Innovators Named to NS Economic Growth Council

An advisory body with a mandate to grow the post-pandemic economy has been set up by the Nova Scotian government and features some of the province's most influential entrepreneurs and innovators.

The new 10-member council will be headed by Scott Brison, a former member of Parliament, whose current roles include chancellor of Dalhousie University

“The council is designed to serve as a resource

Continue Reading

Sedna Launches Sensor Globe

Dartmouth-based oceantech company Sedna Technologies has released Sensor Globe, a piece of hardware that can gather real-time data on live seafood in tanks, fish farm pens or other environments.

The three-year-old company is dedicated to monitoring the conditions of live seafood as it moves through the supply chain. Its Sensor Globe is immersed in water with the fish or shellfish to give

Continue Reading

Farmers’ Truck, Earthli Make Impact Challenge

Two regional companies have made the top 20 ventures entered into the inaugural Canada-wide Impact Investor Challenge. Run by Vancouver-based Spring Activator, the contest offers the chance to win $100,000 in impact investment.

The Farmers’ Truck, based in Edmundston, NB, is the first regional contender. The Farmers’ Truck provides affordable mobile market trucks for organizations to serve food

Continue Reading

Site Says Try It All Without Buying It All

A new website that allows the renting of personal property such as sports equipment is being launched by young Halifax entrepreneur Zachary Laberge.

Laberge, 15, has raised $70,000 and is taking his site, frenter, through the Propel program, all while working through Grade 10 at École Secondaire du Sommet.

Frenter facilitates processes like online payment, insurance, and marketing.  Laberge

Continue Reading

Jobs: Marketing Manager at Velsoft

Our Job of the Week column today features an opening for a Marketing Manager at New Glasgow, NS-based eLearning company Velsoft Training Materials.

Velsoft’s product turns written training materials into interactive, industry-compliant eLearning. The company exports to more than 160 countries and includes many global brands among its clients. The company has grown from 10 employees in 2010 to

Continue Reading

Sydney’s Verschuren Centre Builds Bio Hub

At a time when Atlantic Canada in general is attracting innovation-driven companies from other parts of Canada and the wider world, no city has attracted more startups than Sydney, which is establishing a thriving life sciences cluster.

At least seven companies from outside the region have established operations in Sydney in the last year, attracted by the facilites at the Verschuren Centre,

Continue Reading

Ready2Launch Seeks Applicants

Dalhousie University has opened applications for its second Ready2Launch cohort, a summer accelerator for Atlantic Canadian university students and recent graduates.

The three-month program for technology-based ventures will be offered virtually this year, and begin in June. Undergraduate, graduate and PhD students as well as postdoctoral fellows are welcome to apply.

“Dalhousie University is

Continue Reading

Ocean Startup Challenge Seeks Entries

The Ocean Startup Project has opened applications for the second cohort of the Ocean Startup Challenge, quadrupling the total prize money to $1.4 million.

The Ocean Startup Project is a pan-regional group dedicated to identifying and nurturing early-stage oceantech companies, not just in Atlantic Canada but across Canada and elsewhere. The group’s major initiative is the Ocean Startup Challenge,

Continue Reading

Propel CEO’s Letter from the Future

March 29th, 2024

Dear Three Years Ago:

Looking back on 2020, it became clear early on that COVID would disrupt the global economy and that local impact would be determined by harmony between public health officials and political leadership. Luckily, in Atlantic Canada, we watched the rest of the world transition between lockdowns, school closures and COVID tests, while we used our relative

Continue Reading