The 2016 Atlantic Venture Forum wrapped up Thursday with the announcement that 4Deep Inwater Imaging was chosen the leading growth-stage company to pitch at the event, while WoodsCamp was the top seed-stage company.

The delegates at the conference – which serves as a meeting place for Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs and investors from outside the region – chose the winners, both of whom demonstrated strong potential in a global market.

Halifax-based 4Deep is a maker of advanced microscopes that can examine micro-organisms in the water in real time. They can check the size, shape, and movement of anything from embryonic invasive species to beads of oil in an oil spill – all without having to waste time to take samples and send them to a laboratory.

CEO Stephen Jones enticed the audience to imagine a product that could detect algae outbreaks in water before they become a menace, that could monitor ballast water in ships for microscopic invasive species, that can check oil rigs under water to detect leaks in real time.

“In the not too distant future, all those potential situations will be a reality and 4Deep will be right in the middle of it,” said Jones.

WoodsCamp is an online marketplace that helps private woodlot owners understand the value of the trees on their land to improve their profit from responsible forestry. It’s been a big week for the company as it pitched at the Propel ICT Demo Day on Tuesday and gained many new customers from a range of media coverage.

WoodsCamp Aims to Disrupt the Timber Industry.

WoodsCamp pitched with the seed stage companies on Wednesday while 4Deep and the other growth-stage startups presented their companies on Thursday morning. These more advanced companies showed how they had recently increased their sales, often with very impressive clients.

Halifax-based Athletigen, which analyses genetic codes to help with athletic performance, said it has now built up a databank of genetic samples from more than 20,000 people, with gives it more than 5 billion data points. That’s the largest such data set in the world, and it is working with nutritional and sports partners to gain more revenue.

Saint John-based NB Biomatrix, which uses nanotechnology to remove heavy metals from contaminated water sites, explained how it had gained clientele from governments and emergency agencies.

St. John’s startup HeyOrca’s Joe Teo said his company, which helps marketers collaborate on projects, is now gaining traction with such clients as Microsoft, Saatchi & Saatchi and Amazon. Its main market is marketing agencies, and its monthly recurring revenue is now increasing 31 percent per month.

Halifax’s Fundmetric, which provide customer-relationship software to charities, has sold its product to 26 charities across Canada and just landed its first U.S. client, St. John’s college. Its MRR is growing at 30 percent per month.

Gemba Software Solutions, another Saint John company, has found a range of customers for its product ProcedureFlow, which helps companies bring all employees up to speed on their processes. The company, which has a range of clients, is forecasting revenue growth of 300 percent next year and more than 200 percent in 2018.

Pacta, a Halifax company whose software monitor portfolios of contracts for large corporations, is gaining traction in its $15.9 billion market. It has signed a range of partnership and is raising $1 million, 60 percent of which is already committed.