2023 Winners

Phyco Technologies Inc.

Founder(s): Ranah Chavoshi, Dr. Stacey Goldberg
SFU: Biological Sciences Master's student, i2I student
Website: N/A
Social media: N/A

When was the last time you saw plastic? Was it out on a hike or floating in the ocean? Was it wrapping the food you purchased at the grocery? The average Canadian household produces 100 kilograms of plastic waste per year. Since the 1950s, we’ve produced 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic, and now it’s accumulating. It’s ending up in our oceans, killing wildlife and breaking down into microplastics that you can only see with a microscope. PhyCo is a marine biotechnology company that is developing earth-digestible and non-toxic bioplastic derived from seaweed grown in partnership with Indigenous nations. We create an alternative for farmers, agri-food distributors, and grocery retailers. Why seaweed? Seaweed is grown in the ocean, and fortunately for us in BC, we have 25,000 Kilometers of coastline available. Compared to other plastic alternatives, cellulose, corn, and hemp, we don’t need to remove more natural habitats for farming. In addition, seaweeds do not require any fertilizers and simply grow. And while they grow, they actively take carbon out of the atmosphere helping us fight climate change.

Pondr

Founder(s): Kenneth Tung, Kenny Bui
SFU: Communications student, Computer Science student
Website: www.pondr.app
Social media: Instagram

Pondr enables users to easily manage their browsing and schedule by organizing tabs and setting automated reminders to revisit them. With the integration of Google Calendar, users can synchronize their bookmarks and reminders with their calendars, making it easier to keep track of their tasks and deadlines.

DIGITAL PLATFORMS CATEGORY PRIZE

buskr

Founder(s): Kelsey Regan, Rachel Cragg
SFU: MBA alumni
Website: N/A
Social media: N/A

At buskr, we turn music and musical experiences into digital collectibles. Today, music streaming is the dominant revenue source in the industry, but less than 1% of musicians make a living wage on these platforms. To make money from their music, musicians are forced to play more live shows and sell more merchandise which is expensive, cumbersome, and risky, resulting in tours often operating at a loss. Unlike any other music platform or medium, we exist in the heart of where the most passionate fans gather, at concerts, where we build micro-communities based on shared experiences. By offering fans a way to commemorate a show, support the musician, and differentiate from their peers, we give musicians a new revenue source from their music and a way to connect with their fans after a show. At our first event, 75% of attendees interacted with buskr, 30% asked to be contacted about the musician's next show, and the musician made an additional $1 per concert attendee through buskr.

SISA Energy

Founder(s): Sina Salari
SFU:  Beedie i2I alumnus
Website: https://www.sisaenergy.com/
Social media: LinkedIn

SISA is creating software that intelligently automates the development of decarbonization strategies for organizations managing large portfolios of multi-unit residential and commercial buildings. Our platform, empowers energy managers to generate and keep current building energy audits at scale, while simultaneously investigating hundreds of GHG reduction strategies at the portfolio level–a feat that is currently impossible within typical budgets for decarbonization assessments. Not only do we investigate many potential energy management strategies, but we also track emerging technologies and market variations in costs, incentives, and regulations, all of which are needed to keep audits and decarbonization plans current and optimized. We thus prevent our clients from missing opportunities both to save money and to reduce their GHG emissions. Beside keeping organizations informed about their latest opportunities, SISA simplifies and condenses the results of all energy audits belonging to the portfolio of buildings into a single, live, online dashboard. 

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY PRIZE

Edee Care Inc.

Founder(s): Hanieh Zahriemami, Raaj Chatterjee
SFU: Mechatronics alumnus, Mechatronics PhD student
Website: N/A
Social media: LinkedIn

Edee Care is a healthcare technology company that provides innovative solutions for individuals with epilepsy. Our integrated platform combines wearable devices and artificial intelligence to empower individuals with epilepsy to better manage their condition, reduce the burden on caregivers, and improve their overall quality of life. We are dedicated to breaking down the stigma surrounding epilepsy and working towards a brighter future for all.

SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD

Fingerprint Technologies Corp.

Founder(s): Anthony King, Hannah King
SFU: Venture connection client founder
Website: N/A
Social media: N/A

Fingerprint™ are a Vancouver-based electric vehicle maker, founded by a former designer of BMWs and Range Rovers. We have invented the Electronic Cycle™—a next-generation e-bike that uses automotive technology and pioneers a new form of sustainable local manufacturing. Our mission is to close the user experience gap between cars and bikes. As many as 90% of adults have not yet considered, or have discounted, the use of bicycles for daily transport—despite health, congestion and environmental benefits, and the short distance of most daily trips. First-generation electric bikes have been shown to increase cycling adoption and reduce car use by as much as 50%. A more advanced next generation bicycle—which requires less effort to pedal, feels safer to use, and does not require maintenance—will attract many more people and have greater societal impact. 

SFU Alumni Founder Award

Hanieh Zahiremami of Edee Care Inc.

SFU: Mechatronics alumnus
Website: N/A
Social media: LinkedIn

Edee Care is a healthcare technology company that provides innovative solutions for individuals with epilepsy. Our integrated platform combines wearable devices and artificial intelligence to empower individuals with epilepsy to better manage their condition, reduce the burden on caregivers, and improve their overall quality of life. We are dedicated to breaking down the stigma surrounding epilepsy and working towards a brighter future for all.