A company that uses pheromones to fight bedbugs and a startup that lets anyone create a comic strip online are among this year's finalists in the BC Innovation Council's annual New Ventures BC competition.
Vancouver's semiosBIO Technologies Inc., featured in Business in Vancouver in December 2011, is one of 10 B.C. companies out of 146 to make the shortlist for the annual award.
Pixton Comics, also featured in BIV, has made this year's list of finalists as well. Earlier this year, Pixton won a $30,000 regional New Ventures prize, advancing the Parksville startup to the provincial competition.
All finalists have gone through three rounds of judging and have received help polishing their business plans from business mentors. The finalists will now do pitch to a private jury, vying for $235,000 in cash. The winners will be announced on September 26.
Other finalists this year are:
- EVT Power Inc., Vancouver;
- Kairama Inc., Richmond;
- MediaCore Technologies Inc., Victoria;
- MyBestHelper, Vancouver;
- NaviDent Technologies Inc., North Vancouver;
- Twothirds Water, Vancouver;
- Warranty Life, Burnaby; and
- ZellChip Technologies Inc., Burnaby.
