Lumonics was a global laser manufacturing company based in the Kanata North Business Park region of Ottawa. Founded in 1970, it was the first venture capital (VC) financed high tech company of the ones that based themselves there, thus clearing the path (started by Computing Devices from nearby Bells Corners back in 1948) for the subsequent VC and start-up fueled growth that led to the region later becoming known as “Silicon Valley North”. The company's name was changed to GSI Group in 2005, then finally Novanta, its current name, in 2016.