These Kootenay entrepreneurs are taking all the risk…
THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS WATCH.
From the safety of your living room, cheer on three Kootenay entrepreneurs as they pitch to a panel of judges featuring local and regional investors, industry professionals, and tech experts.
Our host, Sean Smillie, will be coming to you from the new Nelson Innovation Centre. Tune in to get a taste for new Kootenay tech and support our local entrepreneurs!
Winner takes home $500 in cash, a KAST membership, free entrance into the New Ventures BC 2021 competition and KAST’s Venture Acceleration Program + ALL THE GLORY.
Watch Event #1 of the Kootenay Pitch Competition
November 12, 2020
Meet the Entrepreneurs from the Kootenay Pitch Competition #1
Sami Majadla
CertiCraft, Nelson
Meet Sami Majadla. He’s the CEO and one of the founders of CertiCraft; they want to see craft cannabis communities around Canada (and especially in the Kootenays) thrive.
• They’re on a mission to help craft cannabis growers transition into and thrive within the new regulated market.
• CertiCraft has built the only compliance platform that fully digitizes and automates record keeping requirements for cultivators.
• Their future involves building solutions to reduce other barriers to success that craft growers face (e.g. sales & distribution, licensing, or marketing).
Myles Peterson
Terracore Plastic Company, Castlegar
Say hello to Myles Peterson, a recent highschool graduate who has already founded Terracore Plastic Company, at the age of 18!
• Terracore Plastic Company will be able to directly remove plastic waste from communities around the world, decreasing the levels of hazardous microplastics on a global scale.
• This recycling company uses chemical processes to recycle plastic. Currently, they are selling merchandise to raise funds to open a processing facility in the Kootenay region. When the factory opens, they will offer products made from plastics recycled in the Kootenays.
• In the future, they plan to sell their manufactured products and resin in bulk on a global scale, with factories in multiple countries.
Cam Shute
Dark Horse Innovations, Nelson
Meet Cam Shute: a father, inventor, climber, skier and fisherman as well as the founder of a product development consultancy, Dark Horse Innovations!
• They focus on developing high performance sustainable products for the outdoor industry.
• After developing outdoor products for the last 20 years in the backcountry skiing industry, Cam formed a small team to develop a high performance sustainable product for fly fishing.
• They hope to show that sustainable products can be high performance, and to shift behaviour and awareness of this in the industry.
The Prizes
Besides bragging rights, the winner of EACH pitch event will take home:
- $500 in cold hard cash
- A free annual KAST membership
- Three months of free entry into the Venture Acceleration Program ($600 value), which includes 1:1 mentorship from an experienced mentor
- Free entrance into the New Ventures BC Competition in 2021 ($200 value), courtesy of New Venture BC. Note: All winners will be required to apply to the New Ventures BC Competition to be eligible for the Grand Finale prizing.
- Two hours of expert assistance, from a KAST Entrepreneur in Residence, for the application process for the New Ventures BC Competition.
- A three-session Advisory Coaching package with Volition Advisors (valued at $675).
The Grand Finale Winner takes home bragging rights, ALL the glory and…
- $1,000 in cold hard cash
- A free annual KAST membership
- Three months of free entry into the Venture Acceleration Program($600 value) which includes 1:1 mentorship from an experienced mentor
- Travel expenses paid for Pitch Day (up to $750) at the New Ventures BC Competition in 2021 if applicant accepted
About the Kootenay Pitch Competition 2020/21
For the first time in Kootenay history, technology entrepreneurs and startups from across the region will go head to head in the first ever virtual Kootenay Pitch Competition, hosted by KAST (Kootenay Association for Science & Technology) and Nelson Innovation Centre, and sponsored by Nelson & District Credit Union , Traction on Demand and Volition. Entrepreneurs will be competing for cold hard cash and amazing prizes. Mentorship, networking, support and incredible exposure are all up for grabs.
The competition is made up of three pitch events (November, January and March) with a Grand Finale pitch event in April 2021.
To get more information or to apply for the Kootenay Pitch Competition Event #2…click the button below!
