Telecom innovator and Hamilton booster Rob McCann receives DiFizen of the Year Award
HAMILTON & HALTON, ON, MAY 15, 2026 – Innovation Factory, the region’s innovation hub,
honoured a homegrown business leader and celebrated the big ideas and successes of the
area’s start-up community at The Big DiF Open House & Client Showcase.
Over 250 people attended the 16th annual event that brings the community together to
celebrate entrepreneurship and innovation in the region, and to recognize the valued partners
who amplify and support Innovation Factory’s work.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Mark Chamberlain DiFizen of the Year
Award, presented to outstanding individuals who go above and beyond the call to support the
Brant, Halton, Norfolk and Hamilton region’s innovation ecosystem.
This year’s recipient is Rob McCann, President of the Hamilton Technology Centre (HTC) and a longtime champion of Hamilton’s strategic position in the Toronto-Buffalo-Detroit innovation corridor. McCann is also the founder of Clearcable Networks, a Hamilton-based telecommunications company. Acquired by Rogers Communications in 2021, Clearcable continues to play a vital role in expanding broadband access in underserved communities across North America and internationally.
McCann chairs the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Digital Infrastructure Working Group and is an inaugural board member of the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) Canada. He played a key role in driving the effort that saw Hamilton achieve the ICF’s SMART 21 designation as one of the top 21 smart cities in the world. Two years later, Hamilton was named one of the ICF’s Top 7 Intelligent Communities in the world, and he led the communities and companies that hosted the ICF Smart21 Summit in Hamilton in 2018 and again in 2025.
“Most cities never get on ICF’s radar,” said David Carter, CEO of Innovation Factory.
“Hamilton’s being named to the Smart21 group, and hosting a global announcement involving
21 cities on six continents — that doesn’t happen without local champions.”
Carter added that under McCann’s leadership, Clearcable acquired the HTC from the City of
Hamilton and turned it into a thriving private innovation hub for new and emerging companies —
and kept a strategic community asset in local hands.
“For years, Rob has been Hamilton’s volunteer ambassador to the global intelligent
communities movement, and the region’s reputation as a destination for tech innovation and
investment is built partly on his tireless efforts to make connections and expand the area’s
digital infrastructure.”
The Big DiF also shined a spotlight on 16 companies from diverse sectors showcasing some of the exciting innovations that will shape the region’s future. The companies included: Alpaca Fibreshed, Altis Labs, CoLab Education, cultara.ai, Epiloid Biotechnology, Hop In Technologies, InclusifAI, J-SAS, LIVESENS, Moonrise Medical, QCare, Resiliocs Intelligence, ROZOR, Sleaks, Technology Trace, and ToeFX.
“Innovation Factory is proud to support these dynamic entrepreneurs making significant
contributions to the region’s innovation ecosystem,” Carter said. “Their big ideas will improve
lives and drive economic growth in Ontario and Canada, and we’re thrilled to be part of their
success.”
About Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory is a not-for-profit business accelerator serving the Brant, Halton, Hamilton
and Norfolk regions since 2010 and is dedicated to growing the regional economy by
accelerating start-up and scale-up companies. Innovation Factory provides innovators with
business services, training, mentorship, and strategic connections to resources, opportunities
and world-class institutions — driving market adoption, leveraging intellectual property, and
increasing revenues, investment, and jobs. Innovators can also access sector-specific
resources, including exclusive smart transportation test environments and data, and a formal life
science and health innovation ecosystem.
