is inadequate, such as in remote or cell phone-congested areas. It achieves this by combining cellular, satellite and broadband connections from multiple providers in real time.
The company was formed in 2008 to address the need for broadcasters to reliably transmit high-quality live video from distant locations. Today, the company counts as its clients some of the largest media organizations in the world, including Disney-ABC, NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS, CBC and Bell Media. In the last two years, the company has been seeking new growth by adapting its solutions to the needs of first responders and public safety agencies who require high situational awareness to rapidly deploy resources in emergencies.
BDC Capital’s financing is being used mainly to accelerate Dejero’s expansion in this new market. The proceeds are serving to hire new personnel, build inventory and act as a working capital buffer. This financing comes from a loan program specifically tailored to businesses who, like Dejero, derive a sizable portion of their income from monthly recurring revenues. It features personalized terms that give it a measure of patience, including a principal holiday until the end of the loan’s term.
“BDC Capital quickly understood the opportunity, our business model and our needs for expanding our business,” says Bruce Anderson, CEO of Dejero. “This financing will allow us to accelerate the momentum we’ve established in delivering critical connectivity to fire, police and public safety personnel operating in the field.”
This financing was arranged by Mark Lunick, Director, Growth & Transition Capital at BDC Capital’s Kitchener office. “Dejero has achieved significant traction in the first responder segment in the past year, which confirms it as a strong avenue for the company’s continued growth,” says Lunick, “By not relying on a single carrier, the company’s advanced technology ensures public safety personnel have access to their mission-critical communications at all times and wherever they need to intervene.”
About Dejero
Driven by its vision of reliable connectivity anywhere, Dejero aggregates diverse connectivity paths including LTE and 5G cellular, satellite and broadband into a virtual “network of networks” to deliver enhanced reliability, expanded coverage, and greater bandwidth using cloud-based technology. A two-time technical Emmy® Award winner, Dejero is trusted to solve the mission-critical live video transport and real-time data transfer challenges of organizations around the world. Founded in 2008, privately-held Dejero is headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit www.dejero.com.
About BDC Capital
BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC, the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs. With over $3 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the country’s most innovative firms. It offers businesses a full spectrum of capital, from seed investments to growth equity, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who have the ambition to stand out on the world stage. Visit bdc.ca/capital.
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