Days after naming 18 winners of its Spark Innovation Challenge, Innovacorp has awarded a total of $920,000 to 27 companies in its oceans and cleantech competitions.
Partnering with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Nova Scotia innovation agency on Wednesday named the winners of its Blue Solutions Startup Challenge for oceans technology companies, and its Cleantech Accelerate Program.
These companies will now have the opportunity to enroll in Innovacorp’s four oceans and two cleantech accelerator programs this fall. ACOA contributed $500,000 toward these programs, while Innovacorp contributed $420,000.
Blue Solutions Startup Challenge
The Blue Solutions Startup Challenge, which was open to companies from anywhere in the world, awards the first round winners $10,000 and entry to an accelerator. The companies will then pitch before judges with the goal of winning up to $50,000.
The first-round winners include two California entries: Redwood City-based Blue Ocean Gear, led by Kortney Opshaug, is developing smart fishing technology that enhances trap retrieval and enables sustainable practices; and Sunnyvale-based ThroughPut, led by Ali Raza and Khizer Hayat, is building a supply chain data analysis platform that eliminates costly bottlenecks.
The other participants in the Blue Solutions accelerator are:
Copsys Industries Inc. – Farzad Hashemi – Halifax
Corrosion management technology that protects assets and reduces maintenance.
Graphite Innovation and Technologies – Mo AlGermozi, Marciel Gaier – Halifax
Graphene-related products customized for specific applications and technologies, such as underwater vessels.
NovaSpectrum Analytics Inc. – Lawrence Taylor – Dartmouth
Lobster management software leveraging automated seafood processing, vision technology and operational data.
Ocean Executive – Mike Budreski – Halifax
Sales and procurement platform for the B2B seafood industry, with a focus on seafood sustainability.
Pelagis Data Solutions Inc. – Glenn Laughlin – Sydney
Resource management software and analytics platform that enables the transformation of ocean food producers into data-driven enterprises.
Rovault – Ehsan Lavasani, Jonathan Reyes – Halifax
Fish processing systems that use vision and machine learning technologies to identify potential efficiencies.
Ocean Technology Research – Calder Robinson, David Barclay – Halifax
Integrated trap system that uses cost-effective technologies to reduce the frequency of checking lobster traps.
ReconOcea – Ulaş Gunturkun – Halifax
Underwater acoustic communications systems enabling wireless communications over long distances.
OceanTech Development Program
Each of the winners in this program receive $20,000, acceleration workshops and guidance from seasoned business people. The winners are:
Enginuity – Alastair Trower, Ben Garvey – Halifax
Rapid connector technology for permanent mooring installations in dynamic and harsh environments.
Glas Ocean Electric Inc. – Sue Molloy, Craig Chandler – Halifax
Diesel to electric boat conversion, using stored energy from the boats to power coastal communities.
Jetasonic Technologies Inc. – Alex Ivanov – Halifax
Sonar for a wide range of applications, including high-resolution bottom mapping, search and rescue, and marine navigation.
Kraken Robotic Systems Inc. – Bill Spencer – Dartmouth
Autonomous underwater vehicle equipped with a suite of sensors and observing systems.
LeeWay Marine – Jamie Sangster – Halifax
Support systems for high speed operation, launch, recovery and recharging of autonomous subsurface vehicles.
Navita Digital Inc. – Scott Samson, Louisbourg Seafoods, VMP Group – North Sydney
Real-time 3D visualization simulations to improve harvesting techniques.
NovaSpectrum Analytics Inc. – Lawrence Taylor – Dartmouth
Lobster management software that leverages automated seafood processing, vision technology and operational data.
RDA Atlantic Inc. – Don Leblanc, Eric Sharp – Halifax
Intelligent mooring buoy to improve experiences for leisure boating.
Turbulent Research – Chris Loadman – Beechville
Underwater sound collecting and processing products to minimize downtime for offshore oil and gas explorers.
Demo at Sea Program
This program offers an opportunity to demonstrate pre-commercial ocean technologies in a genuine ocean setting. The winners are:
GeoForce Group Ltd. – Graham Standen – Dartmouth
Deepsea survey equipment for the geophysical and oceanographic industries.
DMR Boat Design Ltd. – Philip Slaunwhite and Susan Slaunwhite – Terence Bay
Marine hull and propulsion design that increases performance and stability for rigid inflatable search and rescue vehicles.
The Early Adopter Program
The Early Adopter Program contributes $20,000 toward the first deployment and testing of a product with an early adopter. The winners are:
Enginuity – Alastair Trower, Ben Garvey – Halifax
Ocean Executive – Mike Budreski – Halifax
Sales and procurement platform for the B2B seafood industry, with a focus on seafood sustainability.
Swell Advantage – Iaian Archibald – Halifax
Automated operations support and advanced analytics for marinas, boat clubs and waterfronts.
Turbulent Research – Chris Loadman – Beechville
Cleantech Accelerator Program
This award provides as much as $50,000 for each winner, as well as acceleration activities, incubation space and business guidance. The winners are:
BioPolyOil – Mostafa Aghaei, Alma Zangeneh, Arian Shahnazari – Bible Hill
Agri-based technology for applications in the oil and gas industry.
Oceland Biologicals – Balakrishnan Prithiviraj – Bible Hill
Plant biostimulants that improve the growth, yield and resilience of crops to increase farmers’ incomes.
Finleaf Technologies – Myrna Gillis – Brooklyn
Aquaponics system that enables the delivery of supplemental nutrients to flowering plants.
Nexus Robotics – Teric Greenan, Jad Tawil, Thomas Trappenberg – Barss Corner
Autonomous farming robot that navigates its environment and performs agricultural tasks.
SURU – Michael Uhlarik – Hubbards
Zero-emission, electric-powered bicycles that let users travel 50 km without fuel or pedalling.
Graphite Innovation and Technologies – Mo AlGermozi, Marciel Gaier – Halifax
Green Power Labs – Alexandre Pavlovski – Halifax
Building energy management systems that use local predictions for weather, solar irradiance and energy demands.
Disclosure: Innovacorp and ACOA are clients of Entrevestor.
