Eco-Care Project Wins FastStart Peterborough's Pitch It Competition

In the 5th Annual Pitch It! competition held at the VentureNorth Building on October 22nd hosted by FastStart Peterborough, 13 student groups from Trent University and Fleming College competed for the prizes.

In this Dragon’s Den-style pitch competition, the winners are…

ECO-CARE PROJECT - 1st place, $350 (Shane Willis & Tanner)

What They Do: Providing lawn care services in an eco-friendly way through reducing traditional gas engines and using electrical technologies.

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PAPER PLANTER PROJECT - 2nd place, $150 (Joao Broges, Oanh Ho & Vanessa Mathieu)

What They Do: Compostable planting containers as educational modules to teach children through experiential learning about gardening, growing their own food, sustainability and patience.

Winners of Pitch It! Competiion

The judges included Rhonda Keenan, President and CEO, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development; Yves LaFortune, Executive Director, Peterborough Region Angel Network; and John Gillis, President and CEO, Innovation Cluster - Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

Pitch It! competitors

“This annual event is a great opportunity for any local aspiring entrepreneur attending Trent or Fleming to get out of their comfort zone and practice pitching a business idea,” says Braden Clark, Innovation Specialist at the Innovation Cluster.

Many participants from previous Pitch It! competitions have applied to enter the Innovation Cluster incubator and FastStart programming. 

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Aspiring Young Entrepreneurs With a Business Idea Can Apply For Pitch It Competition

FastStart invites students at Trent University and Fleming College to submit their innovative business ideas for the 5th Annual “Pitch It” competition, a competition for students that aspire to enter entrepreneurship to practice pitching. 

“Pitch It!” culminates on Tuesday, October 22nd from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in a Dragons’ Den-style pitch competition at the VentureNorth Building to a panel of industry judges. 

Photo of “Pitch It!” student courtesy Fast Start

This is a student’s chance to win cash, meet other like-minded individuals, and get help to bring their innovative ideas to the market. 

This event serves as an opportunity for young and aspiring entrepreneurs to push themselves into pitching a business idea and getting feedback from real professionals, and encourage putting those ideas into action.

Photo of “Pitch It!” student courtesy Fast Start

There will be a first place prize of $350, and a runner-up prize of $150.

Applications will close on October 11th at midnight. For more information about Pitch It! and to apply, click here.

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Two Innovation Cluster Startups, Alexander Optical & Electric Juice Factory, Take Home Bears’ Lair Grand Prizes

The winners for the “Innovation” and “Goods & Services Stream” were announced during the 9th Annual Bears’ Lair Entrepreneurial Competition on Tuesday, April 30th at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. The grand prize cash value for each winner was $8,350.

For the Innovation stream, innovative eye care company Alexander Optical took the grand prize. Alexander Optical is increasing access to eye care in the community through organized pop-up clinics that bring professionals on-site to perform comprehensive eye exams and find eyewear solutions. Pop-up clinics are facilitated at locations such as schools, seniors residences and local businesses to benefit patients.

“I’m so proud to be a part of such a supportive community and have such incredible mentors that helped me get here,” says Alexander Optical founder Dylan Trepanier.

“I put my heart into the pitch and I’m feeling blessed that the audience and judges were receptive to the change we are trying to make in the community. I can’t wait to start working with more eye care professionals and employers in the area to bring services to them. I can hardly wait to see what the future holds.”

In the Goods & Services stream, Innovation Cluster health food startup Electric Juice Factory took the top prize. Cheryl Gould went in front of the judges pitching the company’s innovative smoothie puck product, successfully impressing the panel. The company recently launched the product in five flavour options in addition to its array of raw plant-based juices.

Gould expressed her gratitude toward the community that has been a continued support over social media after winning, saying, “It’s time to get to work.”

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More Than $100,000 Granted To Peterborough Startups Out Of The Innovation Cluster By N1M Funding

Five innovative Peterborough startups out of the Innovation Cluster program have received an accumulative $105,000 through N1M funding.

Northumberland CFDC launched the program with the support of FedDev last year to support high potential, innovation-driven enterprises in both Northumberland and across Southern Ontario. The Peterborough companies who’ve received the funding all are in the innovative technology sector, ranging from video game companies, to online educational training, to beverage products.

Innovation Cluster is located in VentureNorth building

The following are those out of the Innovation Cluster that have received funding…

• Netmechanics -> Graeme Barrie, $25,000

• Treewell -> Tyler Steeves, $20,000

• Canuck Play -> David Winter, $20,000

• Unlock Math -> Matthew and Alesia Blackwood, $20,000

• Biosphere GPS -> Jordan Ahee, $20,000

“Through this funding and with our continued support through the Innovation Cluster, these companies now have a greater ability to advance their products to market,” says Michael Skinner, President & CEO of the Innovation Cluster. “We are excited to see these companies take their innovations to its full potential.”

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9th Annual Bears’ Lair: Apply Now For The 2019 Entrepreneurial Competition

Applications are now open for the 2019 Bears’ Lair Entrepreneurial Competition, a local competition for entrepreneurs in Peterborough and the Kawarthas to enter to win money to support their business venture.

To be eligible, entrepreneurs must have a registered business (incorporated, sole proprietor or partnership) with annual sales under $200,000 and be able to undertake the proposed work within the next 12 months. Start-up or pre-sales businesses must exhibit a meaningful investment of time, equipment, money, or research and development in their business, and existing businesses must show a significant move towards a new product, service, or market, or commercializing intellectual property.

Bears' Lair Steering Committee Chair, Catia Skinner, announces details for the 2019 Bears’ Lair Entrepreneurial Competition on Tuesday, January 22nd, at VentureNorth.

Steering Committee Chair, Catia Skinner, says this year’s competition is driven to support winners with the financial resources and momentum that they need to boost their business and succeed. 

“We hope this competition shows that Peterborough and the Kawarthas is a great place to start and grow a business, encouraging those who might be thinking about building a business to use the available resources,” says Skinner.

Applications can be completed on the Bears’ Lair website at bearslairptbo.ca and are due by Tuesday, February 26th, 2019.

Watch this video to learn more…

2019 Bears' Lair Entrepreneurial Competition launch

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Innovation Cluster & Trent University Celebrate New Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Centre

The Innovation Cluster and Trent University held an Open House for the recently launched Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Centre (ESIC), a meeting hub within Trent’s Bata Library that will foster the development of entrepreneurship culture at Trent University.

The Open House featured speakers representing those that have assisted in the development of ESIC, including John Knight, Manager, Corporate Research Partnerships at Trent University; Michael Skinner, President & CEO at Innovation Cluster; and Scott Mancini, Vice President Commercial at RBC.

Scott Mancini, Vice President Commercial, RBC, speaking at Open House (John Knight at left & Michael Skinner at right)

Through ESIC, students and aspiring entrepreneurs will be able to meet at the centre with Alexandra Kuhne (Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Centre Coordinator at Trent University) and Braden Clark (Innovation Specialist at the Innovation Cluster) to gain business mentorship and community connections.

Michael Skinner noted at the Open House that the Innovation Cluster is happy to further support youth entrepreneurship through ESIC. Throughout 2018, the Innovation Cluster supported 46 youth (18 - 29) entrepreneurs in growing their business through mentorship, incubation space, mentorship and more.

John Knight noted the importance of having a centre where students can improve their “soft skills”—a trait that multiple studies over the past year have shown is what graduates lack most in the workforce. “Entrepreneurial skills can be implemented in any career,” says Knight.

A way to teach these skills will include training programs, which is made possible by RBC. Scott Mancini, Vice President Commercial of RBC, noted they are excited to support these programs and create meaningful opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

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3rd Annual Win This Space Launches In Downtown Peterborough

The awesome entrepreneurial competition Win This Space—a Peterborough DBIA initiative in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Community Futures Peterborough and Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs—is back for a third year in downtown Peterborough.

Entrepreneurs have until November 16th to put together a video application and submit it to the Win This Space competition through WinThisSpace.com. The Top 10 finalists will take several workshops to fine-tune their businesses plans before a winner is chosen on March 5th by the panel of judges.

DBIA Executive Director Terry Guiel holding the Wn This Space banner during launch in VentureNorth lobby. (Photo courtesy DBIA)

The winner of the competition will have their choice of available participating downtown locations free for one year. To cover rent payments, Win This Space has sponsors adopting a month and contributing $2,000 toward the month’s lease.

“This program has been hugely successful for our downtown and has been an inspiration for communities across the country,” says Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the DBIA. “Win This Space gets people excited about the potential of what they could do with a downtown storefront. There’s only one winner, but it’s encouraging to see so many people get connected with the business services in Peterborough and go on to open a local business with the support of our community.”

Visit winthisspace.com to see the rules and regulations for applying to the competition.

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4th Annual Cubs' Lair Competition Launches For Youth Entrepreneurs To Find Next Best Startup

FastStart Peterborough, Innovation Cluster and the Trent Youth Entrepreneurship Society have launched the 4th Annual Cubs’ Lair Entrepreneurial Competition.

Aspiring youth entrepreneurs between the ages of 18-29 will have the opportunity to pitch their startup to a panel of established judges for a chance of up to $10,000 in prizes at the Gordon Best Theatre on November 22nd at 6 p.m.

HOW TO APPLY

Those who are interested in the competition can apply online here, followed by attending a series of three mandatory workshops inside the Innovation Cluster to help them build skills in creating a business model canvas, financing, marketing, and pitching to prepare for the Lair.

During the event, finalists will be pitching to a judging panel of established business professionals that will test competitors knowledge of how they will grow the business.

The prize package of up to $10,000 includes incubator space at the Innovation Cluster, a social media package by PTBOCanada (that’s us!), two-year cash flow budgeting support by Gauvreau & Associates, with more to be announced.

The deadline to apply is October 27th. The final pitch competition will take place at the Gordon Best Theatre on November 22nd at 6 p.m.

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