LifeRaft, a startup whose platform uncovers potential threats through social media posts, expects to soon close a $2.5-million round of venture capital funding that it hopes will accelerate its already-impressive growth.

LifeRaft of Halifax identifies threatening keywords, such as “kill” and “gun,” on social media sources like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. This then allows the user to drill into any post of concern to better understand the context of an individual’s comments.

LifeRaft attempts to be proactive in preventing threats in this new world of social interaction.

“If someone

The 2015 KIRA Award’s Selection Committee on Thursday announced the finalists for New Brunswick’s Knowledge Industry Recognition and Achievement Awards, with Eigen Innovation Inc. of Fredericton capturing two nods.

Eigen, whose industrial Internet algorithms help companies automate a range of actions in their manufacturing processes, is a finalist in the Innovative New Product or Service category and in Most Promising Startup.

KIRA Awards are handed out annually to members of the public and private sectors to recognize the contributions the people, companies and organizations have made

BioEnterprise Corp., an ag-tech business accelerator, has issued the following press release:

Bioenterprise Corporation Expands into the Maritimes

Bioenterprise opens a new office in the Maritimes in collaboration with Prince Edward Island ADAPT Council.

Guelph, ON (April 16, 2015) - Bioenterprise Corporation is pleased to announce that it will be opening its newest office in Charlottetown, PEI. Bioenterprise has established a 3-year strategic partnership with the Prince Edward Island ADAPT Council for the commercialization of agricultural technologies and innovations.

"We are

A Dartmouth company whose product is gaining traction in the trade show industry is pondering whether to make a similar mark in an unexpected market — skiing.

SGS Solutions Inc. has produced portable batteries for exhibitions and trade shows that allow exhibitors to save thousands of dollars by avoiding electric installations. In the meandering way entrepreneurs stumble on innovation, it is planning a system that will allow skiers to become a human light show during night runs.

Last year, SGS Solutions introduced its ShowBattery at the ExhibitorLive conference in Las Vegas and won the

Entrepreneurs’ Forum, the pan-regional not-for-profit that promotes entrepreneurship, has rebranded itself as Entrepreneurs3.0 as a sign of its enhanced mission.

As Entrepreneurs’ Forum, the group was known for bringing together entrepreneurs and mentors in an intimate dinner so they could work together to improve the company’s prospects. The not-for-profit has held 55 to 65 for these meals a year, and they will continue to be a pillar of its product offering.

But CEO Kathleen Rayworth says the organization has been expanding its suite of services, including successful efforts to help

The Verschuren Centre at Cape Breton University has issued the following press release:

VERSCHUREN CENTRE, CAPE BRETON UNIVERSITY, WELCOMES DEVELOPERS OF WORLD’S FIRST TOXIN-FREE GOLD NANO RODS - SONA NANOTECH LIMITED

Sydney, NS – Sona Nanotech Ltd., a new Nova Scotia company developing nano materials for health and clean technology applications, signed a three- year research agreement to collaborate on the creation of a Smart Metallic Nano Material Research Program at the Verschuren Centre, Cape Breton University. "Nanotechnology is proving to be one of the most exciting developments

Innovation PEI is looking for promising new P.E.I.-based businesses and startups to bring forward proposals for the second round of its Ignition program.

The provincial government’s innovation agency recently announced the winners of its Development and Commercialization Fund, and is now similarly encouraging earlier stage companies with its Ignition program.

The first round of the ignition program, launched in 2014, provided mentorship and $25,000 of early stage capital to start-ups and traditional small business in P.E.I. Forty-six businesses applied to the Ignition program, the

Erik Gingles reacted to the news of Periscope’s purchase by Twitter with equal measures of elation and frustration.

The news broke March 9 that Twitter had bought Periscope, which allows Twitter users to display live video from their smartphones, for just under $100 million. It was a blow for Meerkat, another app that allows video live streaming, as Periscope’s links with Twitter appeared to

Lost in the recent controversy over budgets in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is the fact that we’ve moved no closer to harmonizing or unifying investment tax credits in the region.

In fact, there are now greater differences in the provincial programs than ever before.

The recent budgets have created controversy over the film tax credit in Nova Scotia, over the fiscal picture in New Brunswick, and over education funding in both provinces.

The issue that the startup community had focused on in the lead up to the budgets was the tax credit given to equity investors in small businesses,

When Kelly Galloway speaks of her product that monitors septic systems, it doesn’t take her long to outline her plans for an Internet of Things solution that will automatically protect homeowners from the horrors of reversing septic tanks.

Galloway is the President of Stratford, P.E.I.-based Engineering Technologies Canada Ltd., which later this year will release its patented Septic Sitter