Lawrencetown software developer makes Round 2

A Lawrencetown software developer will be taking his company into the second round of InNOVAcorp’s I-3 Technology Start-Up Competition. Trevor Milne’s Gaiamatics Software Inc. was among 25 companies from Kings, Annapolis, Digby, and Hants counties (Zone 3) vying for top spot in the provincial competition.

InNOVAcorp said that entrepreneurs in Zone 3 confirmed that innovation in Nova Scotia is alive and well with their strong response to its call for entries. “At this point in the competition, we have identified the 25 most compelling companies,” said Dan MacDonald, president and CEO of InNOVAcorp. “We are very pleased with the quantity and quality of the submissions and look forward to getting a more in-depth look at them in round two.”

Of the 25 companies moving to the next round, the following I-3 participants from Zone 3 have been invited to compete in round two of the competition:

Clare Machine Works Ltd. — Vince Stuart, Meteghan Centre

An innovative approach to refurbishing high value oil and gas industry components.

Compilr — Patrick Hankinson, Weymouth

A mass market software code compiler.

Fireworks FX Inc./Solar Flare Inc. — Fred Wade, Grand Pre

A safe electronic ignition system for Fireworks display.

Gaiamatics Solutions Inc. — Trevor Milne, Lawrencetown

A software based product to digitally map locations of interest.

MAX ReadTime Ltd. — Catherine Hubley, Mount Uniacke

An innovative internet-based remote book reading/sharing technology designed for parents and grandparents separated by distance from their loved ones.

Entrepreneurs selected to move on to round two are required to submit a full business plan by November 19 to be reviewed by the six-person judging committees in each zone. The three companies in each zone selected to move on in the competition will be announced on December 8.

Each first-place zone winner will receive a $100,000 award package and each second place zone winner will receive a $40,000 award package of seed investment, cash, and in-kind contributions for development of their start-up ventures. Award packages will include business-building services in the form of marketing, accounting, sales, and legal expertise from the I-3 competition partners.

At the end of the competition, one provincial winner will be selected from among the five first place zone winners, and awarded a $100,000 seed investment from InNOVAcorp’s HPi™ Microfund.

In total, the competition attracted 133 formal submissions from across Nova Scotia, far exceeding InNOVAcorp’s goal of 100 submissions.

For more information on the I-3 Technology Start-Up Competition visit www.innovacorp.ca.