Sauga Startup
Pitch & Showcase
Peel Region's flagship startup pitch competition
Join us from 4:30pm to 7:30pm on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 for Peel Region’s Flagship Startup Pitch Competition! Watch finalists compete for prize money, see examples of how the pitching process works, and understand what to expect from investors and interested parties.
This event is presented by ICUBE and SpinUp at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), EDGE Entrepreneurship Hub at Sheridan College, and IDEA Mississauga, four startup incubators and accelerators supporting entrepreneurship in the region. As well as in partnership with the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
9 startup pitches
$15,000 in cash prizes
+ in-kind rewards from sponsors!
Sponsors
Categories
Eligibility Criteria:
- Registrants must be a student or alumni of the University of Toronto or Sheridan College; OR participants of EDGE, ICUBE, SpinUp or IDEA Mississauga programs; OR a resident in the Peel Region.
- Do not need to be incorporated.
- Past Sauga Pitch winners are not eligible.
- Available for a one on one virtual Pitch Practice session with a coach.
- Available to present and attend the in-person event on November 12th.
Selection & Judging Criteria:
- Problem Statement: Clearly defined problem to be solved with venture idea (10 points).
- Solution/Technology and Value Proposition: Scientific innovation and how it solves the problem (10 points)
- Size of Opportunity/Competition: Scalable idea with clear understanding of competitive landscape and differentiation (5 points)
- Validation/Traction: Scientific validation; demonstrated interest from future strategic partners, and/or end users (e.g. hospitals, physicians, etc.) (5 points)
- Business Model: Operationally feasible and financially attractive, good Return on Investment (5 points)
- Social Impact: Demonstrated social impact through products/services, and/or operational structure of the venture itself (5 points)
- Strength of Entrepreneur/Team: Demonstrated capacity to build a business, coachable, understanding gaps in skills sets as well as strengths, leadership (5 points)
- Communication skills: An effective and persuasive overall application and pitch presentation (10 points)
Eligibility Criteria:
- Registrants must be a student or alumni of the University of Toronto or Sheridan College; OR participants of EDGE, ICUBE, SpinUp or IDEA Mississauga programs; OR a resident in the Peel Region.
- Must be incorporated in Canada with an Ontario address.
- Less than $50k in cumulative revenue to date.
- Past Sauga Pitch winners are not eligible.
- Available for a one on one virtual Pitch Practice session with a coach.
- Available to present and attend the in-person event on November 12th.
Selection & Judging Criteria:
- Problem Statement: Clearly defined problem to be solved with venture idea (10 points).
- Venture Concept: Unique, innovative concept with customer validation (10 points)
- Size of Opportunity/Competition: Scalable idea with clear understanding of competitive landscape and differentiation (5 points)
- Validation/Traction: Demonstrated interest from potential clients, traction, market opportunity and knowledge or growth in sales or users (5 points)
- Business Model: Operationally feasible and financially attractive, good Return on Investment (5 points)
- Social Impact: Demonstrated social impact through products/services, and/or operational structure of the venture itself (5 points)
- Strength of Entrepreneur/Team: Demonstrated capacity to build a business, coachable, understanding gaps in skills sets as well as strengths, leadership (5 points)
- Communication skills: An effective and persuasive overall application and pitch presentation (10 points)
Eligibility Criteria:
- Registrants must be a student or alumni of the University of Toronto or Sheridan College; OR participants of EDGE, ICUBE, SpinUp or IDEA Mississauga programs; OR a resident in the Peel Region.
- Less than $25k in external investments or grants (excluding own funds and friends & family) and less that $15k in revenues.
- Do not need to be incorporated.
- Past Sauga Pitch winners are not eligible.
- Available for a one on one virtual Pitch Practice session with a coach.
- Available to present and attend the in-person event on November 12th.
Selection & Judging Criteria:
- Problem Statement: Clearly defined problem to be solved with venture idea (10 points).
- Venture Concept: Unique, innovative concept with customer validation (10 points)
- Size of Opportunity/Competition: Scalable idea with clear understanding of competitive landscape and differentiation (5 points)
- Validation/Traction: Demonstrated interest from potential clients, traction, market opportunity and knowledge or growth in sales or users (5 points)
- Business Model: Operationally feasible and financially attractive, good Return on Investment (5 points)
- Social Impact: Demonstrated social impact through products/services, and/or operational structure of the venture itself (5 points)
- Strength of Entrepreneur/Team: Demonstrated capacity to build a business, coachable, understanding gaps in skills sets as well as strengths, leadership (5 points)
- Communication skills: An effective and persuasive overall application and pitch presentation (10 points)
Panelists
Gezim Ramabaja
Seasoned entrepreneur with a strong foundation in the financial industry. Track record of successfully starting and scaling both startups and brick-and-mortar businesses. I bring a wealth of experience and strategic insights to the table. My expertise spans across various sectors, easily adaptable and thrive in different business environments.
Educational achievements include an executive master's in technology management and a business administration degree which have equipped me with blend of technical and managerial skills. This combination allows me to navigate the complex challenges of modern businesses while driving innovation and growth.
Jason Johnson
Jason Johnson is Maliseet (pronounced "mal-uh-seat") from the Tobique (pronounced "toe-bick") First Nation. Jason holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto, where he specialized in Indigenous political history. He is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Indigenous peoples, working across various fields, including education, economic development, and mental health.
Latchmi Raghunanan
Latchmi Raghunanan is the Founder and CEO of Maman Biomedical, a life sciences startup focused on revolutionizing IVF treatments to make them less painful for women. With a background in materials science, project management, and product development, Latchmi has driven innovation across academia, industry, and startups, securing 5 patents and delivering 4 MVPs, including a surgical adhesive about to enter into clinical trials. Known for breaking down silos and fostering collaboration, Latchmi has led cross-cultural teams and implemented processes that saved over $700K in pre-revenue cash flow. Now, motivated by her own lived experiences, Latchmi is focused on creating impactful solutions for reproductive health.
Anita Grant
Anita Grant is the visionary founder of Hello Hair, a brand dedicated to representing, educating, and celebrating the beauty of natural hair. As a mother to two daughters, Anita's mission is deeply personal—she is committed to creating a world where young girls see the beauty in their natural crowns, just as she aims to do for her own daughters. What started as a heartfelt children's book has blossomed into a brand that is empowering girls around the globe to embrace their natural hair with pride.Before fully dedicating herself to her entrepreneurial journey, Anita was a business consultant for tech entrepreneurs, helping them scale their ventures and navigate the complexities of innovation in the digital age. Her background in consulting equipped her with the skills and drive to launch her own successful brand, combining her business acumen with her passion for natural hair care and education. Anita’s work has garnered significant recognition. She has been featured twice in Forbes, as well as in Essence and CBC, for her contributions to both the beauty and entrepreneurial spaces. Most recently, she is a featured entrepreneur on this season of Dragons' Den, where she showcases Hello Hair’s mission to uplift the next generation. Anita's story is one of passion, perseverance, and purpose, as she continues to inspire others through her commitment to redefining beauty standards and empowering women and girls to love their natural selves.
Judges
Andrew Owusu-Sefa
Andrew joined RBCx as a VP on their banking team one year ago to help build out RBCx’s Early Stage Banking Practice. Prior to joining RBCx, Andrew worked at SVB Canada where he was brought on as one of the first 10 employees to help build and expand the bank’s operations across Canada. As SVB continued to expand, Andrew moved into a Relationship Management role and has been focused on supporting, mentoring, and learning from early-stage founders across Canada ever since. Outside of the tech ecosystem, Andrew can be found spending time with family, hitting the tennis courts, and most recently, taking up golf.
Feiran Zhou
Feiran Zhou is the Business Development and Commercialization Manager with the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI). She has over 10 years of experience in the Ontario Innovation ecosystem, supported companies across various sectors on fundraising, commercialization, industry/academic collaborations, and emerging technologies adoption. Feiran is also on the selection committee with Angel Investor Networks to identify and assess potential technology startups for investment opportunities. She is passionate about entrepreneurship, especially empowering female entrepreneurs and committed to further advocate and foster diversity in the innovation community.
Darrell Keezer
Darrell Keezer is a digital marketing CEO renowned for his unique blend of infectious enthusiasm and strategic acumen. As the CEO of Candybox Marketing, one of Canada's fastest-growing agencies, he offers invaluable insights into achieving organizational growth while cultivating a vibrant company culture. His agency has been listed on Globe & Mail’s Top Growing Companies seven times and ranked the Fourth Best Place To Work in Canada. He was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Canadian Association of Marketing Professionals and has won the Canadian Business Excellence Award for Private Businesses, presented by Excellence Canada & PwC. Darrell has also been honoured with an Award of Excellence in Business from the Governor-General of Canada.
Othmane Benhlima
Othmane Benhlima is a driven business development professional and social entrepreneur based in Toronto, Canada. With experience across sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship, he currently serves as a Business Development Manager at Futurpreneur Canada. His background includes launching impactful social ventures like COOKIT, which has made a positive difference in the lives of over 10,000 people, earning him accolades such as the Moroccan Green Social Entrepreneur award from the OSCE. Known for his proactive approach, Othmane is actively involved in community-focused partnerships and youth entrepreneurship. Outside of work, he enjoys video games, snooker, and creating content for The Sharek Podcast to engage and inform his audience.
Save the date: Nov 12, 2024 | 4:30-7:30pm | Sheridan College, Mississauga Campus
Frequently Asked Questions
The pitch time is only 3-minutes, so we ask that only 1 person takes the lead and presents the pitch to judges. However, during the 4-minute q&a, the person pitching may invite a teammate up to help them answer questions, if they wish.
You’re welcome to submit to multiple categories, but you will only be selected to pitch for one category. In this case, it may be best to put effort into the category that best suits the stage of your venture.
Yes, you are eligible. Please note you will only be able to be a finalist in one category, even if you apply to multiple categories.
Past winners are not eligible to compete, but they are welcome to attend as guests.
The deadline to apply for the pitch is October 21st. After this date, we will stop accepting applications and proceed with the screening process.
We always welcome interested community members to get involved. Programs at the various spaces may have specific intake periods, which may not coincide with the timelines of the Sauga Pitch event. Please visit the websites: Sheridan EDGE, ICUBE, SpinUp and IDEA Mississauga for more information on how to become a member.
You will be given a maximum of 3 minutes to pitch your idea. You will be asked to present on stage (there is an accessibility ramp available), and you will be asked to share your digital presentation material in advance. If you have a more creative approach to your pitch and you have been selected, please discuss the idea with the program coordinators for further guidance.
Yes, applicants will have the opportunity to participate in a one-on-one virtual pitch practice session with a coach. Information on this will be shared with selected applicants.
Nine finalists will pitch their innovative ventures to compete for cash prizes and in-kind rewards from sponsors and organizers.
You can apply to pitch using this link: Apply Here
Yes, you can. You can register to attend the event by using this link: Register Here
We encourage you to bring your family and friends along with you so they can see your pitch. Please register here
No, past Sauga Pitch winners are not able to participate.
Your incorporation is required at the time of application. If you have any questions, please contact Chiamaka at edge@sheridancollege.ca
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