2022

This year's event took place at Delta Hotels by Marriott Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront on Thursday, October 20th.

Congratulations to our TOP TWO contestants moving onto the final Pitch-Off!

The TOP FIVE businesses moving onto the next round are:

Algoma Makers Collective

Big Lake Bouldering

BIONIX Inc.

Tawny Illustrations

Towel Tag

Keynote Speaker: Nicole Verkindt | Founder, OMX

Serial entrepreneur Nicole Verkindt has a knack for finding industry gaps and building innovative companies to fill them. As the founder of OMX, she built one of the largest supplier tech platforms specializing in ESG metrics. Now, as the CEO of Buggy, she is transforming Canada’s grocery industry for today’s evolving consumer market. Speaking to technology, leadership, and disruptive thinking, Verkindt empowers audiences to turn today’s trends into their competitive advantage.

Verkindt founded the Canadian tech company, OMX, in 2012. Since then, this innovative platform has grown into one of the largest supplier ESG data providers. Verkindt sold it in 2022 to Sustainalytics, which is owned by Morningstar. Today, Verkindt is the CEO of Buggy, Canada’s rapid grocery and essentials delivery business, and an active angel investor involved in dozens of Canada's early-stage tech companies.

In addition, Verkindt is a frequent technology commentator on CBC. She was also an investor on Gimlet Media’s The Pitch in the US and a “Dragon” on CBC’s Next Gen Den, which focused on early-stage technology startups. Verkindt currently sits on the board of the Canadian Commercial Corporation and was the co-chair of the Business Council of Canada’s Task Force on Canada’s Economic Future.

One of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40”, Verkindt was awarded the Peter Brojde Award for Next Generation Executive Leadership in 2018. She was also named “Canada’s Woman Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2017 by Startup Canada.

And the winner is...

Big Lake Bouldering! Big Lake Bouldering is a start-up indoor climbing facility, owned by Kathleen Heymans and Jonathon Simonds. It will cater to the alternative and premium fitness needs of the residents of Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding region. The facility’s core business will be focused around an indoor rock climbing facility, including bouldering and top rope (~4,000 ft^2 climbing surface) while also providing space for basic cross-training and fitness.

We would also like to congratulate Nik Provenzano and Daniel Martella of BIONIX Inc. on delivering an amazing pitch and winning this year's runner-up prize. BIONIX Inc.'s mission is to provide highly advanced yet affordable prosthetics to all amputees regardless of social status. They will accomplish their goal by exploiting the recent advancements in 3D printing & scanning technology to keep production costs low without sacrificing technological aptitude. Today’s prosthetics are either associated with a large price tag or are designed primitively. They will be distinct from market competitors by simultaneously eliminating both these deficiencies.