Introducing our Spring 2018 Growth Accelerator Winners

Getting a new business up and running is a major accomplishment. However, the growth stage is a whole different beast.

To help new businesses grow to new heights, Futurpreneur Canada, in partnership with Spin Master Inc. and supported by Morrison Financial and Dentons Canada, created the Growth Accelerator program. Exclusive to growth-focused Futurpreneur entrepreneurs, it provides them with coaching, resources and support from experts in order to maximize their chance of successfully scaling their business.

In order to be accepted into the program, candidates needed to demonstrate that they had an innovative and proven business model that offered a unique product or service, an improved process or the potential to impact the market in new ways. After pitching live to a panel of judges, ten businesses were selected for this new cohort. The successful participants will be provided with travel stipends and accommodation for Accelerator workshops, 1-on-1 mentoring with executives, networking and pitching opportunities, and much more.

After a successful Fall 2017 cohort, we are very excited to announce our new Growth Accelerator participants for Spring 2018!

Weatherlogics

Matthieu Desorcy and Scott Kehler are the co-founders of Weatherlogics, a Winnipeg-based weather forecasting and research firm that specializes in providing accurate, high-quality weather information to their clients. Matt is the Chief Meteorologist at Weatherlogics and oversees weather forecasting operations to ensure clients receive timely and accurate weather information. Scott is the Chief Scientist at Weatherlogics and oversees the development of new products and services which incorporate the latest technology and meteorological techniques.

Immune Biosolutions

Frédéric Leduc, Simon Gaudreau and Jean-François Larrivée are the co-founders of Immune Biosolutions, a company that produces proprietary antibody technologies. Frederic, the CEO, holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry with a specialty in epigenetics and has won numerous awards for scientific presentations and pitch competitions. Simon is primarily responsible for the development of new antibody candidates and new methodologies. He holds an M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in immunology with a unique expertise in diabetes. Jean-François holds a Ph.D. in immunology and manages the production and incorporates new technologies within the Nebula platform.

FRANC

Brandy Mercredi is the founder of FRANC, a women’s basics brand made ethically in Canada. With a background in fashion design and blogging, Brandy also has experience working with both large and small brands over the past 13 years. With FRANC, Brandy aims to create clothes that are timeless and versatile – clothes that complement personal style rather than dictate it.

Wastenot Farms

A regenerative-agriculture farmer and life-long environmentalist, Jocelyn Molyneux is the owner of Wastenot Farms. Her business provides compost collection in the Greater Toronto Area, transforming organic waste into a healthy alternative to chemical fertilizers called Jocelyn’s Soil Booster worm manure. Jocelyn holds a Masters of Applied Environmental Science and is constantly working towards reducing waste, sequestering carbon in soil and building a foundation for Ontario’s circular economy.

Coffrets Prestige

Charles-Étienne Dion and Pierre-Olivier Dion and are the founders of Coffrets Prestige, the number one activity gift box seller in Quebec. With a team of 20 passionate employees and products available in more than 500 stores – more than 260 of those placements secured in the last year alone – the Coffrets Prestige team is ready to attack new markets.

Olive the Senses

Emily Lycopolus is the owner of Olive the Senses, a luxury olive oil and vinegar tasting room and the founder of This Table Collective, an online artisan food market featuring over 500 artisan food items and 400 custom recipes. Emily lives in Victoria, B.C. with her husband, Steve, and their pug, Cedrik.

VanHack

Fluent in Russian, Portuguese and English, Ilya Brotzky is the CEO and founder of VanHack, a community of over 150,000 Software Developers, Designers and Digital Marketers who are ready to relocate. After graduating from Cornell University with a Degree in Applied Economics and Management, Ilya spent four years working in the Brazilian startup scene where he joined the country’s most successful early-stage accelerator. Later, he returned to Canada where he began creating the talent community that is VanHack. He is also the founder of Mountains for Moms, a student-run non-profit that has raised over $50,000 for women’s charities.

Tribe of Lambs

Founded by Bobbi Paidel and Phil Haley, Tribe of Lambs is a unisex jewelry and clothing brand that designs and produces its products ethically in India. As Creative Director, Bobbi’s passion and expertise shines through in their high quality, high demand products. In his role as Director of Marketing, Phil’s background in advertising, branding and digital marketing allows him to share the Tribe’s message with the world, inspiring others to get involved with the organization.

Strategie Agilean

Strategie Agilean produces a ‘virtual supervisor’ application that gives companies the ability to view and manage operations in an efficient and seamless manner. Founder Alexandre Dubé studied mechanical engineering before moving to industrial engineering, which he combined with a Master’s degree in business administration (MBA). These three areas of expertise provided him with an excellent understanding of challenges faced by small to medium-sized businesses in the manufacturing sector. Alexandre has spent more than fifteen years in industrial, service and research and development environments.

Brows by G

Brows by G is an industry leader in all things brows. The company provides microblading, micropigmentation and brow styling services, as well as training and products. Scott Russell is the CEO of Brows by G and is responsible for the strategy, growth, and overall management of the company. Before joining Brows by G, Scott was responsible for the development and management of projects in more than twenty countries around the world. Giovanna Minenna is the Founder and Creative Director of Brows by G. She was the first to bring the Brow Bar concept to Manitoba and is passionate about continuous innovation, growth and entrepreneurship both in her business and personal life.