More than 300 local business owners and supporters were on hand at the Best Western Plus, Lamplighter Inn on June 4th as the winners of more than $60,000 in cash and prizes in the Venture London Business Competition were announced.
The winner in the Existing Business Category, taking the grand prize of $28,000 in cash and business acceleration prizes, was Forked River Brewing Company. The company was founded in 2012 by three local award-winning home brewers who are all Western graduates.
In the Start-up Business Category, winning the grand prize of $20,000 in cash and prizes was ZonedIn. Zonedin created an app that allows users to turn their skateboarding experience into a real life video game.
The remaining finalists – FreePoint Technologies Inc., Textbooks for Change, The MakerBus Collaborative, and Tutor Hero – each received $500 honorariums and prize packages valued at $3,000.
Guest speakers for the evening included Mike Moffatt, Assistant Professor, Ivey Business School; Chief Economist, The Mowat Centre and Sarah Landstreet, founder of Georgette Packaging, winner of Venture London 2014.
"Winning Venture London last year had a profound effect; it made me feel grounded in London, and recognized and appreciated by my hometown. I met so many thoughtful individuals through the application process who continue to shape and support my experience building a young business," said Landstreet on winning in the Venture London 2014 Start Up Category.
Now in its seventh year, Venture London was founded in partnership by The London Economic Development Corporation, The Small Business Centre, Western Research Park and TechAlliance. The competition was designed to support and celebrate new and growing London-based businesses that have the potential to create a positive impact on the local economy. Open to planned and new businesses, existing for less than three years, judging took place in two rounds, beginning with an online application, culminating in finalists pitching their businesses to a panel of business experts.
Cash and prizes are provided by local sponsors including: Lovers AtWork Office Furniture, Libro Credit Union, In2Communications, Refcio & Associates, Ellipsis Digital and 98.1 FREE Fm.
For more information about Venture London, please visit - www.venturelondon.ca
For additional information, please contact Venture London Chair:
Nancy Kopriva
Director, Communications and Engagement
Small Business Centre
519-659-2882 ext. 234
nkopriva@sbcentre.ca
About the 2015 Venture London Winners and Finalists:
Start Up Business Category:
WINNER 2015 – Zoned In: Zoned In is a revolutionary new social networking app that turns the user’s skateboarding experience into a real life video game. The platform provides skaters with a fun, engaging, and interactive way to learn and share new skateboarding tricks, network with other skaters and compete to be the best in the world. www.zonedin.ca
The MakerBus Collaborative: The MakerBus is a classroom on wheels, working with schools, libraries, and educators across Southwestern Ontario to create hands-on learning experiences. Using a renovated 1989 school bus, the MakerBus team of experienced educators employs cutting edge technologies like 3D printers/scanners, microcomputers, and drones to host child/youth-focused classes, events, and staff training workshops. www.dhmakerbus.com
Tutor Hero: Tutor Hero is an online marketplace that matches tutors and students. While the platform increases exposure for tutors, it also allows students to find tutors with similar interests and career path goals. Tutor Hero launched on December 20 of 2014. With over 150 tutors, 10 partnered schools and 70 students in London, Tutor Hero is in the process of expanding their services beyond London. www.tutorhero.me
Existing Business Category:
WINNER 2015 – Forked River Brewing Company: Forked River Brewing Company was founded by three local, award-winning home brewers who teamed up to bring the Forest City the beer it deserves: consistent, flavourful brews made with all-natural ingredients, and the care of the traditional craftsman manner. By visiting the brewery, customers are able to interact directly with the founders, and witness their dedication and passion first-hand. www.forkedriverbrewing.com
FreePoint Technologies Inc.: FreePoint believes that knowledge is power and that an engaged workforce is a powerful workforce that becomes intrinsically motivated to drive productivity improvements. FreePoint offers a suite of productivity monitoring tools that connect directly with all machines and manual processes regardless of age, type, or cost, often non-invasively. Information is made available to all team members in real-time, putting everybody on the same page, focused on the same objectives. www.getfreepoint.com
Textbooks for Change: Textbooks for Change (T4C) is a certified B-Corporation that provides affordable and accessible educational materials to students both locally and around the world. T4C collects textbooks from drop boxes on post-secondary campuses, student club fundraising drives, and from Goodwill donation centers. Approximately 50% percent of these textbooks are sent to African universities in dire need of this quality educational material. The remainder is either recycled or resold online to students at affordable prices. www.textbooksforchange.ca
