Over the next two weeks we’ll be highlighting the finalists leading up to the Awards Ceremony on February 23rd in Kelowna.

Here is Part II featuring four randomly selected finalists from around the province (You can read Part I here).

Mazza Innovation Ltd. – Penticton

Mazza Innovation Ltd. is leading the development of pressurized low polarity water (PLPW) extraction technology to extract high-value phytochemicals from plants which can be incorporated into products such as foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Mazza Innovations will enable manufacturers to produce innovative, high-quality products that are environmentally sustainable and cost competitive.

Net Shift Media Inc. – Kamloops

Net Shift Auction is a web-based auction system that lets media outlets and non-profit organizations run auctions to generate revenue or raise money for their charity. Net Shift Auction’s complete auction system also provides clients with support, training and guidance on how to run auctions and succeed.

Pixton Comics Inc. – Parksville

Pixton.com is an online comic-making tool and community for anyone who want to express themselves and communicate creatively. Its intuitive click-n-drag interface allows users to customize every aspect of a comic, from fully posable and expressive characters to speech bubbles, photos and more. Authors can even collaborate in real time. The platform provides an unparalleled creative and social experience for consumers, educators and businesses.

Sirr Excavator Hands Inc. – Kelowna

Sirr Excavator Hands Inc.’s XHAND™ is a live, multi-function excavator attachment with screening capabilities. Whereas excavators used in today’s logging and construction industries are single-function buckets without screening capabilities, the XHAND is an integrated unit that uses the functions of the Excavator, Cat, Shovel Loader and Screener – and its three-section attachment can change functions on the go.

Over the next two weeks we’ll be highlighting the finalists leading up to the Awards Ceremony on February 23rd in Kelowna.

Here is Part I featuring four randomly selected finalists from around the province:

ChatterBlock – Victoria

ChatterBlock synthesizes city-based information in an intuitive, accessible and protected social network environment. For the busy modern family, ChatterBlock is a resource for parents offering detailed community event and activity listings with reliable and relevant recommendations from other parents that will benefit a child’s development.

Ducharme Landscapes Inc. – Kelowna

Ducharme Landscapes Inc. has created Ducharme Service Management, a web and subscription-based geographic scheduling system. The software is designed to create service schedules according to the customers’ geographic location while managing staff availability, recording customer information and, as a result, significantly reducing administrative work load.

Global Endeavours Ltd. – Creston

Global Endeavours Ltd. has developed a rapid, safe solution for ruptures or leaks on any type of hydrocarbon transport vehicle on land, sea or water. Can-Gel ™ is a series of products that allow stored hydrocarbons, such as diesel fuel or crude oil, to gel thereby minimizing the risk to the environment and loss when a vessel or tank is breached.

KeepMii – Kelowna

KeepMii aggregates and organizes photos, mobile uploads with captions, tweets and blog posts chronologically so you are able to quickly identify, hand pick and save specific memories forever.  It provides custom built folders for the safe-keeping of memories to print or share. KeepMii easily integrates existing content on hard drives, mobile devices or social media sites.

BCIC-New Ventures is pleased to announce the top 20 finalists in its BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional for early-stage BC technology entrepreneurs based outside the Lower Mainland.

Similar to the province-wide competition, the four-month, three-round regional competition includes a unique mix of business education, networking and mentoring. This year’s regional competition attracted more than 40 applications from technology startups across our province.

The Round 3 Top 20 finalists include businesses in the life sciences, cleantech, sustainability, new media and high technology sectors (in alphabetical order).

1. AAA Internet Publishing, Inc. (DBA WTFast), West Kelowna
2. ChatterBlock, Victoria
3. Ducharme Landscapes Inc., West Kelowna
4. Find it EZ Software Corp., West Kelowna
5. Global Endeavours Ltd., Creston
6. KeepMii, Kelowna
7. Mazza Innovation Ltd, Penticton
8. MediaCore, Victoria
9. Net Shift Media Inc., Kamloops
10. Pixton Comics Inc., Parksville
11. Simple Engine Media, Kelowna
12. Sirr Excavator Hands Inc, Kelowna
13. SoKap Community Networks Inc., Okanagan Falls
14. TanMan Sun Control Products ltd, West Kelowna
15. Trajectory Design Automation Corporation, Kelowna
16. UnityJDBC, Kelowna
17. Vocaba Inc., Kamloops
18. Votari, Kamloops
19. Waterpac, Trail
20. Wifarer Inc., Victoria

The regional competition was open to businesses located outside of the Lower Mainland and the breakdown of applications by type of business is as follows:

• Bioenergy: 2%
• IT/Media: 65.3%
• Life Sciences: 4.1%
• Cleantech: 16.3%
• Other: 12.2%

Congratulations to those advancing (in alphabetical order):

The cost to enter is $100 and provides participants with access to the competition’s series of seminars and networking events while competing to take home one of three prizes totaling $60,000.

Last year’s regional competition 1st place winner was Reef Safe Fish – a closed loop waste-recycling technology that filters fish waste and then combines it with fertilizer to produce fish food onsite. Since the end of the competition in February 2011, the creators have hired an additional two staff and are preparing for growth. They were also a finalist of the 2011 VIATeC ‘Emerging Tech Company’ award.

Reef Safe Fish’s Ashley Roulston attended the GROW 2011 Conference in August and got a chance to sit down with Techvibes TV.

The BCIC-NVC: Regional offers $60,000 in prizes, including a $30,000 First Prize, $20,000 Second Prize and $10,000 Third Prize.  The competition is open to any BC person, resident or business located outside of Metro Vancouver with a technology-focused idea that has not yet secured significant financing from external investors.

The application deadline is today (October 19th, 2011) at 11:59pm. Visit www.newventuresbc.com/regional-competition for all seminar dates and complete competition information, including rules, timelines and registration form.

We’re now accepting applications for the 2nd annual BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional (BCIC-NVC: Regional), a boot camp for technology startups located outside Metro Vancouver. The cost to enter is $100 and provides participants with access to the competition’s series of seminars and networking events while competing to take home one of three prizes totaling $60,000.

Last year’s regional competition winners included a closed loop waste-recycling technology, a lightweight, shock-absorbing forearm crutch and an online memorial service program. Here’s an update on where they are now:

1st place: Reef Safe Fish: A closed loop waste-recycling technology that filters fish waste and then combines it with fertilizer to produce fish food onsite. Since the end of the competition in February 2011, the creators have hired an additional two staff and are preparing for growth. They were also a finalist of the 2011 VIATeC ‘Emerging Tech Company’ award.

2nd place: SideStix:  An ergonomic, shock-absorbing forearm crutch that significantly reduces joint compression and the secondary injuries that often arise from using crutches. Since the competition ended, SideStix has improved their technology by incorporating carbon fibre (lightweight and highly durable), secured shelf space in several retail medical equipment stores and hospitals in Greater Vancouver and in May, faced another panel of judges on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. The segment will air this upcoming season.

3rd place: MemoryLeaf: An online memorial service where users can create a lasting legacy for their loved ones through photos, videos and stories posted in an engaging and elegant virtual environment.  Since the competition, the company has moved into the new Kamloops Innovation Centre, a full service accelerator which provides office, meeting and laboratory spaces for new and expanding tech entrepreneurs.

The BCIC-NVC: Regional offers $60,000 in prizes, including a $30,000 First Prize, $20,000 Second Prize and $10,000 Third Prize.  The competition is open to any BC person, resident or business located outside of Metro Vancouver with a technology-focused idea that has not yet secured significant financing from external investors.

Registration is now open. Application deadline: October 19th, 2011, 11:59pm. Visit www.newventuresbc.com/regional-competition for all seminar dates and complete competition information, including rules, timelines and registration form.

Dave gave a similar presentation in Vancouver earlier this year with Claire Booth. If you want to watch it again, or watch Claire’s segment, the video is online here.

To access Dave’s slides, you can download them here.

Our next Victoria seminar is on November 2: Magnetic Startups: Build It Right & Money Will Come with Roger Killen. Register.

And, don’t forget to join us for our regional competition, deadline October 19.

Last year’s regional competition winners included a closed loop waste-recycling technology, a lightweight, shock-absorbing forearm crutch and an online memorial service program.

For regional startups serious about developing their technology companies, the BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional can serve as a stepping stone to the larger province-wide iteration, now in its 11th year, which will award more than $365,000 in prizes on September 22nd in Vancouver.

“The BCIC-New Ventures Competition has helped launch several of BC’s most promising technology companies, from Genologics in Victoria to RFind in Kelowna. By combining education, networking and mentorship, companies can jumpstart their company’s growth,” said Bob de Wit, Executive Director of the New Ventures BC Society.  “The prize money ends up being a bonus because everyone wins from the experience.”

“BCIC is proud to continue its support of the BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional,” said Mark Payne, Acting CEO of BCIC.  “The competition provides training and mentorship to the next generation of BC entrepreneurs and will lead to job growth and increased revenue across the whole province.”

Upcoming regional events:

• September 27, Castlegar – Market Research and Product Marketing with Dave Thomas, Rocketbuilders
• October 12, Kelowna – Start at the End: Exit Strategy with Basil Peters
• October 26, Kamloops – Magnetic Startups: Build It Right & Money Will Come with Roger Killen

The BCIC-NVC: Regional offers $60,000 in prizes, including a $30,000 First Prize, $20,000 Second Prize and $10,000 Third Prize.  The competition is open to any BC person, resident or business located outside of Metro Vancouver with a technology-focused idea that has not yet secured significant financing from external investors.

Registration is now open. Application deadline: October 19th, 2011, 11:59pm. Visit www.newventuresbc.com/regional-competition for all seminar dates and complete competition information, including rules, timelines and registration form.

The first seminar is Assessing the Opportunity with Ralph Turfus next Monday, July 11th in Victoria.

Regional Seminar Series:

July 11th – Victoria: Assessing the Opportunity with Ralph Turfus
July 21st – Kelowna: Media Training for Start-ups with Elisha McCallum
August 25th – Kelowna: The Business Case with Mike Volker
September 15th – Victoria: Market Research and Product Marketing with Dave Thomas
September 27th -  Castlegar: Market Research and Product Marketing with Dave Thomas – Registration opening soon.

The broad spectrum of innovative technologies from the 17 finalists included a mobile monitoring system for people working alone, an online service that provides environmental product info and a portable biosensor to detect bacteria in drinking water.

The BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional winners are selected by the competition’s expert panel of judges, who base their decision on which company has the most potential for success.  This year’s BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional winners are:

$30,000 BCIC First prize: Reef Safe Fish (Victoria, BC)

Recent university graduates and siblings, Ashley and Robert Roulston at Reef Safe Fish have developed a closed loop waste-recycling technology that filters fish waste and then combines it with fertilizer to produce fish food onsite.

$20,000 BCIC Second prize: SideStix Ventures Inc. (Roberts Creek, BC)

As an athlete and amputee, Sarah Doherty and her team at SideStix have revolutionized the common walking crutch for the disabled, developing an ergonomic, shock-absorbing forearm crutch that significantly reduces joint compression and the secondary injuries that often arise from using crutches.

$10,000 BCIC Third prize:  MemoryLeaf Media Inc. (Kamloops, BC)

MemoryLeaf’s online memorial service, created by Jonathan Bowers whose family runs a local funeral home, lets users create a lasting legacy for their loved ones through photos, videos and stories. The service, arranged through local funeral service providers, also offers professionally developed resources to help answer questions about the grieving process.

Photo: Danny Robinson, BCIC; Jonathan Bowers, Memory Leaf; Kerith Perreur-Lloyd, SideStix; Sarah Doherty, SideStix; Ashley Roulston, Reef Safe Fish; and Bob de Wit, New Ventures BC

“It was an exciting night for our first regional competition,” said Bob de Wit, Executive Director of the BCIC-New Ventures Competition. “With the support of the tech community, our mentors, sponsors and partners, the regional competition provided many companies across BC the opportunity to take their tech startup to the next level.”

BCIC-NVC: Regional is a five-month competition – a boot camp for business startups – addressing the special interests of BC’s early-stage technology companies and supports BC’s emerging technology industry. The competition was open to any BC person, resident or business located outside of Metro Vancouver with a technology-focused idea that has not yet secured significant financing from external investors.

“BCIC is very proud to support this regional competition which provides BC entrepreneurs with the tools and training to take their companies from concept to commercialization,” said Danny Robinson, CEO of BCIC. “These companies are contributing to our knowledge economy and helping to make BC the best place to start and grow companies.”