The annual Startup Canada Awards celebrate and recognize those companies and individuals driving impact and demonstrating excellence in Canada’s entrepreneurship and innovation community.

Opportunities NB (ONB) was proud to host this year’s Atlantic Region awards gala last night at the Fredericton Convention Centre. This year’s winners were announced at a ceremony attended by leading Canadian investors, innovators, and executives including our own CEO Stephen Lund.

The objectives of the awards are to:

  • Celebrate those working to advance entrepreneurship in Canada;
  • Increase awareness of the importance of strengthening Canada’s entrepreneurship
    ecosystem and culture; and,
  • Incentivize efforts and elevate the ambitions of the Canadian entrepreneurial and
    innovation community.

While all four of the Atlantic Provinces were well represented among this year’s winners we would like to single out those based in this province. Here now are all of the New Brunswick-based Startup Canada 2017 Award recipients.

Entrepreneur Promotion Award (Sponsored by ONB)

Dr Dhirendra Shukla — The Chair of the J. Herbert Smith Centre, Dr Shukla is one of the strongest advocates for New Brunswick’s entrepreneurial mindset we have ever encountered. Between his work with UNB’s Technology Management & Entrepreneurship (TME) program, its Summer Institute, and the Energia Ventures accelerator, his name is known to just about every entrepreneur in the province.

Senior Entrepreneur Award

Dr Ali Ghorbani — Dr Ghorbani is the founder of Eyseover Technologies, and co-founder and former CEO of ARA Labs (now Sentrant). He is the Dean of UNB’s Faculty of Computer Science, the Director of the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity (CIC), and serves as the Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Cybersecurity.

Young Entrepreneur Award

Jordan Kennie — Jordan is the CEO of Stash Energy, a Fredericton startup focused on thermal energy storage. He is completing his Master’s degree at the University of New Brunswick via the TME program. Stash Energy is part of the above-mentioned Energia Ventures’ first cohort.

Global Entrepreneurship Award

Remsoft Inc. — Founded in 1992 by entrepreneurs Andrea and Ugo Feunekes, Remsoft provides digital solutions for land management and planning, improving productivity, and performance of its client’s land assets. This award is only the latest in the company’s collection, with previous recognition coming from Atlantic Business Magazine, the Canadian Forces, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, and more.

Social Enterprise Award

Bibilyn Designs — Shippagan’s Lyne Chantal Boudreau is the creator of Bibilyn Designs, a fashion company giving back to society by rebuilding the self-esteem of women and children victimized by domestic violence. She is also a professor/researcher at the Université de Moncton in Shippagan. Learn more at bibilyndesigns.ca.

Atlantic Community Leader

Finally, ONB’s own Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Rivers Corbett, was presented with the Atlantic Community Leader Emeritus distinction by Startup Canada co-founder Cyprian Szalankiewicz.

ONB is taking a leadership role within New Brunswick’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by building strategic partnerships with key organizations like Startup Canada. Our thanks go out to their team, emcee Laura O’Blenis, and event volunteers and attendees, for a fantastic evening.

Cover image via Startup Canada