2022 Awards Ceremony Program

Thank you to everyone joining us to celebrate BC tech startups.

Join us online with our Live Stream

Click below to learn more about the Awards program, the top 11 finalists, sponsors, prizes, and our amazing community of volunteers who make this Competition a success.

Meet our emcees:

Tomica Divic, VP Operations, Innovate BC

Angie Schick, Executive Director, New Ventures BC Society

Welcome Remarks

Alumni Impact Award Presentation
Prize presenter: Wal van Lierop, Executive Chairman, Chrysalix Venture Capital and Chair, NVBC Board of Directors

Prize Presentation: Innovate BC $10,000 Regional Impact Prize
Prize presenter: Iain Mant, Partner, Fasken

2022 Top 11 introduction
Presenter: David Shore, CFO, CodeZero Technologies and NVBC Jury Chair

Remarks from Innovate BC
Andrew Petter, President Emeritus, Simon Fraser University and Chair, Board of Directors, Innovate BC

Prize Presentation: Luminaries Diamond-in-the-Rough Prize
Presenter:  Blake Ponuick, NVBC Mentor & Luminary

Prize Presentation: Innovate BC $10,000 Sustainability Prize
Presenter: Edward Chiang, CEO & Co-Founder, Moment Energy, 2021 Third Prize Winner

Prize Presentation: Innovate BC $10,000 Woman-led Venture Prize
Presenter: Rochelle Grayson, NVBC Luminary and Executive-in-Residence

Prize Presentation: Innovate BC $35,000 Third Prize Package
Presenter: Richard Mockett, Partner, Assurance Services, EY

Prize Presentation: Innovate BC $60,000 Second Prize Package 
Presenters: Mehrsa Raeiszadeh and Mike Wood, Co-founders, MintList, 2021 First Prize Winner

Prize Presentation: Innovate BC $110,000 First Prize Package
Presenters: Andrew Petter, Chair, Board of Directors, Innovate BC 

Closing Remarks

EY presents the 2022 New Ventures BC Top 11 Finalists:

• Acel Power, Vancouver
  • Co-Founders: Anthony Liu, John Liu, Jarred Thomas, Shane Solomon
  • NVBC Mentors: Kari LaMotte, Sebastian Nicholson, David Dunnison
• Asset Market, Nanaimo
  • CEO: Jeff Davis
  • NVBC Mentors: Riad Hartani, Chris Chong, Garland Sharratt
• Autonopia Technologies, Vancouver
  • Co-Founders: Mohammad Dabiri and Hossein Kamali
  • NVBC Mentors: Geoff Fawkes, Blake Ponuick, Brady Fletcher
• Beam Commerce, West Vancouver
  • Co-Founders: Dhruv Patel, Landon Fuhr, Armon Shokravi, and Varun Kundra
  • NVBC Mentors: Veronica Zammitto, Jeff LaPorte, Alvin Chubbs
• Immfinity Biotechnologies, Vancouver
  • Co-Founders: Govinda Sharma, James Round
  • NVBC Mentors: Jennifer Hamilton, Udi Daon, Herman Lo
• OVOU, Vancouver
  • Founder & CEO: Reza Varzidehkar
  • NVBC Mentors: Rupert Whiting, Peter Nieforth
• Silver Homes Technology, Vancouver
  • Co-Founders and Co-CEOs: Carlos Leal and Juan Leal
  • NVBC Mentors: Ian Banks, Brian Kahnert, Kevin Jampole
• UVX Inc, Vancouver
  • Co-Founders: Kunal Sethi and Saimir Sulaj
  • NVBC Mentors: Mark Thomson, Jeff Churchill
• VoxCell BioInnovation, Victoria West
  • CEO & CSO: Dr. Karolina Valente
  • NVBC Mentors: Gabe Kalmar, Mehrsa Raeiszadeh
• WiiBid.com, Vancouver
  • CEO & Founder: Amin Eskooch
  • NVBC Mentors: Vivek Thomas, Bryon Thom
• Yield Exchange, Burnaby
  • Co-Founders: Yvette Wu, Sampath Ekanayake, Ravi Sumal
  • NVBC Mentors: Ross McDonald, Paul McAfee, Rob Fuller

Thank you to our government and corporate sponsors.

Thank you to our volunteer mentors, jurors and speakers who generously share their time, knowledge and expertise with start-up companies across BC. 

ROUND 3 AND 4 JURY

Alexandra Greenhill
Andy Edelmeier
David Shore (Jury Chair)
Julien Sellgren
Maria Pacella
Rasool Rayani
Rochelle Grayson
Thealzel Lee
Zach Jonasson
Bill Tam

ROUND 2 AND 2.5 JURY

Aaron Cruickshank
Aaron Davey
Alfred Lam
Alvin Chubbs
Andrew Csinger
Ben Moore
Bill Archer
Blake Ponuick
Brian Bapty
Brian Kahnert
Brian Martin
Brodie Desimone
Bruce Schmidt
Chih-Ting Lo
Chin Chang
Chris Chong
Chris Wiesinger
Cynthia Shippham Brett
Darren Frew
Daryl Hatton
Dave Thomas
David Berkowitz
Doug Manness
Drew Lau
Elayne Wandler
Emily Wu
Eric Cormier
Floyd Sijmons
Gabe Kalmar
Gavin Henry
Geoff Catherwood
Geoff Fawkes
Geoff Hultin
Glen Sampson
Gordon Deans
Greg Fitzgerald
Greg Walker
Gurminder Minhas
Havind Sehmi
Helen Goddard
Hugh MacNaught
Jacques Farges
Jan Langton
Jay Crone
Jeff Calvert
Jeff LaPorte
Jeff Sinclair
Jennifer Hamilton
Jennifer Matli
Jim Balcom
Jim Pratt
John Carter
Kate Dilworth
Katrina Carroll-Foster
Kirk Hamilton
Kookai Chaimahawong
Kyle Cheriton
Lauren Kulokas
Lenka Baloghova
Lesley Esford
Lisa Ranken
Luke Krueger
Malcolm Kendall
Mehrsa Raeiszadeh
Michelle Sklar
Mike Hilton
Mo Mostafaei
Mustafa Mohamedali
Nari Rampersad
Natalia Mainprize
Peter Andersen
Peter Parrish
Peter Payne
Peter van Bodegom
Rafael Gi
Ramin Estifaie
Ray Silva
Reza Sanaie
Rob Muir
Rob Peets
Sean Hodgins
Shahab Samimi
Sharon Barnes
Shreyas Sali
Simon Backer
Steve Lowry
Steve Lukas
Stewart Marshall
Suman Majumder
Tania Lo
Tim Collings
Tom Mitchell
Veronica Zammitto

SPEAKERS

Alison Fleischauer
Allison Guld
Anthony Mouchantaf
Brian Martin
Dave Thomas
David Ko
David Raffa
Davina MacPhail
Erik Kaas
Geoff Pedlow
Hardeep Gill
Jessie Tai
Lesley Duncan
Ling Wong
Matthew Heiydt
Mike Volker
Mo Mostafaei
Paul Brassard
Peter de Verteuil
Pieter Dorsman
Rashaqa Rahman
Rochelle Grayson
Rod Hynes
Roger Kuypers
Samuel Li
Sean Hodgins
Stephanie Lyster
Steven Forth

MENTORS

Adam Lorant
Alicia Lenis
Alvin Chubbs
Arik Broadbent
Blake Ponuick
Bob Harper
Brady Fletcher
Brian Kahnert
Bruce Sharpe
Byron Thom
Chris Chong
Chris Goward
Christene Best
Christopher Heard
Craig Thomson
Daryl Hatton
David Dunnison
Dean Pick
Dean Prelazzi
Ean Jackson
Emily Wu
Eric Bukovinsky
Floyd Sijmons
Frank Leffelaar
Gabe Kalmar
Garland Sharratt
Geoff Fawkes
Grant Lawrence
Greg Fitzgerald
Herman Lo
Iain Begg
Iain McLean
Ian Banks
Jeff Churchill
Jeff Hemmett
Jeff LaPorte
Jennifer Hamilton
Judy Bishop
Kari LaMotte
Katrina Carroll-Foster
Kevin Jampole
Mark Thomson
Mark Trevitt
Mehrsa Raeiszadeh
Michele Wallcraft
Michelle Sklar
Mike Radano
Nari Rampersad
Neelam Brar
Paul Brassard
Paul Dragan
Paul Koros
Paul Lomonossov
Paul McAfee
Pav Manchanda
Riad Hartani
Richard Miller
Rob Atwell
Rob Fuller
Robert Owen
Ross McDonald
Rupert Whiting
Sandra Wear
Sebastian Nicholson
Shreyas Sali
Steve Lowry
Steve Lukas
Stuart Bowness
Suman Majumder
Todd Carter
Udi Daon
Veronica Zammitto
Victor Holysh
Vivek Thomas
Waheed Hirji
Walter Wardrop

ROUND 2.5 MENTORSHIP

Thank you to Volition Advisors for providing pitch mentorship to our Round 2.5 ventures

Over $250,0000 in cash and prizes!

$110,000 Innovate BC first-prize package
• $80,000 cash from Innovate BC plus complimentary access to the Innovate BC Venture Acceleration Program for one year, valued at $2,400
• $6,000 in-kind services from EY
• $9,000 in-kind services from Fasken
• $10,000 in-kind video services from pushr video
• $6,750 in-kind services from NVBC’s silver & bronze sponsors

$60,000 Innovate BC second-prize package
• $45,000 cash from Innovate BC plus complimentary access to the Innovate BC Venture Acceleration Programfor one year, valued at $2,400
• $6,000 in-kind services from EY
• $6,000 in-kind services from Fasken
• $2,000 in-kind services from NVBC’s silver & bronze sponsors

$35,000 Innovate BC third-prize package
• $25,000 cash from Innovate BC plus complimentary access to the Innovate BC Venture Acceleration Programfor one year, valued at $2,400
• $6,000 in-kind services from Ernst & Young
• $3,000 in-kind services from Fasken
• $2,000 in-kind services from NVBC’s silver & bronze sponsors

$10,000 Innovate BC Sustainability Prize
Awarded to the most promising startup placing in the Top 10 or Top 25, that is working to commercialize a technology in service of reducing GHG emissions or addressing the impacts of climate change.

$10,000 Innovate BC Regional Startup Prize
Awarded to the most promising startup placing in the Top 10 or Top 25, that is positioned to make a significant regional impact. The venture must located outside of the Greater Vancouver Regional District.

$10,000 Innovate BC Woman-Led Venture Award
Awarded to the most-promising venture with a woman CEO or Co-Founder in the Top 10 or Top 25. Preference will be given to CEOs, then to Co-Founders who hold 20% or greater ownership. This prize is open to anyone who self-identifies as a woman.

$6,500 Luminaries Diamond-in-the-Rough Award
Awarded to a promising company that is pre-revenue and pre-investment as of April 12, 2022. This award is generously funded by members of NVBC’s volunteer Luminaries program.

New Ventures BC Team:
• Angie Schick, Executive Director
• Susan Richards de Wit, Mentor & Jury “Wrangler”
• Liz Bowell, Bookkeeper and Program Coordinator
• Lucas van Lierop, Marketing Coordinator

New Ventures BC Society Board of Directors
• Norma Biln, Past competition winner, CEO Augurex
• Paul Cubbon, Assistant Dean, Innovation at UBC Sauder School of Business and Creative Destruction Labs – Vancouver Lead Moderator
• Todd Farrell, Entrepreneur & Investor
• Geordie Henderson, Past Competition winner and General Manager, AWS Cloud Messaging
• Wal van Lierop, President and CEO, Chrysalix Energy
• Sarah Lubik, Director of Entrepreneurship, SFU Co-Champion, Technology Entrepreneurship@SFU Lecturer, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• Larkin MacKenzie-Ast, Program Manager, Google
• Iain Mant, Partner, Fasken
• Richard Mockett, Partner, Ernst & Young, Vancouver
• J. Brock Smith, Professor, Winspear Scholar, Peter B Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria
• Michael Volker, CEO, WUTIF Capital & Angel Investor
• Bob de Wit, Angel Investor