Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
October 20, 2016
Celebrating Entrepreneurs
Minister Mitchelmore Congratulates Newfoundland and Labrador Businesses for Invest Atlantic Awards
The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, today congratulated two Newfoundland and Labrador businesses, Empowered Homes and HelpMeOrder, for claiming top honours at the Invest Atlantic Conference's Pitch 101 competition earlier this month in Moncton, N.B.
"Empowered Homes and HelpMeOrder are the results of the tremendous energy that exists in our province
around mobilizing ideas into global start-ups. Both businesses are proof of the benefits of investing
in our innovators and entrepreneurs. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should be proud of the companies
continued commitment to innovation and growth and I wish each of them more success in the future."
- The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
Empowered Homes, a Genesis Centre portfolio company pitched its Mysa smart home thermostat and took home the top spot in the competition. HelpMeOrder, a graduate of the Genesis Evolution Program and developer of an app that allows users to vote for their favourite plate at restaurants, tied with an Enactus Mount Allison project for second place.
Newfoundland and Labrador start-ups Spectroleum Labs, which has developed environmental sensing technology to be used by the offshore oil industry, and Brownie Points, developers of an online loyalty program for locally-owned businesses, also participated in the conference.
Invest Atlantic is an annual business conference held in Atlantic Canada that brings together more than 300 start-up businesses, entrepreneurs and investors to network and listen to some of the best and brightest speakers in Atlantic Canada. The 2017 Invest Atlantic Conference will be hosted by the Genesis Centre in St. John's.
"We're thrilled at the accomplishments of these two Genesis Centre companies. Taking top honours in an Atlantic
Canadian pitch competition was no easy task. This shows that Newfoundland and Labrador companies are competitive
and with a good idea, hard work and determination, the companies can continue to reach new heights."
- Michelle Simms, CEO of Genesis Group
The Genesis Centre is an award-winning business incubator at Memorial University that accelerates technology start-ups through all stages of idea development, from pre-incubation and business model development to investor readiness. In August, the Provincial Government recognized the importance of the Genesis Centre with a $325,000 investment for the expansion of its Evolution Program, which focuses on early stage entrepreneurship-driven individuals and helping to validate their business ideas.
QUICK FACTS
- Empowered Homes, a Genesis Centre portfolio company, was awarded the top prize at the Invest Atlantic competition for its Mysa smart home thermostat.
- HelpMeOrder, a graduate of the Genesis Evolution Program, tied for second place for its app that allows users to vote for their favourite plate at restaurants.
- Invest Atlantic is an annual conference that brings together more than 300 start-up businesses, entrepreneurs and investors.
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Media contact:
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Debbie Marnell Director of Communications (A) Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development 709-729-4819, 699-9048 debbiemarnell@gov.nl.ca |
2016 10 20 9:55 a.m.