The semi-finalists have been announced for the 2016 BioInnovation Challenge.
One of the eight semi-finalists is EmerGence client, RPS Biologiques, Inc. from Prince Edward Island.
RPS Biologiques Inc. is a Charlottetown, PEI-based company that offers a variety of services for the aquatic, animal and human health sectors. The company targets critical issues in existing diseases with innovative vaccines and drugs that use cutting edge technology. They also address the challenges of human dietary supplements using herbal compounds.
RPS is a member of the PEI BioAlliance’s EmerGence BioScience Business Incubation program.
The PEI BioAlliance has partnered with BioNova and BioNB – in Nova Scotia and NB, respectively – to allow up and coming life sciences companies from all three Maritime Provinces to compete in the challenge.
Scott Moffitt, Managing Director of BioNova, the host organization, announced that the semi-finalists will receive professional pitch training before the semi-final run off, which will be held in Halifax on October 25.
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“We’re very excited about this year’s BioInnovation Challenge,” said Moffitt. “We have semi-finalists from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island which shows just how much life sciences innovation is happening around the Maritime Provinces.”
The eight semi-finalists are:
- Novagreen East from Nova Scotia
- Audioptics from Nova Scotia
- RPS Biologiques Inc. from Prince Edward Island
- Chinova Bioworks from New Brunswick
- MacKenzie Health Care Technologies Ltd. from Nova Scotia
- Biopharm Nexus from New Brunswick
- NovaResp Technologies.from Nova Scotia
- SomaDetect from New Brunswick
The winner of the BioInnovation Challenge will receive a $15,000 seed investment and a package of support services and mentoring valued at more than $30,000.
For the first time since its inception in 2011 the second and third place finalists will also receive in-kind services valued at over $5,000.
The 2016 Innovation Challenge is presented by BioNova in partnership with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, BioNB, PEI BioAlliance, Dalhousie University Office of Industry Liaison and Innovation, Springboard Atlantic, Cox & Palmer, Jennifer Cameron PR, JLT, PwC, Sandler Training and Grant Thornton.
The BioInnovation Challenge will take place over two days in October. The 8 semi-finalists will present to a panel of judges on October 25 at the Life Sciences Research Institute. The top three presenters will then pitch to the judges and the conference audience at BioPort Atlantic, BioNova’s annual conference, the following morning. The winner will be announced at the close of BioPort Atlantic on the afternoon of October 26.
BioPort Atlantic will take place at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel on October 25 and 26. BioPort provides a forum to educate, inform and inspire the life sciences community to develop their ideas, commercialize their technologies and build links within the region and with guests brought in from the US and from around the world.