The Angels are back.
No, not Charlie’s Angels. The Campbell River and Area Angel Group (CRAAG). These angels are basically rich folks who use their money to invest in new technology projects in hopes of making a return on their investment.
And they’ve just finished the second instalment of their tech competition, NexStream.
CRAAG and Campbell River EcDev have announce the winners of their NexStream 2.0 competition.
For NexStream, entrepreneurs, businesses, and start-ups are invited to pitch their ideas to the angels. The competition is open to anyone from anywhere. But the folks who have the best chance of winning have a solid business case and an idea that solves a real-world problem.
Competitors can win cash prizes, business mentorship, and even investment from any one of the five angel investors.
Here are the NexStream 2.0 winners:
The Wildcard Challenge
Open Ocean Robotics
Founders Julie and Colin Angus spent years sailing the globe in small vessels. This experience gave them an understanding of the importance of oceans and the challenges of studying them. Victoria-based Open Ocean Robotics has developed driverless ocean-going vessels that can gather data from the oceans for months at a time. They’re powered by wind and solar energy.
Food Security Challenge
AVA Technologies
Valerie Song and Chase Ando have developed tiny indoor gardens to help people grow food in small spaces. The Vancouver-based company’s gardens come with software that monitors light, water, and other elements that plants need to grow, even indoors.
Sustainable Resources Challenge
Mintgreen
Kurt Melnychuck, Jennifer Zee, and Colin Sullivan have opened many people’s eyes to new ways of recycling the computer processing energy involved in bitcoin mining. Mintgreen has pilot projects in the Campbell River, including a collaboration with Shelter Point Distillery to heat whiskey barrels.
Health and Preparedness Challenge
AazeinTx
Mark Starratt, Gordon Anderson, and Dr. Lawrence Korngut have developed a drug to treat asthma and they’re currently working through clinical trials.
