2024

This year's event is taking place on Wednesday, October 23rd at The Machine Shop. Learn more and register here!

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

Pitch Competition: Top 5
Congratulations on making it to the second round

ARCH-K-TYPE Design Studio Inc.
iC Advantage Inc. (iCA)
Sunnd Nordic Eco Resort
Vital Roots Nutrition Inc.
Zoli's Kleaners

Keynote Speaker: Erin Bury
Co-Founder and CEO, Willful | Tech Expert | Startup Fanatic

Named one of Bay Street Bull’s “2021 Women of the Year”, Erin Bury is one of Canada’s top female entrepreneurs as the CEO and co-founder of Willful, an online estate planning platform. She is also a startup advisor and former marketer and technology journalist.

At Willful, Erin drives the company’s mission to make it easier for Canadians to prepare for and deal with death in a digital age. She recently went head-to-head with CBC’s Dragons, securing a deal for her company in season 16 of Dragons’ Den.

Prior to Willful, Erin was the managing director at Eighty-Eight, a boutique marketing agency, a tech journalist at startup publication Betakit, and the director of communications at Sprouter, which was acquired by one of Canada’s largest media companies.

As a journalist, Erin has written for publications such as The Globe and Mail and TechCrunch, and was previously a columnist with the Financial Post and a commentator for CTV News Tech. She has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, CBC, Toronto Star, and Inc. Magazine, and was named one of Marketing Magazine’s “Top 30 Under 30”.

And the winner is...

Sunnd Nordic Eco Resort! Sunnd Nordic Eco Resort is owned by Ann Marie Barry and is a four season geo dome clamping resort in Northern Algoma. Sunnd is inspired by slow living and the Scandinavian way. Located on a private lake nestled in the woods, you can enjoy a soak in your private hot tub or relax with a glass of wine by the fire. You can take time to breathe and get a peek at what it’s like to live the Scandinavian lifestyle!

We would also like to congratulate Bronson Kovacs of Zoli's Kleaners on delivering an amazing pitch and winning this year's runner-up prize. Zoli's Kleaners is an innovative cleaning company that specializes in ozone cleaning for sports equipment. Trusted by 28 NHL teams, Zoli’s Kleaners uses cutting-edge technology to ensure gear is not only odourless, but also bacteria-free to protect althetes’ health. Currently serving hockey players in Sault Ste. Marie, they plan to expand to northern communities and across North America.

A special thank you to this year's sponsors: