FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 12, 2016, Kingston ON -
Nine high-potential startups have been selected to participate in the GrindSpaceXL-Kingston program at Queen’s Innovation Park (945 Princess Street). The companies were selected following a 2-step application process including a competitive pitch to a panel involving industry technical advisors, mentors and entrepreneurs on Sept. 1.
The following companies will participate in the Fall 2016 cohort:
Aliporc – Automated feeding system for swine farming.
Canarmony – Scheduling software with a healthcare focus. www.canarmony.ca
Cognitiva – Behavioural therapy homework app.
farmNXT Inc. - Farm Management Software for open field cultivation, greenhouse management and urban farming. Enables farmers to leverage data to deliver crop and field improvements across their operations.
Paperweight Technologies – Bringing your home printer into the 21st century.
Rillea Technologies – Hazmat management software for improved SME occupational health & safety. rilleatechnologies.com
RockMass Technologies – Data collection tool for geological mapping. www.rockmasstech.com
TimberWolf Cycles – Aesthetically pleasing performance wooden bicycles for the competitive rider.
Theory Jar – (created by founders of Art the Science) - Software to translate scientific jargon into everyday language theoryjar.com
“Queen’s University is delighted to continue providing leadership of the GrindSpaceXL program in Kingston, which will accelerate the development of innovative startups on campus and across the region,” says Dr. Steven Liss, Vice-Principal (Research). The many quality applicants to this year’s GrindSpaceXL program are indicative of the entrepreneurial drive and momentum that is building in the area. We look forward to helping these startups, including student-run companies, advance the commercialization of their technologies.”
The cohort-based program offers early-stage ventures the opportunity to engage with other motivated entrepreneurs while working on deliverables laid out in a personalized development plan based on a needs assessment. Participants will have access to numerous resources through their interactions with Queen’s University, including shared lab, office, collaboration and meeting room space at Innovation Park, services through Queen’s Industry Partnerships to facilitate research and customer development and access to legal counsel through the Queen’s Business Law Clinic. Participants will also benefit from intellectual property, commercialization and financial expertise available through PARTEQ Innovations and mentoring and coaching services provided by Launch Lab. New to this year’s program, Secker Ross and Perry LLP will meet with each company to identify opportunities to strengthen corporate governance and provide feedback and recommendations regarding tax structuring and compliance matters.
Queen’s, PARTEQ and Launch Lab will also provide support to participating entrepreneurs and startups following graduation from GrindSpaceXL, including facilitating access to funding opportunities. Selected graduates will have the opportunity to pitch their business to the Southeastern Ontario Angel Network. One founder who demonstrates having made significant progress in advancing his/her company’s goals during the 2016 program will have the opportunity to attend a multi-day management program, offered by Queen's Executive Education at Smith School of Business, in recognition of his/her growth.
GrindSpaceXL is one of the feature programs in the suite of services offered by Queen’s, PARTEQ, and Launch Lab under the InnovationXL banner. Supported by the National Research Council-Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), InnovationXL forms part of a broader collaboration with Invest Ottawa and L-SPARK, a B2B SaaS incubator and accelerator, to strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem in Eastern Ontario.
The program officially begins on Sept. 20 and will run until early December. This is the fourth GrindSpaceXL cohort taking place in Kingston.