Eight companies from the Propel ICT Launch program pitched at Demo Day today Tuesday night, seeking in total investment of more than $3 million.
The companies – two from each Atlantic Province -- entered the program at an early stage less four months ago, and displayed in their pitches their paths to their markets.
The companies are:
Argyle Shore, P.E.I.
Led by Chris VanHorn, Airbly has created hardware and software that can be installed in private aircraft to automatically produce the plane’s flight log. The company, which already has four installations, eases the burden on owners of private aircraft, who often have to write out logs by hand. Airbly, which is presenting at the AirVenture air show in Wisconsin this summer, is looking for $250,000 in investment.
St. John’s
Empowered Homes is dedicated to lowering energy consumption in the 15 million homes in North America that have multi-zone heating systems. These systems place thermostats throughout the home, and are too complicated to allow smart thermostat to run off the homeowner’s cell phone. Empowered Homes is developing Mysa, which places a hub adjacent to the family’s electrical panel. The hub communicates with thermostats throughout the house and the homeowner’s smart phone. The company is planning to a Kickstarter campaign next February.
Charlottetown
Mighty Pebble is a video game studio whose first game is called Miner Meltdown. The 2D game takes place inside a mine, in which teams have to find gold so they can buy better weapons to use on the other team. The game, to be played on PCs or Macs, is scheduled to be released on the prestigious Steam market in February, 2017. Mighty Pebble is hoping to raise $350,000 to $500,000.
Fredericton
ReadyPass calls itself the smart bus upgrade every transit agency deserves—including accurate GPS tracking, clear routing, and simple e-ticketing. The company is creating smart and simple transit systems by tracking buses, ridership and client satisfaction, and presenting the data analytics to the transit agency. The company is now undertaking a pilot project in Fredericton and will soon do a project in Cape Breton. The company is trying to raise $400,000.
St. John’s
Seaformatics Systems is an ocean technology company that is set to revolutionize the ocean monitoring industry. It makes products that harvest power from ocean currents and communicates them wirelessly, thus providing reduced costs and risk for monitoring of oceans and waterways. Traditionally, boats must be used to change batteries on and download data from ocean sensors at great cost. SEAformatics’ patented technology uses a subsurface turbine that harvests power from ultra-low-speed ocean currents. The systems also enables real-time data communications so that data is immediately available. SEAformatics is seeking $750,000.
Halifax and Moncton
Shed is an on-demand household services platform, which means people can use the website to contact a range of service-providers to, for example, shovel snow, mow lawns or do home repairs. The company began last winter in Moncton with a snow removal function. It is now targeting three cities with 20 service providers. The site is designed with ease-of-use in mind, so homeowners can find a service provider within three minutes, seeing the price and customer reviews. Shed is hoping to raise $650,000.
Halifax
Swell bills itself as AirBnB for moorings, docks and wharves. The company is developing an app that allows people with docks or mooring sites to connect with boaters looking to tie up their boat for a short period. CEO Iaian Archibald said the company will run a trial with the product with Waterfront Development Corporation in Halifax this weeks. It will also be used at six moorings and boat clubs within two weeks. In the winter, he plans to work with the product in the southern U.S. Whereas some competitors target major yacht clubs, Swell plans to work with small- and medium-sized locations. The company is seeking $200,000 in investment.
Saint John
Yimbie helps local merchants communicate with their ideal customers when they are only steps away and most receptive. For the end-user, information is live and intelligent as Yimbie matches user preferences with merchant products/services within communities. The company is now raising $500,000.
