BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Agritech 2011
Competition for 2011 now closed.

Why not invest $200 in your agricultural technology business idea and learn how to develop it into a profitable company?

The BCIC-New Ventures Competition is one of North America’s largest technology business-idea competitions and has been running since 2001. This year marks the launch of a new stream for the competition focused on ventures in Agritech in the categories of: primary production, food, and bioenergy/bioproducts (for or from agriculture).

Why join the BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Agritech?

It’s like a boot camp for business start-ups.

  • Learn from some of BC’s most sought-after business experts at our business-education seminars
  • Network with top professionals in business, law, finance, government and academia
  • Improve your business and strategies during each round of competition
  • Receive advice and insight from mentors In Round 3
  • Present your condensed business plan to a panel of ‘angel’ investors, venture capitalists and industry experts in Round 4

Plus, competition winners will share $50,000 in prizes!

Competitors entered in the Agritech stream will be evaluated by a separate panel of jury members and the Top 5 finalists of the stream will vie for 2 prizes: the $30,000 Shildroth First Prize for Innovation in Agritech Prize and the $20,000 Shildroth Second Prize for Innovation in Agritech .

Who can enter?

Any BC person, team or business with a technology-focused idea related to agricultural applications, in the categories of primary production, food, bioenergy or bioproducts. Entry fee is $200 per team and includes access to all seminars and networking events.

The business idea is eligible if:

  • it is an innovative product or service involving a new technology that:
    • demonstrates attributes of environmental, social or economic sustainability
    • has potential for broad adoption within defined categories
    • solves a significant problem or advances an innovation within the defined categories
  • it is BC-based, privately held and incorporated for five years or less
  • it has raised less than $500,000 of equity financing from external private investors

Read full eligibility requirements.

The $200 fee covers entry into the competition plus all of the business-education seminars and networking events.

The competition is currently closed to entries.

FAQs

Q: How does this competition differ from the main competition advertised on this site?

A: This competition is structured similarly, however it is restricted to application  agricultural technology ventures.

Q: Can I still compete in the main competition, and be eligible to win the more than $300,000 in prize packages?

A: Competitors who wish will be entered to compete in the main competition, where their entries will be evaluated against the larger pool of applicants.

Q: Can I register for the other business development workshops?

A: Yes. Competitors in the Agritech stream will have access to all of the main competition events, but will register for two additional seminars focusing specifically on Agritech.

This new program is funded through Growing Forward, a federal/provincial agreement between the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, to support agri-food technology innovation and commercialization.