Groupnotes wins OCE experiential learning competition
Ontario Centres of Excellence announces the winners of the 2013 Experiential Learning Program (ELP) Competition
OCE’s Experiential Learning Program (ELP) competition, held at this week’s Discovery trade show and conference, saw emerging entrepreneurs from funded partner programs showcase their business models to a panel of judges with the hopes of taking home one of three top prizes.
Participants in the competition submitted business plans on their products or innovations and demonstrated the market opportunity in advance of the competition, and followed up their case with a live pitch on the Discovery show floor.
The 2013 Experiential Learning Competition award winners are:
Company: Groupnotes
Project Lead: Matthew Gardner
Team Member: Jason Moore
Institution and ELP Partner: Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation, McMaster University
Company: Komodo OpenLab Inc.
Project Lead: Mauricio Meza
Team Members: Jorge Silva, Tom Nantais, Eric Wan
Institution and ELP Partner: Digital Media Zone, Ryerson University
Company: Mejuri
Project Lead: Noura Sakkijha
Team Members: Jorge Barnaby, Masoud Sakkijha, Majed Masad
Institution and ELP Partners: Digital Media Zone, Ryerson University
The Hon. Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation, presented the three top innovators with an award to further support their business.
The ELP Competition was moderated by Andrew Wilkes, Partner, Management Initiatives, Inc. and judged by Dr. Hadi Mahabadi, President and CEO, Can Win Consulting Inc.; Daryl Johnston, Director, Market Development, Technology, Media, Telecommunications and Clean Tech, Deloitte & Touche LLP; Janet Scholz, President and CEO, ACCT Canada; Julia Deans, CEO, Canadian Youth Business Foundation; and Narinder Dehal, Vice President, Finance, Administration and Programs, Ontario Centres of Excellence.
OCE’s ELP supports Ontario post-secondary institutions to manage and grow established project- and experience-based programs for young entrepreneurs that will accelerate and enhance the quality of new ventures and industry collaborations arising from Ontario academic institutions. There are nine such programs representing 12 Ontario colleges and universities.
Named Canada’s Best Trade Show 2010 and 2011 and now in its eighth year, OCE’s Discovery is Canada’s premier innovation showcase. It brings together the best and brightest minds in industry, academia, investment and government to showcase leading-edge technologies, best practices and research in the areas of energy, the environment, advanced health, digital media, information and communication technologies and advanced manufacturing. The annual conference and showcase attracts more than 2,500 attendees and 350 exhibitors.
About Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc.
OCE drives the commercialization of cutting-edge research across key market sectors to build the economy of tomorrow and secure Ontario’s global competitiveness. In doing this, OCE fosters the training and development of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs and is a key partner with Ontario’s industry, universities, colleges, research hospitals, investors and governments. A champion of leading-edge technologies, best practices and research, OCE invests in sectors such as advanced health, digital media and information communications, advanced manufacturing and materials, and cleantech including energy, environment and water. OCE is a key partner in delivering Ontario’s Innovation Agenda as a member of the province’s Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE).
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For more information contact:
Stuart Green
Manager, Media Relations
416-861-1092 x 1022
stuart.green@oce-ontario.org