Entrevestor

The organizers of the first InnovateNB Awards, which will be handed out at a gala in Saint John on Tuesday, have announced the shortlist.

The shortlist features three finalists in each of eight categories, which include such fields as diversity and inclusion and most innovative startup. In addition to these categories, the winners of the Premier’s Award for Innovation and the Hall of Fame will be announced at the gala.

Two Fredericton companies -- Chinova Bioworks, which has developed preservatives made from mushroom fibres, and Potential Motors, which is developing software for next-generation vehicles – have been nominated in two categories each.

Created by such innovation-focused organizations as TechImpact, the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, the University of New Brunswick’s McKenna Institute, Propel and Envision Saint John, InnovateNB is the successor to the KIRA Awards, which celebrated knowledge-based industries in the province.

The awards ceremony is part of a full day of activities, including an industry trade show and recruitment showcase as well as talks from industry leaders and investors. The trade show and recruitment showcase will be free to the public.

Tickets for the gala are available here.

Here are the shortlisted organizations and individuals:

Diversity and Inclusion Award

MESH/Diversity

Asif Hasan - SimpTek Technologies

Justin Ryan - NB Multicultural Council

Economic Impact Through Innovation

UNB Office of Experiential Learning

Jody Glidden - Introhive

Sean Fahey - Vidcruiter

Emerging Innovator

Agunbiade Seun Richards