Six months of competition came to an end last night as the winners of the 12th annual BCIC-New Ventures Competition were announced in Vancouver.
From this year’s 146 applicants, top prizes were awarded to an online learning platform, a dental implant technology provider and an online child caregiver search tool.
“Each year our jury is extremely impressed with the quality of companies that enter the competition, and this year was no exception,” said Bob de Wit, Executive Director of the New Ventures BC Society.
“We know that all of our finalists can look forward to great business success in the future, and we take pride in the fact that the educational series, events and mentorship that we have provided them during the competition will contribute to that success.”
“The talent, leadership and innovative thinking that resides in British Columbia is embodied by these companies,” said John Yap, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism. “We congratulate the BCIC-New Ventures Competition for the great contributions they make towards supporting these innovative early-stage companies and the new jobs that are created throughout BC as these companies grow.”
The 2012 BCIC-New Ventures Competition Winners are:
- $100,000 BCIC first-prize – MediaCore Technologies Inc
MediaCore is a cloud-based, online video learning platform optimized for K-12, universities and corporations that provide education or training to students online.
- $55,000 BCIC second-prize – Navigate Surgical Technologies
Navigate Surgical Technologies offers disruptive leading edge technological advances to provide dentists a simpler, safer and significantly more accurate procedure to place dental implants.
- $35,000 BCIC third-prize – MyBestHelper Solutions Inc
MyBestHelper offers an innovative online solution to finding childcare: families can find, book and pay trustworthy child caregivers for a flat fee.
- $20,000 BC Bioenergy Network prize – Mazza Innovation Ltd
Mazza Innovation are developers of pressurized low polarity water (PLPW) extraction technology, used to extract high-value phytochemicals from plants which can be incorporated into products such as foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
- $15,000 Vancity Social Venture prize – Twothirds Water Inc
Twothirds Water is a group of engineers and entrepreneurs who develop and market innovative water treatment products in developing countries.
- $10,000 Plug and Play Tech Centre prize – MediaCore Technologies Inc
MediaCore is a cloud-based, online video learning platform optimized for K-12, universities and corporations that provide education or training to students online.
MediaCore Technologies Inc. of Victoria, winner of the first-prize as well as the Plug and Play Tech Centre prize, also placed third in the 2011/2012 BCIC–New Ventures Competition: Regional, open to companies located outside of metro Vancouver, on February 23rd, 2012 in Kelowna. BC Bioenergy Network prize winner Mazza Innovation Ltd. placed second at the same competition.
“Congratulations to all 15 finalists for advancing to the final round of this year’s BCIC-New Ventures Competition,” said John Jacobson, President and CEO of BCIC. “These companies join an impressive list of more than 1500 program alumni over 12 years of competition, including 140 winners who have raised $112 million in financing and created over 650 jobs for British Columbians. We look forward to seeing these businesses grow and continue to contribute to BC’s economy.”
