SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN – The Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) honoured individuals, businesses and institutions at the second annual Science, Technology, Innovation and Collaboration (STIC) Awards, which was celebrated in Saskatoon on November 8 at the Sheraton Cavalier.
“Last night’s awards presentation was a celebration of the outstanding people in our growing science and technology cluster. It’s tremendous to see the amount of projects and products being created right here in the Saskatoon Region,” said Alex Fallon, President and CEO of SREDA. “These innovations add value to the local economy by creating jobs, wealth and knowledge, and positioning the Saskatoon Region as a global competitor. The caliber of the 2017 STIC finalists and winners clearly demonstrates the Saskatoon Region is a hub for science and technology innovations.”
The 2017 STIC Award winners are:
PROJECT AWARD – STRATO Mobile Desalination Platform
Innocorps Research Corporation
Development began in 2009 with a series of bench scale prototype models to test ideas on how to desalinate water. The project has now commercialized an energy-efficient, modular, self-contained water purification platforms that produces distilled water from any type of source water. Treated water can be reused and recycled.
PRODUCT AWARD – Libra Cart
Bitstrata
Using their technology platform, Bitstrata developed its own agricultural brand, Agrimatics. The first product launched from this brand, Libra Cart, is a full-featured tablet and smartphone-based grain cart weighing and data management system. The device mounts directory onto a grain cart, connects to the weight sensors, and communicates wirelessly to the Libra app (available on both iOS and Android) running on a compatible smartphone or tablet located in the tractor. The system automatically detects, collects, and stores important harvest data including weight, field, date, time, etc.
TEAM AWARD – HABEX Project
Cut Knife Elementary School – Grade 6 Class (2016-17)
Instead of doing a class trip as their year-end capstone activity, the students elected to construct a high-altitude balloon that would carry a scientific payload, a camera, and a class photograph to an altitude of 30km, above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere. In the course of this project, the students studied principles of flight, engineering, and weather, as well as learning about creating and producing media to promote their activity. With some assistance from the University of Regina, the students designed and built a craft to survive the harsh conditions of the upper atmosphere, record scientific data and pictures, and return safely to the Earth, so that it could be recovered and the students in return see their own image floating at the very edge of space. This project, and the media coverage that followed, helped the students understand that they are capable of doing amazing things.
U30 AWARD – JORDAN BOESCH
7shifts Restaurant Scheduling Inc.
Jordan Boesch is the Founder and CEO of 7shifts Employee Scheduling Inc., an employee scheduling software designed specifically for restaurants. 7shifts helps managers and operators spend less time and effort scheduling their staff, reduce their monthly labor costs and streamline team communication. Founded in Saskatoon, in 2013, with offices in Toronto, 7shifts is the restaurant employee scheduling solution for more than 150,000 restaurant workers across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Jordan focuses on overseeing all major aspects of 7shifts. From sales, client requests all the way through to the programming and structure of 7shifts. A hustler, entrepreneur and programmer, Jordan loves using code to bring his ideas to life and enjoys dealing with any business challenges thrown his way.
AMBASSADOR AWARD – GREG SUTTON
TinyEYE Therapy Services
Greg is a recognized leader for innovation and entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan. In 2004, through the Saskatchewan Advanced Technology Association, Greg led a provincial action plan to grow the advanced tech sector through investment, improving efficiencies and building communities. In 2005, Greg co-founded TinyEYE Therapy Services with his sister, Marnee Brick. TinyEYE is an international speech and occupational therapy telepractice and it was the first company in the world to provide speech language pathology services online. Greg and the team at TinyEYE have won multiple awards in the areas of entrepreneurship, mentorship and innovation. He is a founding Board member of Saskatchewan Capital Network – Saskatchewan’s only formal angel investor network and a founding Board member of Co.Labs, Saskatchewan’s first technology incubator. Greg is active in the Raj Manek Mentorship Program – both as a mentor and as a Board Advisor. Greg always makes himself available for lunch or beers with aspiring entrepreneurs who have questions and need some guidance.
The finalists and winners were chosen by the STIC Selection Committee. This committee consists of local industry, government and academia stakeholders.
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For more information, please contact:
Erin Lawson
Director, Marketing and Communications
P: (306) 664-0724 E: elawson@sreda.com
*Dr. Otto Zauberer aka Kenn McLeod from Regina, Saskatchewan!
