Aurea Technologies and Dispension Industries split the first prize in the Pitch 201 competition at Invest Atlantic last week.

The two Halifax-area companies made two-minute pitches to a panel of judges at the forum for investors and entrepreneurs, which was held in Charlottetown.

Pitch 101 was won by 6joes, a draft fantasy game for amateur golfers. It is designed to add an additional competitive and social element to traditional club games.

Organized by Jameson Group, Invest Atlantic wrapped up its ninth annual conference on Thursday, and has now held the event in all four Atlantic Provinces. The 2018 event was co-chaired by Patrick Farrar, the CEO of Charlottetown-based Startup Zone, and Alex MacBeath, the Managing Partner of Island Capital Partners.

As is the case with most startup get-togethers, the highlight is the pitching event. For several years, Invest Atlantic has featured Pitch 101, in which new companies have one minute to impress judges, and Pitch 201, which is designed for companies with some traction. The two pitching events have a prize pot of $15,000.

Headed by Corey Yantha, Dispension Industries is developing vending machines that can dispense controlled substances to specific individuals. The user presses his or her hand against a panel on the machine, and the system identifies the unique pattern of veins in the hand. The vending machines can be used to issue substances like cannabis to specific users.

Cofounded by Cat Adalay and Rachel Carr, Aurea is developing advanced wind turbines that target new markets for wind energy. Its first project is a portable wind turbine that can power cell phones and mobile devices. It plans to eventually develop turbines for urban high-rise buildings.

Disclosure: Cat Adalay of Aurea is the daughter of Entrevestor's founders.