Spark Nova Scotia on Monday awarded $375,000 in prize money to nine companies located outside the metro Halifax area.
The organizers said 37 companies qualified for the competition, which aims to support startups based outside the province’s largest metro area. After training sessions were held in Bridgewater, Truro and Sydney, the field was narrowed to 19 finalists and then to nine winners, who received between $25,000 and $50,000 each.
The winners were announced at a reception at the Nova Scotia Community College Ivany Campus in Dartmouth.
“We are thrilled with the quality and potential of the start-ups that came from communities across Nova Scotia,” said Erinn Smith, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Association of Community Business Development Corporations. “The judges had a tough time selecting winners, and that’s a testament to the talent that exists in this province.”
The winners (with links to our previous articles about these companies) are as follows:
Cape Breton Winners
1st Place: CheckIn Analytics - $50,000
2nd Place (tie): Tracker Inventory Systems - $37,500
How TIS Launched with $5,000 and an Early Adopter
2nd Place (tie): Ubiquity - $37,500
Nova Scotia North Winners
1st Place: DMR Boat Design - $50,000
2nd Place: Cultivated Eco Systems - $40,000
3rd Place: GreenOil Solutions - $35,000
Nova Scotia Southwest Winners
1st Place (tie): Dr. Gordon’s Bum Cream - $50,000
Ann Gordon a Semi-Finalist in BioInnovation Challenge
1st Place (tie): myFlock - $50,000
3rd Place (tie): BlackWatch.Tech - $25,000
Blackwatch.Tech Among the Winners at Volta Cohort
In a separate statement, Ignite Labs Inc. congratulated three residents of its startup hubs, based in Yarmouth and Pictou counties, that won awards.
Blackwatch.tech, an ocean tech company based out of Yarmouth, is developing a man-over board device to help save the lives of offshore fishermen.
Green Oil Solutions, a sustainable innovation company based in Pictou County, is working on a filtration technology that separates oil and water for use on commercial fishing vessels.
Cultivated Eco Systems, a zero waste Ag-tech company based in Pictou County, is commercializing a soil probiotic that stabilizes hostile soil conditions to increase crop yields and plant growth.
“By supporting these startups, Ignite hopes to create a culture of innovation where we can help grow vibrant industries in rural Nova Scotia,” said Ignite President and CEO Doug Jones.
