The third Starting Lean course at Dalhousie University wrapped up on Thursday evening with the announcement that one team, Hindsight Health Inc. would attend the International Business Model Competition in Provo, Utah, next month.
For the last year and a half, business professors Mary Kilfoil and Ed Leach have been ushering teams of young entrepreneurs through the program that has virtually no lectures or exams. Its only requirement is that participants use lean methodology to begin a business. It has helped to launch such developing startups as Analyze Re, Spring Loaded Technologies and Sage Mixology.
The latest course was notable for the vast range of sectors the teams were operating in. The businesses included a tire storage operation, an institute to develop mental resiliency for companies’ employees, and a business producing biofuel feedstock. There were two teams developing apps related to bars, and one has produced a device to be worn over gloves to let people use their cell phones on cold days.
Several of these teams, including Hindsight Health, have indicated they plan to develop their projects into businesses.
Hindsight Health, founded by Justin Javorek and Cam Seiffert , was celebrated at the end of the evening for doing well in a few competitions. The company competed in Canada’s Business Model Competition at Dal last night, but didn’t quite make it to the finals. It has been able to proceed to the 40-team international competition on a bye.
The company’s product is an app that tells doctors’ patients on the day of an appointment whether the doctor is on schedule.
“We believe that by harnessing modern communication technologies, we can make the healthcare system more efficient, more informed, and more effective,” said Javorek.
The company also placed third in the BoyneClark Innovative Ideas Competition in Halifax last month.