Sixteen Atlantic Canadian early-stage startups will vie for $125,000 in total investment at the Volta Cohort virtual pitching event on May 13.

Volta Cohort is a pitching competition held every six months for early-stage innovation companies in Atlantic Canada. It usually awards $25,000 each to five companies. The event next month will be the sixth time it’s been held since 2017.

Until now, the Volta Cohort contestants have pitched to a live audience in Halifax, but the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in a virtual event to be conducted through a video conference.  Though the crowds can’t come together, the organizers believe there is still a huge need to provide investment for pre-seed companies.

“Now, it’s more important than ever to provide meaningful support to early-stage startups through mentorship, resources and investment to ensure these innovative companies can flourish here in Atlantic Canada,” said Volta COO and Interim CEO Martha Casey in a statement. “The companies participating in our upcoming Cohort Pitch Event span various sectors and are building extremely impressive technologies.”

Members of the public are invited to watch the pitches free and can register here.

Here are the 16 finalists, which were selected by a panel of judges:

● Clever Fruit (Dartmouth) manufactures a fermented nutraceutical ingredient to manage cholesterol naturally;

● Current Field (Halifax) is innovating non-destructive inspection systems for detection of corrosion in steel;

● Dart Frog Event Software (Halifax) gamifies events using augmented reality in seconds;

● EndFirst Plans Inc. (Halifax) helps users create project plans that are simple, clear and accurate;

● Energy Absorbing Breakwater (Halifax) provides emissions-free sustainable energy and fresh water to shore-side countries and islands;

● GrowDoc (Moncton) is a cannabis-disease-recognition mobile application that automates identifying a plant’s deficiencies;

● Health Pulse (Halifax) is creating a comprehensive telemedicine software solution that can deliver quality virtual care to patients while streamlining clinical workflows;

● In Nature Robotics (Hanwell, NB) is developing lightweight, solar-powered, autonomous airboats that help monitor water in lakes, rivers, and coastal regions;

● KorrAI (Halifax) is an AI platform that improves the operational efficiency of industrial systems;

● Kute Lab (St. John’s) is creating a two-sided platform that simplifies cosmetics ingredients, and provides market assessment to beauty manufacturers;

● myFlock (Wolfville, NS) is developing a solution that optimizes and automates processes for poultry farmers;

● SmartMed (Halifax) has created SmartShift, a tool that automatically schedules 800 shift positions in one minute, saving time and money;

● Stocked (Halifax) aims to reduce disposable packaging by delivering bulk dry goods to people's homes, where they can put the goods in their own containers;

● Tracker Inventory Systems (Sydney) uses computer vision technology to reduce manual data entry in the management of agricultural and seafood products;

● Behavioural Engineering Technologies (Halifax) is creating a growth management system using persuasive technology, sentiment analysis, and human interaction;

● VMOpro Inc. (River Ryan, NS) is a remote physiotherapy solution that enables patients to self-manage their injuries and conditions at home.

Volta Cohort is a collaboration between Volta, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, BDC Capital, and Innovacorp. As well as funding, the winning companies receive space at Volta and access to a board of mentors. Companies based outside Halifax receive support from Volta’s partners around the region.