The Halifax Business Awards this year will shine a spotlight on several innovation-driven companies, showing that companies developing their own intellectual property are gaining prominence in the city's business community.
The Halifax Chamber of Commerce last week released the shortlist for the awards, which will be presented as part of a gala scheduled for the evening of Jan. 26. Of the 35 total 2023 nominees, we counted at least nine companies that we've featured in Entrevestor or hope to profile soon, showing the growing importance of innovation in the Nova Scotia capital.
A few years ago, such companies were featured only in the categories dedicated to innvoation. But the 2023 Business of the Year category includes such nominees as supply chain software startup Milk Moovement, which recently raised US$20 million, and high-tech engineering firm Enginuity.
The event will be held at the Halifax Convention Centre and cost $240 for chamber members and $300 for everyone else, and you can register here.
Here’s a look at some innovative nominees readers might recognize:
New Business of the Year
Nancy Foran, President
ESG Partners is an environmental, social and corporate governance consulting firm that specializes in working with startups and early-stage investors.
Christy Silvestri, CEO
QuickFacts is a customizable software platform for insurance brokers that promises to be more user friendly than competing software, while also offering brokers more depth of information.
Innovative Business of the Year
Lindsey Coshell, CEO
AquaNaka sells natural, environmentally friendly household cleaning products.
Mina Mekhail, CEO
Impactful is developing sustainable, antimicrobial packaging that prolongs the shelf life of fresh fish.
Small Business of the Year
Joyce Adom, CEO
Simply Go Natural sells cruelty-free, environmentally friendly cosmetics products, including haircare products for curly hair and skincare products for extremely dry skin.
Business of the Year
Ben Garvey, President
Engenuity is a Halifax engineering firm specializing in automation, design engineering and product design. The company often works with startups and the innovation community.
Rob Forsythe and Jon King, Co-Founders
Milk Moovement sells supply chain management software for the diary industry, focusing on dairy co-operatives — the organizations that own farms — as its beachhead market.
Export Business of the Year
Greg Poirier, CEO
CloudKettle is a SaaS technology consultancy that specializes in Salesforce and advises major international customers.
Kevin Rodgewrs, CEO
Nautel is one of the world's largest manufacturers of radio broadcast transmitters
Mahmoud Mirmehrabi, President
Solid States sells technology for converting liquid medications into solids — the pharmaceutical industry’s preferred state to transport and dispense drugs. Almost a third of medications are liquids in their natural state
And here is the full list of nominess:
New Business of the Year
Chapman Family Law
ESG Partners Inc
Indigenous Treaty Partners
QuickFacts Inc.
Simply Good Form Inc.
Small Business of the Year
Art Pays Me
Joyful Sounds Music Studio
Placemaking 4G
Simply Go Natural Cosmetics
Taya Ties
Export Business of the Year
CloudKettle
First Catch Fisheries
Nautel
Outdoor-Fit Exercise Systems
Solid State Pharma Inc.
Not-for-Profit Business of the Year
Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank
The PREP Academy
reachAbility
Spencer House Seniors Centre
VON Greater Halifax
Innovative Business of the Year
Nothing Cleaner by AquaNaka
Elevate & Explore Black Nova Scotia Inc.
Impactful Health and Research Development
Proedge Elite Training
ROCK Networks
Business of the Year
CGI
Cyclesmith
Enginuity Inc.
Milk Moovement
Northern Business Intelligence
Business Leader of the Year
Joanne Bernard - Easter Seals Nova Scotia
Tia Upshaw - Canadian Blk Women in Excellence Society (BWIE)
Rod Kerr - Kerr Group
Andrew Doucet - rcs Construction
Chantal Davie - VON Greater Halifax
