Mississauga, Ontario – Entrepreneurs from the GTA and beyond met at the Innovation Complex at the University of Toronto Mississauga as The Unlock Your Big Idea Pitch Competition took place on Thursday, May 5, 2016. Fourteen finalists, including three from ICUBE UTM were chosen from over 160 applications to pitch their innovative ideas to win over $60,000 in prizes across five categories.
Five winners and five runners-up were announced by a judging panel composed of Dan Sinai from IBM Canada, Heather Arthur from Rogers Communications, Karen Grant from Angel One Investor Network, Matt Schnarr from Awake Chocolates, Michael List from Ormston List Frawley LLP, Sean Stanleigh from The Globe and Mail and Stephen Beney from Bereskin & Parr.
The winners in each of the five categories are as follows:
- Best Innovation for Tech Business
- Winner: ParticipAid (ICUBE)
- Runner up: Dash MD
- Best Disruptive Innovation
- Winner: Medella Health
- Runner up: insTecBio
- Best Innovation for Small Business
- Winner: Oneiric Hockey
- Runner up: BridesMade
- Best “Investment Ready” Company
- Winner: Suncayr
- Runner up: U-Dimensions (ICUBE)
- Finalist: MICHARITY (ICUBE)
- Audience Choice
- Winner: Dash MD
- Runner up: Oneiric Hockey
The Unlock Your Big Idea Pitch Competition was created to give startups the opportunity to compete with entrepreneurs across the Western GTA, pitch to an esteemed panel of judges, and win cash prizes as well as mentorship through the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs. This competition reflects the community commitment to support innovation and entrepreneurship for economic prosperity.
The competition is delivered in partnership with the Peel members of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs, including ICUBE UTM, HumberLaunch, the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, the Mississauga Business Enterprise Centre, and the RIC Centre. The program is supported by the Campus Linked Accelerator program through the Ontario Centres of Excellence.
