Flixel wins StartupFest Pitching Competition
A company with New Brunswick roots walked away from StartupFest on Friday with the $160,000 first prize at the Montreal festival’s pitching competition.
Toronto-based Flixel, which began life in Moncton, captured first place on Friday for the competition of three-minute pitches.
Flixel’s app lets users construct cinemagraphs -- still photos that include a portion of the picture that moves so the viewer’s eye is drawn to the moving part of the photograph. Flixel’s apps include a feature that allows users to easily turn short videos into eye-catching photos for the web, social media ads, offline display and broadcast television.
The competition was billed as having $200,000 in prize money. But according to MontrealinTechnology.com, the 14 judges/investors chose two other winners: HelloMD, a San Francisco startup that helps medical marijuana patients buy their cannabis online, won $50,000; and another Toronto company, YouCollab, was awarded an “honorary” $35,000 investment for its app that lets YouTube creators collaborate.
Of the seven other competitors in the pitching competition, three were from Atlantic Canada – WellTrack of Fredericton and Bitness and PACTA, both of Halifax.
Jonathan Medved to speak at Startup Grind Halifax
Jonathan Medved, an American who has invested in more than 100 Israeli startups, will be the next speaker at Startup Grind Halifax.
Medved has helped 12 companies exceed $100M dollar valuations. He was the co-founder and CEO of Vringo, which he took public on Nasdaq in 2010. Before Vringo, he was the founder and general partner of the $260 million venture capital fund, Israel Seed Partners.
The Washington Post called him ”one of Israel’s leading high tech venture capitalists”. In the 2008, the New York Times Supplement “Israel at 60” called Medved one of the 10 most influential Americans who have impacted Israel.
Oleg Yefymov, the director of Startup Grind Halifax said he will make sure Medved will meet with Nova Scotia’s government and industry leaders to ensure he has some impact on the local ecosystem.
“But I also really want him to get a good taste of our community here, so I encourage [all startup community members] to take an advantage of Jon's short visit and come to meet him in person at our September's event,” he said in an email.
The event will be held Sept. 7 at the McInnes Cooper office in Halifax. Tickets are available here.
The Hive Market launches in Halifax
The Hive Market, which brings fresh local products to neighbourhoods, has launched in Halifax.
The neighbourhood delivery truck will distribute farm fresh local products to select locations so residents can enjoy seasonal produce, fresh meats and cheeses, along with other local products.
“The Hive Market leverages the social experience behind good food that’s meant to be shared
and experienced together,” said found Giselle Bryan in a statement. “Now, farmers and delivery managers have a new forum to connect with markets and buyers, while communities can take advantage of their shared needs to reduce the cost of local goods and transportation.”
‘Buy Local’ is the foundation, she said, and the Hive Market is working with entrepreneurs all over Atlantic Canada to strengthen commerce, build sustainable markets, and bring neighbours together.
You can find more information here at the company’s website.
