Nova Scotian Innovators Win $375,000 in Federal Funding
October 19, 2020
Sydney, NS – Eleven dynamic businesses in rural Nova Scotia have won a total of $375,000 through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (“ACOA”) backed Spark Nova Scotia 2020 start-up competition. The winners were announced at an award celebration held today over Zoom.
The 2020 program provided weeks of business training to 43 qualified applicants across the province via Zoom. Twenty finalists advanced to pitch training and pitch competitions. Independent judges from among sponsors, government and local businesses selected winners and corresponding award amounts in each region, as follows.
Cape Breton Winners
- Rest Assured Health Corp – $45,000
- Maskwiomin – $40,000
- COR-Qual – $25,000
- Novimedical – $15,000
NS North Winners
- Authentic Business Initiatives – $35,000
- Plasma Agrisol – $35,000
- Food for Thought Software Solutions – $30,000
- Drastic Scholastic Thermoplastic – $25,000
NS Southwest Winners
- Formula Consulting Inc. – $50,000
- Remote Energy Systems – $50,000
- Auto Bait Bagger – $25,000
“We were delighted to see so many high-quality start-ups from communities across Nova Scotia,” said Erinn Smith, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Association of Community Business Development Corporations (“CBDCs”). “We were thrilled with the training results, all delivered via Zoom this year, and we know the judges had a tough time selecting finalists and winners.”
ABOUT: Spark Nova Scotia is an initiative of Nova Scotia’s CBDCs, funded by ACOA, with an emphasis on community-based business learning. The competition focuses on rural Nova Scotia communities to ensure support and programming for start-ups outside the metropolitan Halifax area. Sponsors are Cox & Palmer, Grant Thornton, Innovacorp and Nova Scotia Business Inc.
CONTACT: Sandra Goodwin: 1 (902) 441-5476; sandra@sparknovascotia.com.