Announcing the VFF $5K Finalists
This Wednesday and Thursday evening, over 40 students from the University of Waterloo participated in our $5K Qualifiers, with 10 being selected as finalists for our brand new Velocity Fund $5K competition.
The Velocity Fund $5k competition (formerly Velocity Fund $1K) was replaced with more funding, more excitement, and more opportunity for greater possibilities. The rules for competing remained the same – but the stakes were raised.
Each student had exactly 3 minutes on stage to deliver their pitch their solution to a real world problem in front of our panel of judges and audience. The judges then provided feedback to each contender, including perspectives on the viability of the business idea and suggestions for improving the pitch. Ultimately, the best pitches were chosen to compete for three prizes of $5K at the Velocity Fund Finals.
With the debut of our new competition this term, the number of pitches doubled. The stage was bigger, the audience was livelier, and we’re even more excited for the Finals.
These 10 finalists are set to compete at the 11th Velocity Fund Finals $5K Competition on November 27th:
Moocow Unicycles – dedicated to providing the unicyclist community with strong, ergonomic parts.
Reno – a device that uses body heat to charge smart devices.
Kue – a caffeine product that gives people a burst of energy before they wake up through a timed-release capsule.
Ansik Inc. – their product, ShockLock, is a mechanical reinforcement for worn out Gas-Charged Struts.
Aminolyze – a biotechnology start-up developing devices to monitor protein requirements to help people fuel healthy active lifestyles.
CareChair – a wheelchair that morphs into a bed to reduce the risk of injury with moving individuals with physical and mobility impairments.
SafeTech – a hardhat integrated with geofencing technology and alarm systems to manage the safety of industrial workers in hazardous conditions.
Treetu – a code search engine.
Lani Inc. – a payment and management system for 3D Print Centers.
InstaRent – a rental housing search engine to fit all of your living requirements.
Did we mention that one $5K prize is awarded to the People’s Choice? You’ll definitely want to be cheering from the crowd for your favourite!
To see which three win the first ever Velocity Fund Finals $5K, join us in the audience on November 27th. RSVP at http://velocityfundfinals.com/rsvp/ and share the excitement with us!
#VFFF14
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