May 12th, 2022
May 12th, 2022
Watch as four local entrepreneurs go head-to-head to prove that their start-up venture will transform an industry.
We are excited to announce that NORCAT Innovation’s marquee event will be back in person on Thursday, May 12th, 2022. Join us as four entrepreneurial start-ups pitch their venture to prospective angel investors while concurrently competing for $10,000 in cash prizes. Beyond watching and being inspired, attendees will also have the power to determine which company goes home with our “people's choice” $5,000 cash prize!
Starting a business and putting your ideas into action is never an easy task. Many factors contribute to the success of your start-up, including access to the right mentors, customers, and, very often, capital. NORCAT Innovation's marquee event aims to offer support to address all these challenges.
On Thursday, May 12th, 2022 at 7 pm EST, join us to watch early-stage entrepreneurial start-ups pitch their innovative business venture to a panel of distinguished venture capital judges and prospective angel investors looking for their next great investment opportunity.
Applications Open: January 17, 2022
Applications Close: February 27th, 2022
PITCH Preparation: March - May, 2022
PITCH 2022: May 12, 2022
NORCAT Innovation works with community partners to help start and accelerate the growth of innovative companies that will drive future economic and social prosperity for Canada.
Contact Brendan Skiffington to learn more - bskiffington@norcat.org
“It was a fun, and was able to introduce us to investors who have helped us. Subsequently the investors were extremely helpful. Today we are in the final process large scale clinical trial at 40 centers across NA and Europe. It is a difficult task to bring an invention to market but we had a lot of help from people in Sudbury, now 6 years later you can see how far we grown” great practice and networking. Sudbury has been very helpful.”
John Connolly, EVP Corporate Development, PITCH 2014
“What do you do when you are a bunch of scientists with a great idea wanting to create a business but you don't know how? Fortunately, NORCAT was there. It's entrepreneurship 101 course was perfect for us to understand all the facets of starting a business. As we encountered typical startup hurdles, the NORCAT team was always there to provide insight and advice.
I believe we were one of the first startups to be in the inaugural NORCAT PITCH. The assistance in preparation for this was so helpful and that experience has been utilized constantly over the last few years in our numerous pitches - many successful.
Verv is still in the startup mode, still moving forward and raising capital for our venture. We are now in the commercialization phase of getting our Biochemistry analyzer into consumer hands. Optimizing our system, getting ready for certifications, mass manufacturing, marketing and sales, there is a lot to creating a successful business and NORCAT has been helping us all the way.
As a northerner, the only way to have our community grow and diversify is to develop a class or entrepreneurs who will create business here. To do that, entrepreneurial mentorship, advice, and fostering angel investment is necessary and NORCAT has helped lead this.”
Jeff Sutton, Founder & President, PITCH 2014
“Since PITCH 2019, we have been able to create relationships and access funding, which allowed us to make big moves in product development and beta testing. We are now at full scale and have the product in use.”
Kari Juuti, OQPY CEO, PITCH 2019
Vineet: I was living in Toronto at that time, and Peter Del Bianco- an amazingly gentle, gracious, intellectual guy, was consistent; he was able to review the PITCH and send great remarks and feedback. When we came to Sudbury, every person in NORCAT came and introduced themselves, I still remember before the PITCH came backstage, and an event volunteer reassured us, “Don’t be nervous, you guys are going to rock” PITCH 2019 was the unique pitch experiences we had.
Vineet: We now have moved to Sudbury; we have made connections with universities and colleges. We have had Sudbury students working with us for Co-Ops, internships, and their thesis. We have made collaborations with HSN doctors. We have research grant collaborations with Laurentian University, and graduate students work with us through those grants. With many more that we have applied to!
Samir: It was just fascinating; the welcoming nature of people, NORCAT, the investors; the stage set up the host was engaging. The overall ambiance was fantastic. We didn’t expect to win, but to leave with an award was very memorable.
PITCH 2019