Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

Founded in 1996, Magic Information Systems Inc. (MIS) is a Toronto-based software developer specializing in integrated management information systems aimed at improving operational efficiencies for their users. They offer a broad range of solutions including their flagship product, ""eWholesale"", a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. This modular and highly flexible solution helps companies to monitor all aspects of their operations, from order entry, to purchasing, to inventory control, to accounting and payroll. Their clients are mostly small and midsize businesses in particular wholesalers, exporters and importers, distributors and light manufacturers. The common thread for these companies is that warehouse operations are a vital part of their businesses. One of the most challenging, and costly, aspects of running a large warehouse is maintaining accurate information about stock quantity and location of inventory. MIS sees this as an opportunity to provide a value-added offering to its customers, and to generate additional revenue. MIS is partnering with Seneca to build a proof of concept for an automated inventory audit system using drones, as an alternative to the manual approach.Once this R&D undertaking is complete and the design and technical challenges are resolved, the new drone-based inventory auditing solution will provide MIS clients with significant operating cost savings, allowing the company to increase and diversify its revenue stream and increase market penetration. The proposed technology is applicable across many industries, has no inherent geographic limits and as such has the potential of being successful globally resulting in new, high paying jobs, helping to keep Canadian talent in Canada.