Governor General’s Innovation Awards 2019 Recipients Announced
Six recipients from across Canada recognized for their groundbreaking work and excellence in innovation Ottawa, ON – May 13, 2019 –
Waterloo, ON
Jad Saliba - Innovation in digital forensics.
Nominated by:
Communitech
Year: 2019
About the Innovation
Jad Saliba, founder and chief technology officer of Magnet Forensics, started his enterprise to address the growing challenges faced by police agencies in the collection, analysis and reporting of digital evidence during investigations into human trafficking, child sexual exploitation and terrorism. In addition to consolidating hundreds of critical data types from smartphones, computers, Internet of things devices and cloud services, Magnet Forensics’ tools leverage artificial intelligence, advanced search techniques and data visualization to help investigators uncover crucial digital evidence to convict or exonerate suspects. The company’s innovative products have become the global standard in digital forensics, contributing to a tangible reduction in police case backlogs and more timely resolutions for victims of crime and the justice system. The tools are used in 94 countries by 5 000 police, national security and other public and private agencies with investigative authorities, including the RCMP, the OPP and almost all municipal police forces in Canada.
About the Innovator
After starting his career as a software developer, Mr. Saliba served as a police officer and then became a digital forensics examiner with the Waterloo Regional Police Service. He applied his unique understanding of software, the law and investigations to building the prototype of what would ultimately become Magnet Forensics’ first software product. Mr. Saliba and Magnet Forensics are also strong supporters of charities combatting human trafficking and child sexual exploitation locally, nationally and globally.
