One of Ottawa's most innovative companies has been sold to Canadian tech giant Research in Motion .

QNX Software developed a program for use in vehicles that would allow all the modern-day devices, such as phones, MP3 players and Internet access, to operate in a car.

Their highest profile sale was to Ford the Synch program. QNX was founded in 1980 and sold to Harman of the United States in 2004.

In recent months, sales for QNX had slumped. Sources tell CTV News there were fears that layoffs were looming, but instead staff were told this morning that the sale had taken place and would close within 45 days.

RIM refused to disclose the purchase price. QNX says on its website that annual sales were in the range of $25 million to $50 million.

In reaction to the deal Michelle Scarborough, the VP of investment and commercialization at the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, told CTV News, “Ottawa has a growing number of companies in software and wireless with a wide range of applications for smart phones … I think we’ll see a lot more from RIM in the coming months as they continue to explore opportunities for acquisition and partnership with Ottawa companies.”

Debbie Weinstein is an Ottawa lawyer who has been involved in dozens of tech company deals.  She was working on this one, but tells CTV, “This is good for Ottawa, good for Canada. It sounds like the expertise will remain here and probably expand with additional jobs.  RIM may be trying to compete with the Google GPS, and QNX gives them the platform."

In a statement, Mike Lazaridis Co-CEO at RIM, said, "In addition to our interests in expanding the opportunities for QNX in the automotive sector and other markets, we believe the planned acquisition of QNX will support certain unannounced product plans for intelligent peripherals."

Clearly RIM wants to expand the integration of its devices with in-vehicle systems.

Dan Dodge, CEO, QNX Software Systems says, "Moreover, RIM will give us the best of all possible mandates: to continue on our innovation path."

QNX reported last fall it had nearly 250 employees.

Just last night, QNX won an award in the annual awards program by the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation for best strategic partnership.

They have been working with Alcatel-Lucent of Ottawa to expand the technology inside cars, and how they can be wired to handle everything that your desktop PC can do and have it all happen inside the car, including real-time, high-speed internet services in the car.

While RIM is based in Waterloo, it employs some 500 people in Ottawa primarily doing research on new products.