Insider Only Techopia, Top Stories

Mitel, L-Spark team up on new communications tech accelerator program

April 23, 2025

Already an Insider? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become an Ottawa Business Journal Insider and get immediate access to all of our Insider-only content and much more.

Startup accelerator L-Spark is joining forces with Kanata-based Mitel to help emerging tech companies brainstorm applications that can be integrated into the telecommunications giant’s products. Mitel announced the launch of its new unified communications accelerator program this week. The firm will work with early-stage Canadian and European startups in L-Spark’s accelerator to help them “integrate their applications and services with Mitel solutions.” Mitel said the program is aimed at companies specializing in artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and virtual reality tech, with a specific focus on verticals such as health care, retail and hospitality. “Mitel has a long and proud history of innovation, and we are thrilled to partner with L-Spark on this transformative program,” Mitel chief technology officer Luiz Domingos said in a statement. “With the emergence of AI and a drive towards digital transformation across sectors, we are entering a new era for communications solutions. We look forward to working with a group of talented innovators to develop applications that will further enhance the value of unified communications by delivering meaningful impact in industries where connectivity is critical.” The program is part of L-Spark Select, a platform designed to bring together early-stage companies and industry leaders in various fields. Participating startups will get access to Mitel’s new low-code/no-code technology to integrate their applications into Mitel systems, including the firm’s AI-powered customer experience management platform, Mitel CX. The five-month program will match companies with experienced mentors. Companies will also receive additional support from the L-Spark team aimed at ramping up their business growth. “This program represents a significant step forward in bridging the gap between groundbreaking technologies and practical, scalable solutions,” L-Spark executive managing director Leo Lax said in a statement. “L-Spark Select was created to enable this type of deep collaboration.” Applications are now open for the program, which is slated to begin in early August. The announcement comes less than a week after a U.S. court approved Mitel’s plan to slash its debt and recapitalize under a new ownership group. The plan will reduce Mitel’s debt by about US$1.15 billion and cut its annual cash interest expense by US$135 million. While the firm is still headquartered in Kanata, all but about 300 of its more than 5,400 employees were located outside of the National Capital Region as of 2024.